Pricing Questions

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bfrance

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Okay, so I did a quick exterior detail on my sister-in-laws car about a week ago, and she has been talking me up ever since to her co-workers.

Basically, I've always detailed my own cars and helped out friends, but I think I'm going to start doing it on the side for supplemental income, (as much as I'd like to do it full-time right now, a nearly $1300.00 mortgage payment kind of puts the kabash on me quitting my 40 hour/week insurance adjuster job.)

My question is, how much on average do you guys charge for a full exterior detail? Something along the lines of wash/clay/clean/polish/wax, tires, wells, etc?

Right now, she has already lined up a co-worker with an '06 Yellow Mustang and another with a '03 BMW 3 series as well.

Thanks,

-Ben
 
Full detail depending on how good your business skills are can go from like 200 for a small car to like 500 or more. Think of how much you want to make an hour, and figure out how long it is going to take you. If you want to make 50 bucks and hour, and it takes you 6 hours to do the job, then charge 300. If you can do a 6 hour job in 4 hours with the same quality, you can charge MORE because you are more skilled. Don't charge 200 for a 300 dollar job. Good luck.
 
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abrcrombe said:
If you want to make 50 bucks and hour, and it takes you 6 hours to do the job, then charge 600.
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Hmmm, 50*6=600? Must be that new math my dad was always telling me about. :D

Just messing with you of course. :cheers:
 
It all depends on the area you live in. On a Mustang, full detail, I would get anywhere 100-300. All prices are subject to change based on paint damage, and size of vehicle. I can do most vehicles in 4-8 hours. I have spent up to 16 hours on large SUVs.
 
wicked1 said:
Hmmm, 50*6=600? Must be that new math my dad was always telling me about. :D

Just messing with you of course. :cheers:
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LOL I can't believe I made that mistake, and I just tutored a kid in math today. His future is not looking bright. ;)
 
It really depends on size of a vehicle, as well as it's condition. Some paint will requide removing defects with a PC, and some can be so bad, that it will take very long time to get the job done.

wash---clay---wax package should be around 125-150 for mustang and 3-series BMW.

If you need to polish it with PC - around 200-250.

Again it depends on how deep those swirls are.
 
I'm an idiot. The last detail I did I quoted the guy $50. I spend more than 5 hours on it. What a bargain for him.

I am liking what I'm reading above though. A guy wants me to do his Dodge Ram and I know from experience how much time I'll have to invest in it... I don't think I should do it for less than $150!
 
P1et said:
I'm an idiot. The last detail I did I quoted the guy $50. I spend more than 5 hours on it. What a bargain for him.

I am liking what I'm reading above though. A guy wants me to do his Dodge Ram and I know from experience how much time I'll have to invest in it... I don't think I should do it for less than $150!
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Plet, 200 for this one.
lostdog013.jpg
 
Sparkey and p1et. Are either of you gunna be in vegas soon I like your prices.
I dont think Id touch that dually for less than 450 if it needed ANY paint correction.
I shoot for 50 to 75 an hour.
 
Cross said:
Sparkey and p1et. Are either of you gunna be in vegas soon I like your prices.
I dont think Id touch that dually for less than 450 if it needed ANY paint correction.
I shoot for 50 to 75 an hour.
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Cross, LOL. Like I said, it all depends where you live at.
A person call me one time and ask about a detail, told him about my packages. He called me back and said he can get a detail job for 35. I told him OK, you better jump on that, thanks for calling, have a nice day.
 
THats what I'd tell them. but when they call back to get the 35 detail fixed my price gets much higher.
 
sparkie said:
Cross, LOL. Like I said, it all depends where you live at.
A person call me one time and ask about a detail, told him about my packages. He called me back and said he can get a detail job for 35. I told him OK, you better jump on that, thanks for calling, have a nice day.
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hehehehehhe You crack me up Sparkie! A $35.00 detail! That must be one of those wash and dries with tires dressed "details". :p

bfrance, everybody else covered your question so well, so let me take a different tack and welcome you to our forums. :)
 
I wished I lived in an area where 200 would get any detail. There is a local detailer that does stuff cheap. But to me it looks cheap. Everytime I price something i get the "well this guy can do it for this". I can't get started even though I get many compliments on my own vehicle.
 
Do you know what my problem is? I detail vehicles that belong to my friends! Maybe that's why I'm charging so little.

What is a good rule of thumb for $$$ per hour?
 
Sparkie : thanks for mentioning the price for doing that dually. I think that $200 is a fair price, very fair! I'm going to keep it in mind.

Do you do it professionally, or just on the side?
 
Just want to jump in here.

I've been making some detailed spreadsheets on what I would charge for specific applications, packages, paint restoration, etc.

I'll just throw out my full detail prices (everything but engine, but includes conditioning of leather/vinyl, etc) I have come up with in 3 different categories, let me know what you think:
Cars/Hatchbacks: $140
Small trucks/SUVs: $165
Large Trucks/SUVs/Vans: $190

I will be just starting, so depending how well this goes, I can always raise prices.

I feel there is a decent demand in my area and it is a decent area. Only professional shops I know of is Ziebart (chained store) and there is only 4 of them in a 50 mile radius. I also looked in the phone book and only noticed 3 others listed within that area.
 
Cross said:
Sparkey and p1et. Are either of you gunna be in vegas soon I like your prices.
I dont think Id touch that dually for less than 450 if it needed ANY paint correction.
I shoot for 50 to 75 an hour.
Click to expand...

:iagree: :applause:
 
I started out doing full details on any car or truck for a flat 150.00. Yeah, I know. I did this if I got their business for a bi-weekly wash/vac for 50.00. To tell you the truth, it really worked. After the initian detail (which I would loose my butt on sometimes), I could do the wash/vac in 45-60 minutes getting me back to 50.00 per hour. I now charge different rates for the size, condition, and what the customer wants extra. I used those first couple of months as education. At least I was still making money and not paying back a student loan!

Once again, you have to feel out your client. Just like when I was selling cars. I had to qualify a customer to see what he or she could afford. Then it simply comes down to need versus want. This is why I'm focusing my marketing to higher end customers. I did a wash/vac on an Escalade ESV for 125.00. How? I asked and LISTENED! The customer kept telling me it was soooo dirty and she was embarrassed. Yeah it was but it only took me 1.5 hours and she jumped all over the price. I now do it every week for 75.00 and her husband is paying 400.00 to do a full detail on it.
 
P1et said:
Sparkie : thanks for mentioning the price for doing that dually. I think that $200 is a fair price, very fair! I'm going to keep it in mind.

Do you do it professionally, or just on the side?
Click to expand...

I do it on the side.
 
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