I understand what you are asking but the question I have for you is what kind of skills and rep do you bring to the table?
Locals know me for my primary occupation, I have an impeccable reputation (professionally and as a detailer), and do run in pretty rich circles.... and I still have a hard time convincing them.
My portfolio includes high end vehicles ($150k+ cars), and even then they seem tentative and reluctant. I do review my work with them, educating them on the ins and outs of what I do and how I do it.... and even then!. It is always an uphill battle and one that requires practice to perfect.
Same as what was expressed before, $30/hr is a good average for regular services which may go up to $50-$60/hr (in my area) for high end services, but that is the glass ceiling.
If I were to ONLY deal with my high end clients, and expect them to pay me $150/hr.... I would not live to see next year.
My reputation was built through the high end artistry I bring to the table (portfolio) but lives because of the word of mouth (reputation).
If you refer back to my original post, you will see that your best tools are not some that are found on the AG website but on what you bring to the table (skills) and your reputation. This is further exemplified in the diversity of your portfolio.
You want to be known as the guy that does 1 high end Mercedes a year? Not exactly the motivating factor for me to bring a Ferrari to you.
Most high end owners are smart people, smart enough to know to avoid the "reputationless" elitist. I will take on any and all project (within reason) and provide a diverse portfolio, which even the Bentley owner oooooo's and aaaaa's over. They are settled by the fact that I show them the high end stuff but feel reassured that my skills are sharpen regularly enough.
High end owners don't care about how many polishers you have, how many variety of compounds, waxes etc... you have. They don't even care about my 2600sq.ft. shop. So it is not about the tools, but what you bring to the table....
I've been doing paint corrections and some decent interior transformations for a little while now, testing, studying and paying particular attention to which products and processes produce the best results in the least amount of time. I'd go as far as to say I've gotten pretty good at what I do. The above comment about educating your clientele on what you bring to the table should be highlighted as something that in itself takes quite a bit of time to do, so it's actual work to pull it off. I have a few clients who did care enough about their cars to actually look at what I tried to show them and listen to me as I taught them the ins and outs of exactly what is required of a detailer to produce the results they say they want for their vehicle.
Most of the folks who did listen to what I had to say and looked at what I showed them were quite impressed with both my knowledge of the industry and the results I have produced in my portfolio, but upon hearing what's involved in paint correction, the possibility of removing too much clear, causing possible premature clear coat failure and having been given a price range, reconsidered what they actually wanted for their vehicle and chose the lower priced services (at my recommendation) as to avoid shortening the service life of their vehicle's paint.
When providing detailing as a sole means of income, (running your own business) there is a line that is easily crossed where you can put your business and your client's vehicles at risk. Knowing the difference (and being able to effectively deliver this message to the client) is a value added service to the client and can command a higher price point for your work, because you have now proven yourself as a really qualified person to provide the customer with the service that is actually best for their investments.
I have a few absolutely dedicated clients with some very nice vehicles who would cut me off in a second if I pitched a $150 per hour price point at them. They have no problem paying $50 per hour because I have earned their trust. This is a tough industry to be in, with an ocean of hack detailers out there making it harder and harder to earn the trust of potential clientele. With lots of hard work, smart marketing and great word of mouth you can shatter the boundaries of
"what the market will bear" but only with the 2%ers. You'd need to earn the trust of a whole lot of 2%ers to earn a great living providing this level of service.
Absolutely. Honestly I could not do detailing full time. This is a hobby for me, and do detail projects every once in a while on the side.
Personally, If I did this full time, it would become a job. I dont need another job, I have 2 already and im swamped as is. I detail on the side, on my own car & get paid while doing what I love to do on my free time
I learned first hand how quickly it becomes a job and how quickly the passion that I once had disappears when forced to do what the highest percentage of the market wants. That's exactly why when I was presented with the opportunity to break into the mobility services industry, I dropped detailing like a hot potato. This way I can earn a good living doing wheelchair lift repair and take detailing back to a hobby level and hopefully regain the passion I lost some time ago.
I think if you can manage to do emergency details like HVAC companies do, then you might be able to pull +/-$100 an hour. But even then you can't do that all the time and expect all your clients to feel the same way about that kinda pricing.
The population that could even afford/have the high-end vehicles most people think of as such are in the .5%, not even the 1%-2% people speak of/claim.
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I often think of doing spot repair only, such as paint transfer removals and charge by the repair instead of by the hour. This way you could possibly earn $150 an hour.
