Starting up a mobile detailing business...

trekker

trekker

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...and would like any advice anyone has on any aspect of this business. I've been reading a lot about detailing through this year of college, and have been doing a lot of detailing the past couple months. I've figured out many of the things that work well, for many different situations. So I've accrued a little experience, but I would greatly appreciate any "do's and don'ts" anyone has for making this type of business successful.

Thanks a lot everyone, feel free to ask questions as well. :xyxthumbs:

Ben
 
Don't quote prices over the phone, set up estimate appointments and know how long it will take to do a job.If you are wondering how you would know...You will most likely take a beating until you figure it out. At least I did anyway.

Decide what level of detailing you are going to do and set your prices accordingly. For me I wanted to be the nice guy and sold myself short.

If your area is anything like mine, the detailing operations in the phone book are more or less wash and wax guys so if you're planning on doing high level paint corrections...double their price to be fair to yourself. (research required here)

Purchase gallons of product and also purchase a case of small 8 ounce flip top bottles(don't want to be chasing little red caps all day) and only take a minimum of polish with you. The hot sunny conditions can cause some polishes to seperate or get real runny and it's better to ruin 8 ounces than a whole gallon. Per ounce price is way cheaper when buying in gallons.

Have a bag of extra hose connection seals with you, not much worse than a leaking hose connection.

know what services you are offering and be prepared to explain why you want X amount to perform them (get educated and be prepared to educate your clients)

Be prepared to work incredibly long days detailing, filling bottles, washing pads, washing towels, answering the phone, setting up appiontments, giving estimates, doing the book keeping, going to the bank, taking inventory, ordering products etc. and factor this time into your prices

Getting tired and that is all I can think of, Good luck
 
:iagree:DO YOUR HOMEWORK!
tuscarora dave said:
Don't quote prices over the phone, set up estimate appointments and know how long it will take to do a job.If you are wondering how you would know...You will most likely take a beating until you figure it out. At least I did anyway.

Decide what level of detailing you are going to do and set your prices accordingly. For me I wanted to be the nice guy and sold myself short.

If your area is anything like mine, the detailing operations in the phone book are more or less wash and wax guys so if you're planning on doing high level paint corrections...double their price to be fair to yourself. (research required here)

Purchase gallons of product and also purchase a case of small 8 ounce flip top bottles(don't want to be chasing little red caps all day) and only take a minimum of polish with you. The hot sunny conditions can cause some polishes to seperate or get real runny and it's better to ruin 8 ounces than a whole gallon. Per ounce price is way cheaper when buying in gallons.

Have a bag of extra hose connection seals with you, not much worse than a leaking hose connection.

know what services you are offering and be prepared to explain why you want X amount to perform them (get educated and be prepared to educate your clients)

Be prepared to work incredibly long days detailing, filling bottles, washing pads, washing towels, answering the phone, setting up appiontments, giving estimates, doing the book keeping, going to the bank, taking inventory, ordering products etc. and factor this time into your prices

Getting tired and that is all I can think of, Good luck
Click to expand...
 
Im in the same phase of building my detailing business. I went out yesterday & couldn't find a shady spot to set up. So im in need of a pop up tent. I think if i find a lightweight 20x20 i would get it just for extra room. I won't go no size less than a 20x10.

Personally i compare my prices to the competition(shops n the area) & add a few more services for the price.

example: most people here charge $25 & up for a basic wash. no vacuum,no dash,door or console wiped.

I charge $20 for the same services & plus i will wipe the dash,doors,& console. I call it my Premium Handwash.


You got to have a price lure.(imo)
 
In order to be successful you need a detail rig. Some sort of truck, van, or trailer. I'm sure some will disagree but for me there is no way I could work out of the back of a car.....you need way too much stuff if you are going to come prepared to do a mobile detail. Customers will tell you that they have water available but their hose will suck, or you will have the water but can't get your hose on...few years back I had a customer tell me he had a hose but unfortunately it was a recoil hose and every time I let go it slingshot back to the house....after that I was done... every job I bring everything I need from start to finish. And I have learned that this will bring you a premium price for your service simply due to the fact that you look professional!
 
