Mobile Guys... Is it okay to use customers water and electricity?

CWallace

CWallace

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Just as the title states, is it ok to use customers water and electricity when you are mobile??
I know ideally you should be fully self sufficient with a tank and generator.
But, last summer I started detailing on the side for a little extra money. So far, all my customers are drop offs at my house, sice I work out of my garage. But i would like to add a few more customers this summer. I think it would be easier to get customers if i added the convenience of being mobile! My only problem is water and a canopy.. I have a generator, pressure washer, vac, etc. for basic details just no water.. I've talked to a couple potential customers who said it would be fine to use their water and electric, just to have the convenience of me coming to them...
Is this bad business?? Also is it uncommon for mobile guys to use customer utilities??
 
I don't think it's bad business at all. I myself will be self sufficient on my rig. But I've had numerous potential clients offer there hookups. At this time I'm not self sufficient, and work out of my garage as well.

I think it's better in the long run to run your own h20/electric supplies.

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How could that be worded on a card or flyer ?
I've wondered the same thing. I don't mind driving my car to them and doing the details. I just don't have the essential a mobile detailers should have


Tapatalking
 
Nobody has ever looked at me funny when I ask for their electrical outlet. I list water & electrical outlets as a requirement on my website.
 
I was mobile for a couple years and never had a customer refuse the use of their electricity and water. I always informed them that it would be a requirement to have the job done. At worst, they'd tell me that their hook ups are around back of the house. I always had two 75' hoses and 200' of extension cords in my van so that was never an issue for me.

A few issues I did encounter however were...

Some apartments or townhouses have no outside electrical outlets at all (I always asked during the initial phone call) so if the customer wouldn't be home to plug my cord in inside their home, I had to bring a generator.

Some customers had extremely hard water which made things a bit of a challenge at times. ONR was my best friend in these instances and sometimes I had to wash and dry sections at a time to avoid severe water spotting.

In my experience...85% of home owners have very bad garden hoses that either leaked severely or were cut off completely at the discharge end of the hose, or the hose was so cheap, hard and kinked up that they were completely useless to me. The first thing that I did upon arrival was to roll out my own hoses and hose nozzles.

As a mobile detailer, I suggest getting the best hoses that your money can buy and always have hose washers in your arsenal of goodies. If not, It'll cost you time and aggravation on every job you do.
 
I'd be awfully surprised if someone refused you water or electricity. Bring your own hoses and electrical cords and you'll be all set!! :props:
 
If I had a mobile detailer come to my house, I would expect to provide water and electricity.
 
Many times the first thing the customer shows me is where the water and electric are, I never use them because I have my own and prefer to use my setup. The thing to remember is that not all customers have water and electricity where you will need it. I do RV's and I can tell you they are always parked away from the house. Even Dave's long cords and hoses would not reach.

Many times the customer is not home when I am doing their car, so if the hose is in the backyard(locked gate) or the outlet is in the garage I would not have accesses to it.

Think about your competition, they may be "full service/ fully self contained" How will you stack up against them?
 
I'm fully self contained. When I pull up to a Clients' home, about 20% of the time they tell me where the water hookup is. I just tell them something to the nature of.."Thanks, I carry my own water".
I will however, ask to hook up to power if I know I am going to be polishing for a couple hours. Other than that, I run my own power from my trailer for vacs and shampooing. I'd hate to flip a breaker while using their power and then asking the client to flip it back on for me. :)

Or you could offer them $5-10 off the detail to use their hook-ups?
 
Tex Star Detail said:
I'm fully self contained. When I pull up to a Clients' home, about 20% of the time they tell me where the water hookup is. I just tell them something to the nature of.."Thanks, I carry my own water".
I will however, ask to hook up to power if I know I am going to be polishing for a couple hours. Other than that, I run my own power from my trailer for vacs and shampooing. I'd hate to flip a breaker while using their power and then asking the client to flip it back on for me. :)

Or you could offer them $5-10 off the detail to use their hook-ups?
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So much easier to bring everything for all of the reasons stated above but be careful not to trip a breaker especially if the customer is not home or leaves the house!

