Please critique my menu & pricing

Driven Auto Detail

Driven Auto Detail

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Hey Everybody!

I'm wanting to start detailing on the side because I love doing it and it would obviously provide me with a little more income. I've come up with a menu & some prices. I'd like your input on what you think about it. Please provide any suggestions that might help me better serve myself and/or the customer. Thanks in advance!!!


Weekly Wash
üHand-wash w/soft water & pH-balanced shampoo
üAll bugs & road tar removed
üTires, wheels, & wheel wells cleaned & dressed
üAll exterior trim dressed & U.V. protected
üAll exterior & interior glass cleaned
üAll interior plastics wiped down
üAll interior carpets, floor mats, & upholstery vacuumed
üAll leather or vinyl wiped down
Group I: $35 Group II: $45 Group III: $55 Group IV: $70​

Wash, Wax, & Vac
üWeekly Wash plus:
ü2-Step paint care & protection
1.Machine-applied paint cleaner
2.Machine-applied Carnauba wax
üCarnauba wax applied to all wheels by hand
üDoor jambs cleaned
üInterior headliner wiped down w/light cleaning solution
üAll leather or vinyl cleaned & conditioned
üInterior plastics cleaned
Group I: $80 Group II: $95 Group III: $110 Group IV: $130​

Ultimate Restore & Protect
üWash, Wax, & Vac plus:
ü4-step paint care to restore & protect
1.ClayBar – Removes airborne contaminants that have settled onto paint
2.Polish – Removes oxidized paint along with light swirls and scratches
3.Sealant – Provides superior long lasting protection to paint
4.Carnauba Wax – Provides another layer of protection and also adds a very warm, deep, wet look to paint
üAll wheels sealed
üAll exterior light lenses protected
üAll carpets & upholstery cleaned & protected
Group I: $150 Group II: $180 Group III: $210 Group IV: $250​

Vehicle Size Groups
Group I: Small cars & small pick-ups
Group II: Full-size cars, mid-sized pick-ups, & small SUV’s
Group III: Full-size pick-ups, mini-vans, & full-size SUV’s
Group IV: XL SUV’s
 
Looks good to me from the eyes of a potential customer.....
services and prices:)

Dont see any engine bay detailing.......something to maybe think about, i myself would be looking for that as a customer......;)

GOOD LUCK......:cheers:
 
Look nice man. Good work!
Simple and to the point with explanations of vehicle sizes
 
BILL said:
JUSTIN how ya feeling????
Click to expand...

SOOOOOO much better. I've drank 4 gallons of water and 4 containers of Pedia Lyte since getting home Friday afternoon. Still week though. I do have a huge appetite. I'll be back at it tomorrow. A local real estate office is having an open house on Tuesday. Eight agents wants their vehicles cleaned up before then!
 
Hey, thanks guys...I really appreciate the input. Bill, I'll probably add engine detailing as an extra side item. I just get a little nervous about doing engine details. I mean, there are so many little areas that can be caked with gunk and hard to get to. It seems like it would take hours to detail a dirty engine. How do you guys do it exactly? Do you just clean and dress the top areas, or do you do a full engine bay cleaning?

Justin, what happened to you? I didn't know you were down for a while. Whatever it is, hope you get to feeling better soon.
 
I use this on my own engine bay, very easy and thorough


I use Autoglym Engine Cleaner regularly to degrease and gently clean engines, wheel wells, bumpers, grills, spoilers, mirror
 
Nice menu .... I think your weekly wash rates are a little high, well at least by Floridas pricing. Normallly around 20-25 max. Lots of competition here.

You might wanna make your offering stand out and offer a poly coating or spray wax w/ basic washes. Something to add some UV protective qualities, and yet be fast and light on your wallet. Wipe and go ... but added gloss to keep the customers coming back (Clearkote Quickshine, Finish Kare 425, Pinnacles Crystal Mist, Poorboys Spray/Gloss)
 
Not that I will ever do it as a business, maybe only a few for $ ehre and there, but...Wondering when you guys do open-bed trucks...so you detail the inside of the bed, or just clean it?
 
