Trying to detail as a part time

wow man this is great info. im so glad using their utilities wont perceive me as unprofessional.
your guys help is amazing !
 
Unprofessional would be tackling a paint job you weren't ready to handle, from lack of experience, and causing more harm than good.

Lucky Joe,
Wannabe Detailer

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CM8 6MT said:
The way I run my business (if you can even call it that) is from home in my garage.

I have a few select clients that were either gathered from friends or relatives. I dont detail for randoms. I keep my water costs down because I mostly use rinseless washes.

IMO, it wouldnt seem right to charge a customer X ammount, and then be like oh by the way can I use your water source & electricity. Thats going to cost the customer, so you would need to lower your detail pricing significantly. Unless like you stated, find customers that dont mind.

Thats just me though. Im sure others with well set businesses will chime in and give you better advice. Personally I like detailing from the comfort of my own home, and the clients that deal with me are comfortable with leaving their car at my place. Its all about reputation & the quality work you put down.
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And by running out of your own garage you do indeed pay the full cost for all utilites.

OTOH, the customer pays the cost for transport to and from your place (home or otherwise).

So by going TO the customer they are actually saving money and you are actually spending money. In the end it's likely a wash (get it.... wash) ;) But seriously, doing it at their place I feel cuts drastically into your profit and saves them both time and money.

Nicholas@Autowerx said:
As far as using people's water and power... In my opinion it is just assumed that is what is required when someone comes to your home to detail your car. I consider it the trade-off for the convenience of having a mobile service performed on your vehicle.

Sure it would be spiffy and extra professional looking to have your own water supply and power source but I can tell you from experience the only time it has EVER been an issue is when the location ended up being at a workplace. 2, 100ft extension cords later and the problem was solved but there are always job-site challenges in any mobile service type job.
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I agree, if I hire someone to come to me and they bring literally EVERYTHING, including hoses, drop cords etc. I think I can spare $1.37½ cents worth of utilites. (Like I'm gonna' pay someone to do my cars!) :laughing:


See this is were I'm struggling. Two guys show up, one has a complete mobile platform, enclosed van, tanks, generator, heck even pulling an enclosed trailer behind you name it. The other has a decent CLEAN pickup, magnetic sign on the side with all his gear in the back.

They are both dressed the same and both charge the same. Which one looks more professional? Which one would you feel like deserves the charge more (or not)?

IMHO, to go to true mobile detailing requires a level of funding that many are not willing (or unable) to do. (AND THAT IS FINE BTW) Having all your 'basic' equipment with you and having a true mobile shop are two different subjects altogether.

Honestly, if (pulling a name outta' the hat here) Mark @ Visual Pro pulled up in my drive with his full rig, truck-n-trailer I'd know we were in for as good as it's going to get. Whereas a pickup with hose thrown in the back, a ladder tied to the roof (on a rack even) and just an overall open look without everything being enclosed and the guy is asking me to use my water and power..... well....... now are ya' feeling me? ;)

Both have their place, and all the equipment in the world doesn't mean a rats arse if the man behind it isn't skilled at the art of detailing. At the end of the day it's about perception. First impressions as it may. Remember your mother taught you that you only get ONE first impression. Now how that is translated, how it reflects with the customer base you are working with is what'll drive HOW you move towards the idea (in your head) of mobile detailing. Everyone would love to say all they do all day long is bazillion dollar supercars, and might one day happen, but you can bet you'll have a crapload of moola tied up in a mobil rig by that time.

Till then, a clean rig, everything in it's place, and everything tucked out of sight. Keep it shining from morning to night work hard and work right. (I didn't mean to rhyme, but sometimes what I say, just comes out that way.) :laughing:
 
9 times out of 10 the guy with all the fancy equipment started out with just a pickup and had stuff just in the back. If you do the best job you can do. Charge a fair price and are easy to talk to. Then you will get more and more work. Which in turn will give you more money to buy better equipment. It's a vicious circle. I started out with a truck that was like ten years old and nothing. Now I have a nice truck and a trailer both totally lettered up and Clean. Always keep your vehicle clean. Having a clean vehicle draws attention anyway. So put your company name on it and keep it clean. That way when people look at the shiny truck they will see your name. Again good luck. It took me 6 years to get where I am at and a lot of hard work. If you're looking for a get rich quick career, keep looking.
 
Yeah! I'm that Guy with his stuff in the back of his pickup! You know if you go assuming what people want to see when you drive up to a job then you will waste a lot of time and money when there Are more important thing to running a business. I cared at first but Snowbirds have system down and no one has ever not given me business because I don't have an enclosed vehicle with flash graphics or am hauling half a semi trailer with a huge water tank and PW setup in it. Do the best you can with what you have. Similar to what was stated, all the big names in detailing today probably worked out of some very unglamorous vehicles with minimalist setups until they started bringing in profits.
I say always be prepared to be flexible and adapt. You can put a setup together like mine in a day if you need to and strap it into your trailer and be Mister mobile detailed.;)

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The best advice I can give, to anyone starting a business, is to stop thinking that you have to be first to market, best in market or the most knowledgeable expect in your sector.

