Detailing Business Owners?

[Kleindl]

So, I've been detailing cars for a few years now on the side. Cars ranging from a 160k Ford GT to a Hennessey TT Viper then your every day cars.

This morning I detailed a SRX and the people came to pick it up and they told me I really should go into business with my "talent"

I never really thought about trying to make a living off of this before. Just wondering if their are any detailing business owners that could chime in? Is this profitable enough to live off of?

[Dextar]

Re: Detailing Business Owners?

So, I've been detailing cars for a few years now on the side. Cars ranging from a 160k Ford GT to a Hennessey TT Viper then your every day cars.

This morning I detailed a SRX and the people came to pick it up and they told me I really should go into business with my "talent"

I never really thought about trying to make a living off of this before. Just wondering if their are any detailing business owners that could chime in? Is this profitable enough to live off of?

I'm not an owner of a shop but there is a shop in my area who ONLY does detailing and they only charge 99 dollars for a car, they clean the interior engine bay and exterior.. They wash, clay, scratch removal, polish and wax then do the others and they have about 6-7 people working there..

Just figure a cost of materials, then how long it takes you and come up with a price and try it.. do it on the side and see what kind of a response you get.

[zlatsky]

Re: Detailing Business Owners?

Unless you're in the middle of a VERY high traffic area where there's not many businesses that do that already, don't do it. My friend's dad tried to open his own detail business many years ago, and it failed miserably even though he was very good at it. The only way to do it for a living and be guaranteed business is to work at a dealer.

[Kleindl]

Re: Detailing Business Owners?

Thats why ive been building a small customer list and it keeps slowly growing. 20 people for me isn't even close enough for me to feel comfortable to open a small business..

Espicially in this economy a lot of people don't want to pay 100 for a clean car which is understandable. Im just not sure about this idea ..hmmmmmm

[zlatsky]

Re: Detailing Business Owners?

All of the detail places that thrive that I've seen are the usually automated car wash places that have the hand driers, window cleaners, etc. that have a detail service.

[Fischer]

Re: Detailing Business Owners?

Mobile Detailing is always an option. That is what I am doing.

I plan on starting a mobile detailing business with one van, then when I make enough and make alot of clients, then ill expand to a open shop.

There is alot more risk to opening a shop compared to mobile detailing just because of the starting up costs.

[Dextar]

Re: Detailing Business Owners?

Mobile Detailing is always an option. That is what I am doing.

I plan on starting a mobile detailing business with one van, then when I make enough and make alot of clients, then ill expand to a open shop.

There is alot more risk to opening a shop compared to mobile detailing just because of the starting up costs.

Scion XB as the startup van ftw?

[Fischer]

Re: Detailing Business Owners?

Yeah good luck with fitting all the equipment in there.

Im looking at a Chevy Express Cargo van.

[Dextar]

Re: Detailing Business Owners?

Yeah good luck with fitting all the equipment in there.

Im looking at a Chevy Express Cargo van.

I've never been inside one so I don't know how roomy they are.. would just be great to have someone pull up in one to detail your car.. really can't be that much stuff unless you are bringing filtered water

[ahuhn]

Re: Detailing Business Owners?

pannel HHR lol

i think it would be better to keep it as a side thing

[Fischer]

Re: Detailing Business Owners?

Yeah good luck with fitting all the equipment in there.

Im looking at a Chevy Express Cargo van.

I've never been inside one so I don't know how roomy they are.. would just be great to have someone pull up in one to detail your car.. really can't be that much stuff unless you are bringing filtered water

The thing is there are alot of laws and regulations when it comes to any kind of detailing. Mostly water reclamation and what not. equipment runs 1000s when it comes to reclamation systems. Plus a tent, polishes, extractors, vacs, chemicals, hose reels.

Sure you get away with using the clients water and electricity but it makes you look alot more professionsal when youre self sustainable.

Just some pics from a detailers Van named Nick Chapman on MOL

[bluegtp33]

Re: Detailing Business Owners?

didnt troy or someone on here either do this type of thing

[JO3]

Re: Detailing Business Owners?

I actually work at a car wash and professional detail center. we vacuum, prep the car and send it through the tunnel (machine) and then hand dry it. the profit margin is decent. on a saturday we get anywhere from 200 to 90 cars averaging 20 dollars each plus tips. also. we do about 4 to 6 details every day... most of them being number 5 details which means that it is the top one. we do everything on them. they cost 160 dollars each. we do outside. wash, wax, scuffs, scratches. We use this stuff called powerclean on any imperfections. However a clay bar is about 30 dollars more. and on the inside we do everything. we have a special product we use to shine the plastic, we clean and condition the leather, shampoo the carpets, clean the door jams, and scrub any stained plastic. But anyways. the business is pretty good. No matter how bad the economy gets the people with beamers and mercedes are stil too lazy to wash the cars themselves... oh. and a tip that not many people know. acetone...the paint thinnner... will take mostly any scuff off or anything else that you cant get off otherwise. Just dont scrub too hard or it will damage the clear coat.

[Irkie500]

Re: Detailing Business Owners?

With a strong client base mobile detailing is highly profitable, the key is to not undercharge yourself, it takes a lot of planning and organization to run a sucessfull business. And for the person who posted about some guy who does the whole car for $99, I can almost guarentee he does piss poor work, charging that little for paint correction is just insanity. I would bet you would find holograms, pig tails and RIDS still in that paint. True correction work can be anywhere from 30-50 dollars an hour.

[Fischer]

Re: Detailing Business Owners?

With a strong client base mobile detailing is highly profitable, the key is to not undercharge yourself, it takes a lot of planning and organization to run a sucessfull business. And for the person who posted about some guy who does the whole car for $99, I can almost guarentee he does piss poor work, charging that little for paint correction is just insanity. I would bet you would find holograms, pig tails and RIDS still in that paint. True correction work can be anywhere from 30-50 dollars an hour.

But finding those kind of customers are hard, people have to lower prices so they can keep a business running. The customers who are willing to pay 30-50 an hour are driving VERY nice cars, IE Mercedes,Porsche etc. Even then those customers are hard to come by. Sure that money would be nice to make but then again you have to keep your head above the water.