Basic Wash Package-
Frequency recommended- Weekly

Hand wash
Clean wheels and tires
Dry
Gloss Boosting Spray Wipedown on paint
Dress tires with tire shine
Wipe out wheel wells
Clean glass

Price- $40


Wash and Wax Package-
Frequency recommended- Monthly

Hand wash
Clean wheels and tires
Dry
Dress tires with tire shine
Wipe out wheel wells
Clean glass
Remove embedded contaminants from paint with a clay bar
Hand wax with a carnauba paste
Gloss boosting spray wipe down on paint

Price- $60


Show Car Finish Package-
Frequency recommended- Monthly

Hand wash
Clean wheels and tires
Dry
Dress tires with tire shine
Wipe out wheel wells
Clean glass
Remove embedded contaminants from paint with a clay bar
Use orbital buffing machine to apply a gloss boosting glaze
Hand wax with a show quality carnauba paste
Gloss boosting spray wipe down on paint

Price- $75

Extended Durability Wax Package-
Frequency recommended- Every 2-3 months

Hand wash
Clean wheels and tires
Dry
Dress tires with tire shine
Wipe out wheel wells
Clean glass
Remove embedded contaminants from paint with a clay bar
Use orbital buffing machine to apply a chemical paint cleaner product
Use orbital buffing machine to apply a high endurance liquid wax
Gloss boosting spray wipe down on paint

Price- $75








Basic Interior Package-
Frequency recommended- Bi-Weekly

Complete vacuuming of interior
Clean interior glass
Wipe dashboard and other plastics with light cleaning spray

Price- $20


Interior Protection Package-
Frequency recommended- Monthly

Complete vacuuming of interior
Clean interior glass
Wipe dashboard and interior panels with a light cleaning spray
Apply a low-gloss interior UV protectant to all interior panels

Price- $30




Basic Engine Detailing Package-
Frequency recommended- Monthly

Spray engine bay with a deep cleaning liquid and allow cleaner to linger
Agitate cleaner
Rinse cleaner with hose
Thoroughly dry engine bay

Price- $35
Note: When cleaning engine bay, all electrical components will be covered with plastic bags in order to prevent water from damaging them.


Engine Detailing Package PLUS-
Frequency recommended- Monthly

Spray engine bay with a deep cleaning liquid and allow cleaner to linger
Agitate cleaner
Rinse cleaner with hose
Thoroughly dry engine bay
Dress rubber and plastic in engine bay with a rubber/plastic shine

Price- $45
Note: When cleaning engine bay, all electrical components will be covered with plastic bags in order to prevent water from damaging them.







Premium Package- Includes the “Engine Detailing PLUS” package, the “Interior Protection” package, and your choice of either the “Show Car Finish” package or the “Extended Durability Wax” package.

Price- $135 (Save 10% versus when packages are purchased separately!)



Note: For large vehicles such as full sized trucks, SUV’s,
and vans, all packages will be increased $10



that is my price sheet. My prices are a little on the high side for the small stuff, and low for the big jobs. It works out setting it up like that though.

I don't advertise leather work, carpet cleaning, and actually abrasive polishing as these take too long. I don't have insurance, hell, i don't even have a legal business, so I don't want to pull out a rotary on a customer's car. Trying to polish out a customers car would take entirely too long with a porter cable and I would have to charge rediculous prices accordingly. If someone asks though, I do it for them. I don't do leather because I just haven't found a product that works well at a fair price. I like leatherique, but it's too expensive. And for those carpet cleaning jobs, sheesh. Take a carpet attachment to the PC and go to town with some folex just wont work fast enough to be financially feasible. ex- my mom's front floor mats i've cleaned before. it took 1/2 hour per floor mat. I don't have the time for that.
 
killrwheels@autogeek said:
Nice menu .... I think your weekly wash rates are a little high, well at least by Floridas pricing. Normallly around 20-25 max. Lots of competition here.

You might wanna make your offering stand out and offer a poly coating or spray wax w/ basic washes. Something to add some UV protective qualities, and yet be fast and light on your wallet. Wipe and go ... but added gloss to keep the customers coming back (Clearkote Quickshine, Finish Kare 425, Pinnacles Crystal Mist, Poorboys Spray/Gloss)
Click to expand...
Yeah, I was kinda thinking the same thing about the weekly wash prices. I'll lower those a bit. Or, I'll just add the extra stuff that you mentioned. Something quick but something that will add some shine.

Edit: That Clearkote Quickshine sounds awesome. I'm definitely going to have to pick some of that up!

Thanks!
 
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Neothin said:
I don't advertise leather work, carpet cleaning, and actually abrasive polishing as these take too long. I don't have insurance, hell, i don't even have a legal business, so I don't want to pull out a rotary on a customer's car. Trying to polish out a customers car would take entirely too long with a porter cable and I would have to charge rediculous prices accordingly. If someone asks though, I do it for them. I don't do leather because I just haven't found a product that works well at a fair price. I like leatherique, but it's too expensive. And for those carpet cleaning jobs, sheesh. Take a carpet attachment to the PC and go to town with some folex just wont work fast enough to be financially feasible. ex- my mom's front floor mats i've cleaned before. it took 1/2 hour per floor mat. I don't have the time for that.
Click to expand...

Neothin,

Thanks for posting that. That helps me a lot. I too don't have a legal business. I'm just doing this out of my garage for now. Some day though, I'd like to have my own place where I can do this full-time.