Saves alot of time to just bring EVERYTHING you need!
 
I look at it this way: would you like it if a painter showed up at your house but asked to use your ladder and paint brushes? Or if a mobile mechanic showed up to your house and asked to borrow your wrenches? Or if your lawn guy showed up and asked to borrow your mower?

Just something to ponder...

I am self sufficient and I think it adds a great deal to my professional image.
 
I always use the customers water and electric. If and when I decide to start contracting with larger dealerships for their used car inventory, I'll probably start constructing a self contained unit. Until then I think I'll be fine bumming the electric and water.
 
I agree that you look more professional if you have your own water and power. That said, as long as we discussed it ahead of time, I would be happy to let a Detailer use my water and electric. Just so long as you didn't want to use my tools and wax.
 
On a side note. If someone showed me where the water hook up was, Id use it 9 out of 10 times anyway. And save my water for remote jobs.
 
When painters came to my house, they used my water to pressure wash the house, my electricity to assist them to put replace siding and light when painting inside, and my indoor plumbing.:eek:
 
Been doing mobile as a side job to make some extra income for about 2 years, i do not have a home base, apt living and no exterior water, i have gone to may clients houses, hangers ect and always discuse water and electric use and offer to adjust the price for my usage, i have yet to have anyone want me to adjust the prices for it

But plans are in the works to become self sufficient in the near future
 
I'm fully self contained, however I inform the client the generator & pressure washer can be noisy to some, will that be a problem for them, 99% tell me they prefer I use their water and power. I've never had a client act put-off, they assume you will be using their P&W. It's nice being fully self contained when you need it.
 
My Detailing Guys said:
I'm fully self contained, however I inform the client the generator & pressure washer can be noisy to some, will that be a problem for them, 99% tell me they prefer I use their water and power. I've never had a client act put-off, they assume you will be using their P&W. It's nice being fully self contained when you need it.
Click to expand...

Same most perfer to not irritate there neighbors witg excessive noise.

Sent from my SGH-T889 using AG Online
 
Sorry im bumping a month old thread, but just thought i could add some insight.

I owned a pressure washing company for 4 years. I could bring my own water to the jobs but it would cost me alot of gas money to haul 300-500 gallons of water(2400-4000lbs extra weight on my trailer) and then I would have to fill up on my own water supply at home. At the time I lived in a lil suburb that had dumb water restricitons, i could only fill up my tank every other day

So when i would bid for jobs i would explain my situation and tell them if you let me use your water i can cut down on the price by 10%. The customer probably saved 3-4% w/ me once i used their water.

With all the jobs i did i only had to bring my own supply of water maybe three times.

In conclusion I think its good to be able to bring your own water supply but i dont think it looks unprofessional if you dont. If you are one of the companies that doesnt have the means of bringing your own water or power, i would let the customer know upfront and maybe give them a discount.
 
CWallace said:
Just as the title states, is it ok to use customers water and electricity when you are mobile??
I know ideally you should be fully self sufficient with a tank and generator.
But, last summer I started detailing on the side for a little extra money. So far, all my customers are drop offs at my house, sice I work out of my garage. But i would like to add a few more customers this summer. I think it would be easier to get customers if i added the convenience of being mobile! My only problem is water and a canopy.. I have a generator, pressure washer, vac, etc. for basic details just no water.. I've talked to a couple potential customers who said it would be fine to use their water and electric, just to have the convenience of me coming to them...
Is this bad business?? Also is it uncommon for mobile guys to use customer utilities??
Click to expand...


I relied on customers water for quite awhile. I think a lot of guys do. Can't cover every mobile job in this fashion but it doesn't close the door. Just need to address that while speaking to the client during the initial discussion

do yourself a huge favor, buy a rapid reel (or something similar) and a decent hose. Clients have water, but 90% of the time their hose sucks. Its short, its kinked, it leaks, its been laying in the mud, its behind some bushes etc - then you have the pleasure of coiling it up nicely by hand.

rapid reel, mounted on 2x4s, craftsman 75ft hose with a shut off valve at the end. Never looked back.

sparklewagonmakeitrain_800x600_zps4f547a04.jpg
 
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