The only thing you need is the drive to succeed. After all, being successful literally, and only, means taking one step after another. So long as you keep doing that you are, by definition, successful.

As a tip, to get started, do as many Special Interest Vehicles as you can get your hands on, even if it's for free, and photo document the entire process for your A good way to get hooked up with that is to hit up friends and join your local car enthusiasts clubs/groups.

For example, I am doing my friend's 2013 Black Porsche next weekend and if I play my cards right I'll be able to do my girlfriend's father's 73 Camero and 76 Vette in a couple months.

Get a couple cars like that in your portfolio and very few people with more um, mundane, vehicles will doubt your credibility.

Lucky Joe,
Wannabe Detailer

Sent from my HTC DNA
 
You guys continue to give me great info.
 
arjo.reich said:
The best advice I can give, to anyone starting a business, is to stop thinking that you have to be first to market, best in market or the most knowledgeable expect in your sector.

The only thing you need is the drive to succeed. After all, being successful literally, and only, means taking one step after another. So long as you keep doing that you are, by definition, successful.

As a tip, to get started, do as many Special Interest Vehicles as you can get your hands on, even if it's for free, and photo document the entire process for your A good way to get hooked up with that is to hit up friends and join your local car enthusiasts clubs/groups.

For example, I am doing my friend's 2013 Black Porsche next weekend and if I play my cards right I'll be able to do my girlfriend's father's 73 Camero and 76 Vette in a couple months.

Get a couple cars like that in your portfolio and very few people with more um, mundane, vehicles will doubt your credibility.

Lucky Joe,
Wannabe Detailer

Sent from my HTC DNA
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In part of a car camaro club. They go to all sorts of events and meets with really nice cars.
I can off my services at a intro price just to get some great photos for my album.

Would that be a good start ?
 
I understand what your saying Joe. But if you start out being known, even by friends and family, as a "free, for my portfolio detailer," then they may never feel they have to paynyou what your worth. Giving things/profit away is not a step on the path to success. Even if it price matching the local car wash, or at the least covering your cost for products involved with the detail, you should request something. This also gives it more value to the owner if said vehicle being detailed. That is my take own it from experience. And if you read any book written by a professional detailer they may echo something along those lines too. :)
My best clients started out as paying customers, and most customers that got something for free never made it to the client list, or made it worth me detailing their vehicles. It's like when inexpensive wine hit the market. No one bought it because it was priced like the cheap wine it was on the shelf next to. So vineyards had to increase pricing to be viewed as a good wine and compete with price points. If they were giving it away people probably would have just gotten drunk off it and when it wasn't free they would find something they knew was better or cheaper. Obviously this doesn't hold true for all scenarios but IMO it's something to keep in mind.
What I would do, along lim3's post, is give a reduced price but not word for pennies, and if they seem hesitant work with them on it, ensuring it's a win for both sides.
:)

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I come from a software background which typically follows the drug dealer's "free trial to get them hooked" business model... :-P

Lucky Joe,
Wannabe Detailer

Sent from my HTC DNA
 
That's the problem! Detailing is only crack to people like us.LOL
Just a scenario, but humor me. Say your neighbor kid comes to you and says he wants manicure your lawn for free so he can add it to his portfolio for his new lawn care business. Would you give the kid free rein of your lawn?
Say the same type of kid comes to you and ask if he can detail your special interest vehicle(SIV) for free so he can add it to his portfolio he is putting together for his new high end detailing business. Do you hand him the keys and point him to the garage?
Not calling anyone here, starting a detailing business, a kid. Just thought it would be interesting to see a perspective on this.

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Fair enough, I'm lucky with to have access to half a dozen SIVs where I not only get to do them for the joy of it but also earn brownie points with the girlfriend's father and hot Latina friend. But as I said before, I do need to do the girlfriend's jeep before giving her friend a handjob... er, I mean her friend's Porsche.

<grins, ducks and runs like hell>

Lucky Joe,
Wannabe Detailer

Sent from my HTC DNA
 
ShaunD said:
Yeah! I'm that Guy with his stuff in the back of his pickup! You know if you go assuming what people want to see when you drive up to a job then you will waste a lot of time and money when there Are more important thing to running a business. I cared at first but Snowbirds have system down and no one has ever not given me business because I don't have an enclosed vehicle with flash graphics or am hauling half a semi trailer with a huge water tank and PW setup in it. Do the best you can with what you have. Similar to what was stated, all the big names in detailing today probably worked out of some very unglamorous vehicles with minimalist setups until they started bringing in profits.
I say always be prepared to be flexible and adapt. You can put a setup together like mine in a day if you need to and strap it into your trailer and be Mister mobile detailed.
Click to expand...