I understand what you're saying about all the swirl removal, leather cleaning, & other stuff. While it will take me a little longer, it's something I want to offer. I have a PC 7424 that I am comfortable using. All in all, the more I do it the quicker I'll get and that will eventually get my $$$/hour rate better for myself. In the beginning my $$$/hour rate will be kind of low. I just use that thought process as an incentive to get good at what I'm doing w/o losing any quality.

Again, thanks for that information!!!
 
Neothin said:
I don't do leather because I just haven't found a product that works well at a fair price. I like leatherique, but it's too expensive.
Click to expand...

Wolfgang leather conditioner works really well for me, and is not that expensive when bought in a gallon. Lexol is O.K. too, at least for business detailing. I use only Pinnacle and Wolfgang leather conditioners on my car.
 
Regarding the leather, justin30513 told me that the Megs Leather Cleaner & Conditioner is some really good stuff. I haven't used it, but I plan on trying it out at some point.

Right now I use a 6:1 ratio of water & Woolite to clean the leather. Then I use Pinnacle Leather Conditioner after that. I really like the Pinnacle stuff but seems to be a little more money.
 
Here's my setup, I'm no pro either:
Decided to make a separate thread for services, the other thread should be dedicated to the group Zaino Session (whenever that happens).

Zaino Detailing Service (Initial Pricing*)
$55 ($70) - Full exterior; three coats**
+$15 ($30) - Claybar treatment and rewash
+$30 - Fabric top treatment
+$35 ($50) - Full leather interior treatment/vacuum carpet
+$10 - Wheel/tire treatment
+TBA - Z8 substitute for Z6 between coat sprays
+$45 ($50) - Next day application of additional three coats**
+$90 ($100) - Two day additional application of six coats**
Machine Polish/Compounding Services And Rates Coming Soon.

Procedure
1. Examine condition of paint, take notes of customer's emphasis on certain areas.
2. Wash wheels and tires
3. Wash upper panels of body with separate bucket/wash mitt
4. Wash lower panels of body with separate bucket/wash mitt
5. Apply and rinse out RAGGTOPP Cleaner (optional, for euro convertibles/roadsters)
6. Claybar entire body of vehicle (optional)
7. Repeat step 3&4 (optional, included with fabric top treatment or claybar treatment)
8. Dry vehicle's body and wipe down all jambs
9. Machine polish swirls/light scratches (optional, abrasive polish used)
10. Spray panel to be sealed with Z6/Z8
11. Apply sealant (Z2/Z5) to panel
12. Repeat until the entire vehicle is sprayed/sealed
13. Repeat step 12 two additional times
14. Apply wheel sealant and tire gloss (optional)
15. Vacuum carpet (optional)
16. Apply and remove leather cleaner (optional)
17. Apply leather conditioner (optional)
18. Apply RAGGTOPP Fabric Protectant (optional, for euro convertibles/roadsters)
19. Look over vehicle and address any questions the customer may have
20. Make appointment for further coats of Z2/Z5 (optional)

Equipment/Materials Used
Machine Polishing:
-Porter-Cable 7336SP Random Orbital Polisher
-6" Dual Action Backing Plate
-6.5" Wolfgang Eurotech/Lake Country Dual Action Foam Pads (Cutting, Light-Cutting, Polishing, Finishing)

Sealants/Sprays:
-Cotton Applicator
-Zaino ZFX Flash Cure Accelerator Additive
-Zaino Z-2 PRO Show Car Polish for Clear Coated Car Finishes
-Zaino Z-5 Show Car Polish for Swirl Marks and Fine Scratches
-Zaino Z-6 Ultra Clean Gloss Enhancer Spray
-Zaino Z-8 Grand Finale Spray Seal

Polishes:
-Poorboy's Super Swirl Remover 2.5 (abrasive)
-Poorboy's Super Swirl Remover 1.0 (light abrasive)
-Menzerna Intensive Polish (abrasive, available soon)
-Zaino Z-PC Fusion Dual Action Paint Cleaner Swirl Remover (light abrasive, available soon)

Wheels/Tires:
-9" White Tampico Fiber Wheel Brush
-Small Foam Painter's Brush
-Microfiber Wash Mitt
-Cotton Applicator
-Poorboy's Wheel Sealant
-Zaino Z-16 Perfect Tire Gloss

Fabric Top:
-RAGGTOPP Cleaner
-RAGGTOPP Fabric Protectant
-OXO Feather Tip Brush

Exterior Paint:
-Sheepskin Wash Mitts
-Zaino Z-7 Show Car Wash
-Toro Electric Leaf Blower

Interior Leather:
-Cotton Applicator
-Zaino Z-9 Leather Soft Spray Cleaner
-Zaino Z-10 Leather in a Bottle

Claybar:
-Sonus SFX Ultra Fine Detailing Clay
-Sonus Block MEDIUM Detailing Clay
-Zaino Z-18 ClayBar

Towels:
-Pakshak Microfiber Towels (separate drying, buffing, and applying)
-Cobra Indigo Microfiber Towels (for jambs)
-Leather Chamois (for windows)

Notes
*Price subject to change, as this is an initial feeling-out price. Note: price will NOT alter after making an appointment with aforementioned prices. Prices in parenthesis are a good estimate of what the new prices will be, after the feel-out period.