Excellent, excellent advise tuscarora dave, Showroom Shine, GK Auto Spa and WindyCity!

I have quoted price "ranges" over the phone, but not set prices. That's some undeniable logic Dave. Good for the customer, good for you.

I was originally going to have a 90 gal. water tank, 6.5 gas HPW, Reelcraft pressure hose reel and a 3250w generator all mounted on a skid-like frame in the back of my Silverado. However, I can't seem to get the generator in there without spending ~$3500 on the whole setup. I live in Canada, and we pay a lot of tax on things. Plus, all the good stuff is in the U.S. anyways :P

In reality, that's just thinking too big. I'm 19, and what makes this business possible is being accepted into a provincial program called Summer Company. This awesome program grants me an initial $1500, and $1500 at the end of the summer if I fulfill my business plan and stay within governmental guidelines. My dad back me fully with this business, and I don't have a "mobile" competitors. But it's unfair for him to pay for a ton of equipment, I would feel guilty not to pay him back. The detail shops that are here, well it's definitely a stretch to call them "detail" shops. They hardly fulfill that task. It's just not worth it to have a skid-mount setup, especially not to spend the whole summer paying for it. Maybe in the future, if I get business enough...then I'll look into the real professional stuff.

So right now I'm just going to work out a GMC Jimmy, a 1750psi simoniz PW, a few 5 gal. buckets, 50' and 100' commercial hoses, along with many, many products from AG proven to get the job done. There's a Aztec Hotrod Extractor on it's way up here, I think carpet cleaning is going to be a big hit in my market. I'm torn between a PCXP and a FLEX 3401 right now, I definitely want to get into paint correction. Will a beginner like myself be able handle a FLEX?

I've distributed about 230/300 MS Word document advertisements I put together and have got a couple of calls already. Everyone I've talked to isn't concerned that I don't provide my own water or power, they couldn't care less. That's the way the market seems to be here. I'm by no means saying that's the way the market is everywhere else. There isn't money in my city like their is in California, or Florida and the demographic is also quite a contrast to those areas too. I'll be getting a distribution of 5000 flyers targeted to our high-income areas. The reaction to that will give me a real idea of whether this business is viable here or not.

I've got the passion, I love cars and making them look new or even better. I am familiar with a lot of aspects of detailing, and enjoy it a lot. I don't have the professional experience yet, but I have the great people here on AG to help me along the way!

Again, thank you very much for the great advice! Further feedback would be fantastic.

:dblthumb2:

Ben
 
You could get lots of information here. And of course you could do also some research on the internet. There are companies that offer franchises for mobile detailing services do not hesitate to give them a call they can also give you insights about the business
 
Last edited by a moderator:
trekker said:
Excellent, excellent advise tuscarora dave, Showroom Shine, GK Auto Spa and WindyCity!

I have quoted price "ranges" over the phone, but not set prices. That's some undeniable logic Dave. Good for the customer, good for you.

I was originally going to have a 90 gal. water tank, 6.5 gas HPW, Reelcraft pressure hose reel and a 3250w generator all mounted on a skid-like frame in the back of my Silverado. However, I can't seem to get the generator in there without spending ~$3500 on the whole setup. I live in Canada, and we pay a lot of tax on things. Plus, all the good stuff is in the U.S. anyways :P

In reality, that's just thinking too big. I'm 19, and what makes this business possible is being accepted into a provincial program called Summer Company. This awesome program grants me an initial $1500, and $1500 at the end of the summer if I fulfill my business plan and stay within governmental guidelines. My dad back me fully with this business, and I don't have a "mobile" competitors. But it's unfair for him to pay for a ton of equipment, I would feel guilty not to pay him back. The detail shops that are here, well it's definitely a stretch to call them "detail" shops. They hardly fulfill that task. It's just not worth it to have a skid-mount setup, especially not to spend the whole summer paying for it. Maybe in the future, if I get business enough...then I'll look into the real professional stuff.