Hey I hear ya' Shaun. Heck, I don't even have a truck to use so I'd have to show up in my 99 Cadillac. (it's big as a truck if that counts) :) Or, I could use the 4Runner (my kids) or the wife's Denali on special occasions. That's why I figure I'll just do it from here and build up the tool inventory. I mean I don't mind going to do something for someone I know if I had to but if I don't know them I'd rather them come to me.

Like I said, all the equipment in the world doesn't matter if you don't know the "art". Doesn't matter what the guys rig looks like, moreover what he brings to the table. Now what the customer wants to pay when they see a big shiny mobile van rig versus a clean pickup with equipment in the back is what I was talking about. At the end of the day the JOB was the same but some people feel as if you are not spending a fortune on a rig that you don't deserve the same pay. IMHO that is BS!

Guess what I was saying about perception/impressions is what I got from dealing with SIV owners while I was in the towing business. For that matter I got it from going to OTHER towing yards. My trucks were always clean, I was clean, always wore some sort of polo shirt and clean jeans with clean white New Balance sneakers. I'd walk in to pickup a total loss car for the insurance company for instance and they'd think I was an insurance adjuster wanting to look at it. For no other reason than I didn't look like "PigPen" all covered in grease (from the Peanuts cartoon). (The movie CARS didn't help with 'Mater' being a old rustbucket but you get my drift.) ;)

Thing is, I dressed for success because I didn't work wrecks, didn't do recovery in the woods, I did dealership work PERIOD. The cheapest if you could call it that was a smaller Mitsubishi dealership, and from there it went to Chevy, Ford, GMC/Buick/Pontiac, and then Lexus to all 3 Atlanta Mercedes dealerships (with one of them being the Rolls/Bentley shop). Walking into the first one it was where everyone just chilled, (their rate was $55 local) as you get to the middle it was getting stuffy, (and added another $10~$15) by the time you walk into the MB shop you need to make sure your hair is combed before you get out of the truck. Then again, the MB paid an average of $40~$50 more per local tow than the Mitsubishi's did. The Rolls/Bentley service manager paid whatever I wanted, which started at $175.00 20 years ago. Those suckers would pay me to go all over the SouthEast and pickup a car for service, bring it down and take it back adding from $500 to $1500 tow bill to the service bill. FOR A CAR THAT WAS DRIVABLE :D

But don't get me started on CARMAX, those boys are cheap cheap CHEAP. :eek:

On weekends (if I was lucky to put it off till then) I may hook up my 42' trailer to the rollback and load up 3 Benz's to head to Orlando, Tampa and Miami for a swapout then pull back in here Monday morning. If I couldn't put it off I'd literally leave Atl after dinner for a Tampa turnaround and be home for breakfast the next morning.

It was like having a part time job on top of my full time one. :rolleyes:
Ahhhhhh those were the days. Im the MAN
 
Wow! That's why some guys want to own their own rig. That's some serious money. But with today's fuel costs you have to make some serious money to haul cars that far.
I would hope that when people see me hauling my stuff in my 12+ year old truck and not a brand new "carry-all" that they would realize I need the money so I can up grade. :)

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ShaunD said:
Wow! That's why some guys want to own their own rig.
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Guys want their own rollback because they *think* they'll get rich. Probably because their car got impounded or they had to pay a $150 tow bill somewhere. Mostly because the dealership paid $100 and marked it up another $50!!!!!

Truth is, unless you're doing city/county work with impound and storage yards, you are FAR from making serious money! You'll have tons of cash flow, but it goes out as fast (or faster) than it comes in.:confused:

ShaunD said:
But with today's fuel costs you have to make some serious money to haul cars that far.
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Fuel cost, now that's a nerve to hit for sure. :rolleyes:
Not just today's fuel cost. It's always been upside down that way with diesel fuel. Considering the cost to refine diesel is less than gasoline it should be cheaper, but more it's always more! Sure they hide behind "low sulfer" and all that, but the bottom line is they tax the snot out of it, which makes it higher BECAUSE THEY CAN. :(

Ask my 24 yer old daughter about why and she'll tell you, if you can smell it, eat it, drink it, touch it, see it, sit on it, build a house with it, drive to work in it.... it got there on a truck. And that truck.... was powered by diesel! The oil companies know it, and the government knows it, so we all pay for it. :o

OTOH, in Europe there are as many diesels as gas burners, or even more in some places. There the prices are not upside down like here.

Any-who....
As for 'serious money' that's all relevant. When I started it was Jan 85, paid $22,000 out the door for a 17½' rollback on a F-350 chassis. Local shops were paying $25 and dealerships paying $35 (±5) if you were lucky. Then I was driving 70,000 miles a year just around Atlanta/N. Ga no road trips and home every night.