**Choice of Z2 or Z5 layering, maximum amount of coats is nine over three days (Fri, Sat, Sun); both Z2 and Z5 are ZFX-infused sealants, which cuts down hazing time, but limits application of three coats within a 24 hour period.

Disclaimer
-This Is NOT a Permanent Treatment. Although Protection/Condition Will Last About 4-6 Months, The Vehicle Will Still Require a Periodical Wash to Keep Clean.
-I Am NOT a Professional, I Am a College Student Who Enjoys Detailing
-Travelling Surcharge May Be Added for On-Site Service.
-Only Available For Vehicles Smaller Than a Compact-SUV.
-Tipping is Optional but Always Appreciated.
-Limited Availability for Initial Pricing.
-By Appointment Only/Reservations Strictly Required.
-Not Responsible for Weather Cancellations/Disruptions.
-If I end up getting a gazebo or something, above note is moot...unless it's raining like hell with lightning. And thanks Donny for this template. :bellyroll

Time slots in earliest time to latest finishing time
July 21 (Fri) - 9:30AM to 9:00PM - bavarian19
July 22 (Sat) - 10:00AM to 9:00PM - ase2dais
July 23 (Sun) - Only open for the additional coating service, time will vary

July 28 (Fri) - 9:30AM to 9:00PM
July 29 (Sat) - 10:00AM to 9:00PM -
July 30 (Sun) - Only open for the additional coating service, time will vary

August 4 (Fri) - 9:30AM to 9:00PM
August 5 (Sat) - 10:00AM to 9:00PM - KL2DC
August 6 (Sun) - Only open for the additional coating service, time will vary

Well, those are the first six slots (or nine, if you count those Sundays). I need recovery/study time, since I still go to school on Monday, hence no extra regular slots on Sunday. If Sunday's the only day you can make an appointment, I'll see what I can do, but school's still my priority.

If I missed anything, or you guys have any suggestions, please feel free to tune in. Thanks.
Click to expand...
 
OK, I've done some updates to my menu. The overall response here was pretty positive. However, when I posted the same message on another detailing forum, it wasn't so positive. It was suggested that I get rid of the vehicle groupings. I went ahead and did that and changed a couple things w/in the packages. Also, I have a note at the bottom that talks about ala carte services (ie - engine detailing, etc.) but I don't have those services listed on here. I'm still working on that area. Anyway, what do you think about this revised menu?

Weekly Wash*Starting at $30
üHand-wash w/soft water & pH-balanced shampoo
üAll bugs & road tar removed
üForced-air & hand dry
üTires & wheel wells cleaned & dressed
üWheels cleaned
üAll exterior trim dressed & UV protected
üAll exterior & interior glass cleaned
üAll interior plastics wiped down
üAll interior carpets, floor mats, upholstery, & trunk area vacuumed
üAll leather or vinyl wiped down
üAll exterior body panels, including glass, wiped down w/gloss enhancing, protective quick detail spray

Wash, Wax, & Vac *Starting at $80
üWeekly Wash plus:
ü2-Step paint care & protection
1.Machine-applied paint cleaner
2.Machine-applied Carnauba wax
üCarnauba wax applied to all wheels by hand
üDoor jambs cleaned
üInterior plastics cleaned to a matte finish
üInterior headliner wiped down w/light cleaning solution
üAll leather or vinyl cleaned & conditioned

Ultimate Restore & Protect *Starting at $150
üWash, Wax, & Vac plus:
ü4-step paint care to restore & protect
1.ClayBar – Removes airborne contaminants that have settled onto paint
2.Polish – Removes oxidized paint along with light swirls and scratches
3.Sealant – Provides superior long lasting protection to paint
4.Carnauba Wax – Provides another layer of protection and also adds a very warm, deep, wet look to paint
üAll wheels sealed
üAll exterior light lenses protected
üUV protection applied to interior dash
üAll carpets & upholstery cleaned & protected


*All prices shown are starting prices for a small sedan. Prices increase for larger vehicles. Also, prices can increase due to the condition of the vehicle.
**Services can be packaged ala carte style where you determine what exact services you would like performed on your vehicle.
 
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