Neighborhood kid doing a neighborhood job -- Opinions?

Christopher

Christopher

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Tell me what you think :D
I am planning on going around my neighborhood cleaning cars, I do the following:
Hand wash
Hand wax
Interior cleaning
-- Vacuum carpets
-- Shampoo floor mats (soak in dish soap and pressure wash with hot water)
-- Wipe down interior surfaces to remove dust / dirt
-- Wipe down seats
-- Vacuum crevices (I don't go into the cracks with q-tips)
-- Wipe down all glass / mirrors with a clay-lube-concentration of dp rinseless wash & gloss (I honestly find that it works better than windex)
Apply tire dressing
Apply armor all to exterior trim / plastic surfaces

Products Used:
Megs GC Wash / DP Rinseless wash&gloss (only if its a hot day where water spotting is an issue)
Megs GC Liquid Wax
Biodegradable Dish Soap
Megs hot shine tire dressing
Armor all
Costco Microfibers
Target wash mitt
My pressure washer

I charge 30$ for a car, 40$ for an SUV/Truck

I know, I know... Don't use really high quality products or anything - but honestly, I know not not one soul in my neighborhood who has a good enough paint finish / cares enough, they just want a clean car - not a show car. If I ever meet the person that does, I will use my personal wash supplies (High quality products).

What do you guys think?
 
It sounds like a good place to start. Do you extract the water from the mats with a wet dry vac? How does the dish soap work for you on the stained mats?
 
I might just bump up the armorall to 303. The 303 isn't that expensive.
Either way :dblthumb2:
 
Seems like you're offering a lot of service, (work), for a really great price... you'll probably get a lot of customers but you're going to work yourself to death...

Maybe bump your prices up at least another $5.00 each? Maybe $10.00?

Or reduce the number of services but offer them as an up-sell?

For example, instead of this package for $30.00

Hand wash
Hand wax
Interior cleaning
-- Vacuum carpets
-- Shampoo floor mats (soak in dish soap and pressure wash with hot water)
-- Wipe down interior surfaces to remove dust / dirt
-- Wipe down seats
-- Vacuum crevices (I don't go into the cracks with q-tips)
-- Wipe down all glass / mirrors with a clay-lube-concentration of dp rinseless wash & gloss (I honestly find that it works better than windex)
Apply tire dressing
Apply armor all to exterior trim / plastic surfaces


Offer everything above except the hand wax for $30.00 then offer claying and hand waxing for another $20.00 (Or $40.00 and $60.00 for trucks).

Show them a bar of detailing clay, explain how it works and educate them that by claying the wax can now reach the paint where it can better bond and besides looking like brand new the protection will last longer and thus protect longer.

Anytime you get a single customer, offer to put them on a monthly maintenance program where you will come by and wash and wax the car for a set price so that their car always looks like brand new. Once you've done the initial cleaning, especially the wheels, claying the paint and then waxing the paint, all future wash and wax jobs will be fast and easy if done on a regular basis.

Some people that use their car for their business might go for a once a week wash and wax, like real-estate people. Others might go for bi-monthly an others might go for once a month.

Be sure to stress that car washes will often times do more harm than good by instilling swirls and removing wax protection.

Make sure you have business cards with a way to reach you and tell them that you're looking for more customers and tell them if they're happy with your work, that you would appreciate any referrals and you'll do just as good a job for their friends as you've done for them.


:)
 
Ya you gotta start somewhere and who knows maybe you might land jobs where washing the car is the lead into a more indepth detail for more money. This is a great way to get your foot in the door.

How do you plan on marketing yourself?
 
Mike.Phillips@Autogeek said:
Seems like you're offering a lot of service, (work), for a really great price... you'll probably get a lot of customers but you're going to work yourself to death...

Maybe bump your prices up at least another $5.00 each? Maybe $10.00?

Or reduce the number of services but offer them as an up-sell?

For example, instead of this package for $30.00

Hand wash
Hand wax
Interior cleaning
-- Vacuum carpets
-- Shampoo floor mats (soak in dish soap and pressure wash with hot water)
-- Wipe down interior surfaces to remove dust / dirt
-- Wipe down seats
-- Vacuum crevices (I don't go into the cracks with q-tips)
-- Wipe down all glass / mirrors with a clay-lube-concentration of dp rinseless wash & gloss (I honestly find that it works better than windex)
Apply tire dressing
Apply armor all to exterior trim / plastic surfaces


Offer everything above except the hand wax for $30.00 then offer claying and hand waxing for another $20.00 (Or $40.00 and $60.00 for trucks).

Show them a bar of detailing clay, explain how it works and educate them that by claying the wax can now reach the paint where it can better bond and besides looking like brand new the protection will last longer and thus protect longer.

Anytime you get a single customer, offer to put them on a monthly maintenance program where you will come by and wash and wax the car for a set price so that their car always looks like brand new. Once you've done the initial cleaning, especially the wheels, claying the paint and then waxing the paint, all future wash and wax jobs will be fast and easy if done on a regular basis.

Some people that use their car for their business might go for a once a week wash and wax, like real-estate people. Others might go for bi-monthly an others might go for once a month.

Be sure to stress that car washes will often times do more harm than good by instilling swirls and removing wax protection.

Make sure you have business cards with a way to reach you and tell them that you're looking for more customers and tell them if they're happy with your work, that you would appreciate any referrals and you'll do just as good a job for their friends as you've done for them.


:)
Click to expand...

Sound advice ^ and congratulations on your new business venture. Good Luck :props:
 
Mike.Phillips@Autogeek said:
Seems like you're offering a lot of service, (work), for a really great price... you'll probably get a lot of customers but you're going to work yourself to death...