So right now I'm just going to work out a GMC Jimmy, a 1750psi simoniz PW, a few 5 gal. buckets, 50' and 100' commercial hoses, along with many, many products from AG proven to get the job done. There's a Aztec Hotrod Extractor on it's way up here, I think carpet cleaning is going to be a big hit in my market. I'm torn between a PCXP and a FLEX 3401 right now, I definitely want to get into paint correction. Will a beginner like myself be able handle a FLEX?

I've distributed about 230/300 MS Word document advertisements I put together and have got a couple of calls already. Everyone I've talked to isn't concerned that I don't provide my own water or power, they couldn't care less. That's the way the market seems to be here. I'm by no means saying that's the way the market is everywhere else. There isn't money in my city like their is in California, or Florida and the demographic is also quite a contrast to those areas too. I'll be getting a distribution of 5000 flyers targeted to our high-income areas. The reaction to that will give me a real idea of whether this business is viable here or not.

I've got the passion, I love cars and making them look new or even better. I am familiar with a lot of aspects of detailing, and enjoy it a lot. I don't have the professional experience yet, but I have the great people here on AG to help me along the way!

Again, thank you very much for the great advice! Further feedback would be fantastic.

:dblthumb2:

Ben
Click to expand...

I started with the PCXP 7424 and still use it. I love it. I'm no pro, but some people say they love the flex more because of the power difference between the two. I've now bought a cheap rotary from harbor freight and now am trying to get experience with a rotary. I'm still in the stage of building my business and clientel just as you are. For right now I'm just working out of the back of my truck until I can buy a trailer. I've got a 60 gallon tank for the bed and wouldn't go any bigger than that, as it would be a pain to pull in and out often. It looks like your off to a great start, and good luck with this adventure my friend!
 
I've been detaling my personal truck as well as family members for years now. Being as I'm currently unemployed and seeking a job starting a mobile detailing business sounds like something I should look into. My question is what are you guys roughly making a month?
 
Anywhere from $2000 a month to $12,000 a month is what their making.

Your question is way to broad. Takes about 2 years to be full time

You sound really Google this stuff
 
Yeah that's why I said roughly. I just wanted to know what some of the guys here were typically seeing per mo.
 
Wow, digging up some old threads, would probably have been better to ask your question on a new thread so people can respond directly to you. You will get more/better answers. Many people look at the OP and don't always see the embedded questions from other posts.

As for how much to make a month starting out, depends on a lot of factors. Skill, services offered, market, weather, location. Right now in many parts of the country with the storms rolling through, people aren't going to "waste" their money to clean a car that will be nasty after they drive 3 blocks. So detailers aren't going to see much work for another week or so until this crap clears out and the roads dry up. When that happens, those who offer a simple wash, was and wax, with interior vacuuming and floor matt cleaning have potential for every Tom, ####, and Harry to bring their car in. Could make a good amount very quickly and then die off a bit. Typically, if you want to make steady income detailing, word of mouth is your best advertising. Get one or two details, their friends see it and you can get a couple more. May get lucky and have steady work for a couple weeks, but then you could go a month with very little. It takes time to build a customer base to keep a steady flow coming through the door. That is why you were given an answer that it takes about 2 years to get started. That timeline can be greatly reduced given the right situation, timing, and drive.

Most important thing is be professional. Even if you're scraping the bottom of a garbage can for your next meal, you have to look and act like the most professional/successful detailer in town.
 
tuscarora dave said:
Don't quote prices over the phone, set up estimate appointments and know how long it will take to do a job.If you are wondering how you would know...You will most likely take a beating until you figure it out. At least I did anyway.

Decide what level of detailing you are going to do and set your prices accordingly. For me I wanted to be the nice guy and sold myself short.

If your area is anything like mine, the detailing operations in the phone book are more or less wash and wax guys so if you're planning on doing high level paint corrections...double their price to be fair to yourself. (research required here)

Purchase gallons of product and also purchase a case of small 8 ounce flip top bottles(don't want to be chasing little red caps all day) and only take a minimum of polish with you. The hot sunny conditions can cause some polishes to seperate or get real runny and it's better to ruin 8 ounces than a whole gallon. Per ounce price is way cheaper when buying in gallons.