Every 2 years I'd get a new rig and pass the old one down for local work. Last Ford I bought was a 94 with a 18' bed and wheel lift. (in my thread, worst vehicle you ever owned) I had about $60,000 in that one not 10 years later!

The same shops that paid $25/$35 were STILL PAYING THAT if they could get away with it. Although I went up to $30/$40 and lost a few shops along the way.
There is ALWAYS SOMEONE THAT WANTS TO DO IT CHEAPER. Some guy along the way decided if he bought himself a truck and gets into your business he'll be able to go
out and make a killing. W-R-O-N-G! :rolleyes:


Insurance by the way.... I was the Chairperson of Insurance Committee for the Towing and Recovery Assc of Ga for a while in the 90's and our rates went up over 650% in <6 years. (The only thing that was even close was medical malpractice.) :eek:

Fast forward to 96 and I started buying 6500 series GMC's with the CAT3116 215HP. 26,000 rear springs on a 19-5 axle, and 8400 pound front axle, derated the trucks to 25,995 lbs so no CDL needed.
That truck I had over $75,000 in and was still getting $45 for local tows!

Had I been driving a stripped down model of the same truck, steel bed (where I had aluminum), steel rims, (where I had aluminum), plain old lightbar (where I had 8 head Whelen strobe), painted single tool box (where I had quad aluminum, twin 24" and twin 48" stainless trimmed weatherproof units) and so on and so on the stripped truck could be bought for $65,000 *maybe*. :dunno: I might have made a little more money, but I can tell you FOR SURE, I'd never have gotten in the door at a lot of dealerships, especially the MB one on the south and NEVER at the MB/Rolls place in Decatur!

So in 11 years the price of a basic truck went up 300% easily. If you went to bells and whistles and wanted a good dependable truck then you're talking about 340%.
Yet the pay went up about 30% on average.

By 2003 when I retired, GOOD dealerships would pay $55 for domestics, $75 for hi-line. The truck that I was driving you couldn't buy for less than $85,000 new.

Now 18 years later; We're at 386% over that first truck, with pay a whopping 185% higher at a large dealership.
Needless to say spent a lot of time doing this;:dig: Perhaps followed with this....:cry:

The trick is all dealers only pay you one-way even though you are 'trading' a car and have to haul one down to bring one back. Mileage rates in 85 for long haul dealer trades paid no hookup fee, one-way pay only @ .75¢ loaded mile. Go a full fifteen years later, the trucks cost FOUR TIMES as much and I could get a whopping $1.25 a loaded mile if I was lucky, although most were still at $1.00 and if it was over 350 miles one-way I could get another $55~$75 dead-head fee.

That my friend is the reason I'd load up 2 or 3 and head to the good ol' F-L-A for a turnaround. Figured if I could get a buck a mile EACH then it'd be a good day. Not very often mind ya', but nice when you could get it.

Heading out for say a Tampa turnaround in a truck with only 1 car, driving as fast as it'll go (77ish on flat ground) you are doing fan-freakin-tastick to average 55 mph overall. That's a 16 hour drive that paid an average of $510 or $31.64 an hour IF you don't stop at your 12 hour mark for an 8 hour layover like the DOT laws demand. They catch you and you'll wish you did! :( Figure in 16+8 = 24/hrs @ $21.25 per, take out operating cost and you start to see being in a "rig" is more about being your own boss and the freedom of doing it than it ever was about the money. ;)


ShaunD said:
I would hope that when people see me hauling my stuff in my 12+ year old truck and not a brand new "carry-all" that they would realize I need the money so I can up grade.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't trade out being my own boss for anything, and as they say "If you do something you love you'll never work a day in your life", but NO it's not about making "serious money", it's about being seriously dedicated to what you do. See how I tied it all in and turned it back into what the thread is about? Heheheeee
:dblthumb2:




As in detailing, I DID NOT NEED to spend that much money on a truck, but I did.
Did it make me more money? I like to believe it so. :dunno: By George I sure looked good doing it! After all... if the wheels ain't turning, you ain't earning!:buffing:
 
Thanks for all that info and keeping us on track with the thread topic.;)
I've decided that no matter what I do as a job in this life I will not filthy rich. Looking good doing it or not I just want to be happy doing what I do, and want my clients to be satisfied with what they get from me.
God tells us not to store our treasures on Earth but in Heaven. For all things on this Earth will perish. Just the way it is.
When you do things for your glory you will get your reward, here on Earth. But when we do all things to glorify God, our father, He sets aside our reward with Him in Heaven. Man that's some awesome stuff to think about!
Man sees your heart through your actions. So detail like a professional, with passion, and people will see your heart is in your work, not in whatever rig you showed up in. :)
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