No access to a garage and/or cover. How can I start?

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Detailed Josh

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Looking to start a detailing business, but my biggest hurdle is not having a garage and/or a covered area out of the sun to do detailing. I'm sure I'm not the only one with this predicament so what do you guys do?
 
Ez-up and rinse less washes are your bread and butter if your just starting out. Initial costs are low and you don't need much equipment to do rinseless compared to the traditional method.
 
I thought about the EZ-Ups, but all I can picture in my mind is the wind or something smashing it into the car. Have any of you had incidents with the EZ-Ups? And/or what do you do to prevent one?
 
Weight the legs with a bungee cord and a weight. Get a 12X12 two if you can afford it. +1 on water less wash. It will get you by for 90% of your washes. Gary Dean method if the car is dirtier or turn to a 2 bucket wash.
 
You have to weight down awnings! The miniute the I see wind I run for my sand bags.
 
I've been thinking about going to my local Auto Body shop and asking them if they would let me rent there work space. (For paint corrections, not quick detail washes)

What do you guys think?
 
hernandez.art13 said:
I've been thinking about going to my local Auto Body shop and asking them if they would let me rent there work space. (For paint corrections, not quick detail washes)

What do you guys think?
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who's insurance will you be under? how much are you going to cut him in for? what if he says no? lots of questions to be answered, seems you have a lot of thinking to do....
 
cleanmycorolla said:
who's insurance will you be under? how much are you going to cut him in for? what if he says no? lots of questions to be answered, seems you have a lot of thinking to do....
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Yeah i've though about the "No" part but not about the insurance part. I am glad i have worked on any many cars without insurance and never had any problems. Since AG I haven't touched a car because I don't have insurance. I could only imagine all the problems I would have gotten my self into without AG. Thank you guys.
 
hernandez.art13 said:
50% would that be fair?
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Are you referring to the insurance costs? If you give him 50% of your profits you are not going to make it starting out. I would offer like 10% then negotiate from there.

Why do you need somewhere out of the sun to detail in anyway? There are plenty of great sun friendly products out there.

Lots of quality details only work in the sun. Unless you live in a climate where there is tons of rain I wouldn't worry about having a covered place to work.
 
VP Mark said:
Are you referring to the insurance costs? If you give him 50% of your profits you are not going to make it starting out. I would offer like 10% then negotiate from there.
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I agree Mark. No room for any profit at the 50% mark no matter if its insurance or even giving 50% of the total detail price.


Why do you need somewhere out of the sun to detail in anyway? There are plenty of great sun friendly products out there.

Lots of quality details only work in the sun. Unless you live in a climate where there is tons of rain I wouldn't worry about having a covered place to work.
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Isn't that the main marking of Poorboy's products is that they are sun friendly?

Always good stuff Mark :props:
 
I meant the Auto Body Shop 50% for them. I am not really hurting for money that is why I don't mind taking such a big hit. I do it for the joy of the before and after. You guys helped me out with my pricing for customers. However how much should I offer the body shop? For a $200 exterior detail?
 
Detailed Josh said:
Do you do mobile detailing? Seems like a lot of weight to carry with you if you go to someones house, but at your own seems feasible.
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Really? read a little farther and you'll see my signature.
Also your afraid to carry around 50 lbs. of sand bags?
Your going to carry about 1,000 lbs of water and equipment.
So 50 lbs. is nothing.
Another thing, tell you customers you can only detail at there house due to you just starting out a new business. I mostly detail at peoples homes and I hate office parks. So just get an awning and you'll be fine. It's a learning process.
 
Detailing by M said:
Really? read a little farther and you'll see my signature.
Also your afraid to carry around 50 lbs. of sand bags?
Your going to carry about 1,000 lbs of water and equipment.
So 50 lbs. is nothing.
Another thing, tell you customers you can only detail at there house due to you just starting out a new business. I mostly detail at peoples homes and I hate office parks. So just get an awning and you'll be fine. It's a learning process.
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Valid points I guess the weight in sandbags is nothing compared to the rest. Also yeah definitely going to have to rely on mobile locations with water/electricity since I'm just starting out no fancy mobile vehicle setup yet.
 
This week only ####'s Sporting Goods has a 10x10 ezup 1/2 off for $49. Yes I wish it was bigger but for $49 I'll move my car around until I do the whole thing. 12x12and bigger seem to start @ $150 or more. Just a FYI. Not a curse word. The name of the store is the shortened version of Richard's. Lol
 
Spiney said:
This week only ####'s Sporting Goods has a 10x10 ezup 1/2 off for $49. Yes I wish it was bigger but for $49 I'll move my car around until I do the whole thing. 12x12and bigger seem to start @ $150 or more. Just a FYI. Not a curse word. The name of the store is the shortened version of Richard's. Lol
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That's funny how the forum's software prevented that word. Glad my name isn't Richard. Wouldn't be able to use my short name here.

As for the E-Z Ups. If there is an erected E-Z Up anywhere on this earth, a rogue gust of wind will find it. Just as you always assume that a gun is loaded, always count on that gust of wind to come. Use weights every time. Just as tape is cheap insurance against burnt edges on paint, weights are cheap insurance against "the walk of shame" :doh: and a trip to the body shop for deep scratch or dent repairs.
 
I didn't see the sale (at least online?) for the EZ Ups at that store. Do the canopie EZ Ups have sidewalls available or is that only with their tents? I'm amazed at how much these cost everywhere.
 
Detail Josh. The sale ends Saturday. You need a coupon from Sundays circular. The brand name is Quest. W/o coupon price is $69.00. Last I looked attune store they had a ton of them.
 
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