Have a bag of extra hose connection seals with you, not much worse than a leaking hose connection.

know what services you are offering and be prepared to explain why you want X amount to perform them (get educated and be prepared to educate your clients)

Be prepared to work incredibly long days detailing, filling bottles, washing pads, washing towels, answering the phone, setting up appiontments, giving estimates, doing the book keeping, going to the bank, taking inventory, ordering products etc. and factor this time into your prices

Getting tired and that is all I can think of, Good luck
Click to expand...
The phone estimate can be done carefully.someone calls says I need a rr detailed factor in the color and year and make your estimation from 180 to 220, right from the get go you will feel your price point to high and this will lead to wasted time from you going to look at it.If agreed to price point over the phone must state to them that this is a estimation ball park,once you go see the vehicle if your mobile and it's not what they say it was charge accordingly and nicely explain to them that it will require 2 hrs more of your time.never fails I ask 3 question is there dog hair,or beach sand and the year.I find my self driving to the residence and quoting a job for 220 and there shocked very hard to recover from that,they will say they can get it done for 80 in town.2 types of people price or value.I screen my calls to see where there head is at so I don't waste my time and feul
 
WindyCity said:
In order to be successful you need a detail rig. Some sort of truck, van, or trailer. I'm sure some will disagree but for me there is no way I could work out of the back of a car.....you need way too much stuff if you are going to come prepared to do a mobile detail. Customers will tell you that they have water available but their hose will suck, or you will have the water but can't get your hose on...few years back I had a customer tell me he had a hose but unfortunately it was a recoil hose and every time I let go it slingshot back to the house....after that I was done... every job I bring everything I need from start to finish. And I have learned that this will bring you a premium price for your service simply due to the fact that you look professional!
Click to expand...
or they say they have a water hose,takes you 15 min to undo the hose along with piles of dog crap in the yard.Bring your own hose every minute counts and be organized when you work,don't have 10 bottles everywhere take one out and put it back.
 
WindyCity said:
In order to be successful you need a detail rig. Some sort of truck, van, or trailer. I'm sure some will disagree but for me there is no way I could work out of the back of a car.....you need way too much stuff if you are going to come prepared to do a mobile detail. Customers will tell you that they have water available but their hose will suck, or you will have the water but can't get your hose on...few years back I had a customer tell me he had a hose but unfortunately it was a recoil hose and every time I let go it slingshot back to the house....after that I was done... every job I bring everything I need from start to finish. And I have learned that this will bring you a premium price for your service simply due to the fact that you look professional!
Click to expand...
Detail rig helps tremendously sows you are committed to your craft.every new customer I get before going to there place of business or house,I wash my van and make sure every bottle and towel is neatly in its place.The first word they say is wow nice truck.and if it's a place of business numerous potential clients want cards and seek interest.
 
GK Auto Spa said:
Im in the same phase of building my detailing business. I went out yesterday & couldn't find a shady spot to set up. So im in need of a pop up tent. I think if i find a lightweight 20x20 i would get it just for extra room. I won't go no size less than a 20x10.

Personally i compare my prices to the competition(shops n the area) & add a few more services for the price.

example: most people here charge $25 & up for a basic wash. no vacuum,no dash,door or console wiped.

I charge $20 for the same services & plus i will wipe the dash,doors,& console. I call it my Premium Handwash.


You got to have a price lure.(imo)
Click to expand...
If your starting a detail business avoid washing no money.If your mobile which you stated about the tent min of 45.00 for cars and 60 .00 for trucks.I tend to cater to business owners and not employees.employees,get fired and never exceed a basic wash and will drive you insane calling you the morning you have a full schedule like your not doing anything that day,then they get mad and it's over .This is my own personal experience of doing this a long time.I only wash 4'cars a month at 60.00 a pop with no aggravation going on 4 years.The other promblem with employees there always broke never any money during the week.
 
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