Maybe bump your prices up at least another $5.00 each? Maybe $10.00?

Or reduce the number of services but offer them as an up-sell?

For example, instead of this package for $30.00

Hand wash
Hand wax
Interior cleaning
-- Vacuum carpets
-- Shampoo floor mats (soak in dish soap and pressure wash with hot water)
-- Wipe down interior surfaces to remove dust / dirt
-- Wipe down seats
-- Vacuum crevices (I don't go into the cracks with q-tips)
-- Wipe down all glass / mirrors with a clay-lube-concentration of dp rinseless wash & gloss (I honestly find that it works better than windex)
Apply tire dressing
Apply armor all to exterior trim / plastic surfaces


Offer everything above except the hand wax for $30.00 then offer claying and hand waxing for another $20.00 (Or $40.00 and $60.00 for trucks).

Show them a bar of detailing clay, explain how it works and educate them that by claying the wax can now reach the paint where it can better bond and besides looking like brand new the protection will last longer and thus protect longer.

Anytime you get a single customer, offer to put them on a monthly maintenance program where you will come by and wash and wax the car for a set price so that their car always looks like brand new. Once you've done the initial cleaning, especially the wheels, claying the paint and then waxing the paint, all future wash and wax jobs will be fast and easy if done on a regular basis.

Some people that use their car for their business might go for a once a week wash and wax, like real-estate people. Others might go for bi-monthly an others might go for once a month.

Be sure to stress that car washes will often times do more harm than good by instilling swirls and removing wax protection.

Make sure you have business cards with a way to reach you and tell them that you're looking for more customers and tell them if they're happy with your work, that you would appreciate any referrals and you'll do just as good a job for their friends as you've done for them.


:)
Click to expand...


Really great advice! Follow this and you'll be in a good spot.
 
Is a business license needed? Paying taxes?
 
tuscarora dave said:
It sounds like a good place to start. Do you extract the water from the mats with a wet dry vac? How does the dish soap work for you on the stained mats?
Click to expand...
No wet/dry vac here, I just do the mats first and they are dry by the time I finish. I use the pressure washer as a 'squeegee' to squeeze the standing water out of the fibers of the mat, so they are only slightly damp. Its tough to explain, but if you make VERY quick passes with the pressure washer, the force of the water will force most of the standing water out and all over the driveway. As long as the passes are quick, there wont be much water from the pressure washer itself stuck in the mat, while all the excess water comes out.
Geeze, did that make sense?

As for the staining -- sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't. If it doesn't, I have some stain remover and brushes to agitate, then it comes right out!
 
I agree that you should charge a little more. From experience, if you don't charge enough - people will assume you don't use the right products and/or don't know what you're doing. Most people don't mind paying the going rate for the job. If you run into people who do - you're better off letting them go elsewhere. (they're most likely the people who want everything for nothing and nit pick, etc.)
 
JW3101 said:
I agree that you should charge a little more. From experience, if you don't charge enough - people will assume you don't use the right products and/or don't know what you're doing. Most people don't mind paying the going rate for the job. If you run into people who do - you're better off letting them go elsewhere. (they're most likely the people who want everything for nothing and nit pick, etc.)
Click to expand...

Good post...

Another thing I learned a long time ago is it's easier to lower your prices if you start out to high and more difficult to raise your prices if you start out too low...



:)
 
Mike.Phillips@Autogeek said:
Good post...

Another thing I learned a long time ago is it's easier to lower your prices if you start out to high and more difficult to raise your prices if you start out too low...



:)
Click to expand...

This is very very true. I learned this the hard way, started low and moved up and it detered some prior customers.

Also good luck with your new side job, pending on the income area you live in, how nice your neighborhood is and how large it is you have the potential to make some good side cash. :dblthumb2:
 
JW3101 said:
I agree that you should charge a little more. From experience, if you don't charge enough - people will assume you don't use the right products and/or don't know what you're doing. Most people don't mind paying the going rate for the job. If you run into people who do - you're better off letting them go elsewhere. (they're most likely the people who want everything for nothing and nit pick, etc.)
Click to expand...
Point taken. I also did two cars for a customer today, he was to pay me 70, but he tipped me 20 and said that I could use him as a reference.
How much do you think I should charge? 10-15$ more?
 
You may want to think about investing in a portable carpet cleaning machine to properly clean seats and floors in a car. Upholstery tool and machine and you can launch into the $100 and up market. Expect to spend up to 4 hours on average if you steam clean plus all the other stuff. You can do 2 cars a day and bring in almost $400 a day once you have a good reputation.

You may also want to consider having your own "shop" or location, where the customers bring their cars to you. Whether it be dad's garage, the driveway behind your house, or whatever your situation provides. A sandwich board sign out front and you'll be detailing 8 hours a day before you know it. With your own location rather than being "mobile" there is less chance of being without an important tool or facility or product you will need for different situations, also, your cost will be much lower to run your business, and your time and energy can go into your detailing work, rather than driving around trying to find addresses.

Lastly, dont kid yourself, this would be hard work, but rewarding. It all depends if you have the interest, character, drive and stamina to stick it out when you start getting tired of working all day cleaning cars.
 
Expert Car Care said:
You may want to think about investing in a portable carpet cleaning machine to properly clean seats and floors in a car. Upholstery tool and machine and you can launch into the $100 and up market. .
Click to expand...
Seeing as I know nothing about those machines... Could you recommend one?
And I have one question: Will it take out melted wax stuck in the seats? I see lots of cars where a small child has unwrapped his Mini Babybel® Original | The Laughing Cow and left the wax in the back seat - where it melts and seeps into the seat on the next sunny day.
 
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