Florida detaling

tcaholic · 05-17-08, 07:59

im currently and have been living in kansas city, been detailing cars for 10 years now, i started real young and taught myself, along the way ive had alot of help to from more experienced detailers.

I was talking with my supervisor at work the other day he told me that his son has his own mobile detailing business in florida and is doing really well. details alot of cars trucks and mostly boats.

I also called a a guy in arizona he doesnt own a detailing shop but he knows of some people that do. he says the market out there is huge alot bigger than the mid-west.

recently ive been thinking that i want to move my business to one of the southern states florida or arizona, ill get alot more business because of the climate and wethier people however ill lose all my clients i mean 100% of them.

Does anyone live in florida/ arizona and own a detailing shop, i need to figure the margins out. I know its going to be a wide gap, i need to do some research and i thought this site would be the first place.

thanks for your input it will help alot.

BillyL207 · 05-17-08, 10:10

The only detailers your gonna find here in south florida are mobile guys. Not fixed locations. You need a car everywhere you go in Florida therefore people create busy lives. It's a better convienance if your mobile. Right now things have slowed everywhere definately not the time to be moving a business. I have lost half my clients because they have lost their jobs. Stay where your at.

David Fermani · 05-18-08, 04:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by BillyL207

Right now things have slowed everywhere definately not the time to be moving a business. I have lost half my clients because they have lost their jobs. Stay where your at.

That's interesting? I feel our job market is stronge. Florida had the fourth lowest unemployment rate of the ten most populous states, based on the latest nationwide data, and has been below the national average since mid-2002. Our housing market is the worst out there. If you lost 1/2 your clients (because they lost their jobs) then you're focusing on the wrong clientel.

TH0001 · 05-18-08, 08:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by BillyL207

The only detailers your gonna find here in south florida are mobile guys. Not fixed locations. You need a car everywhere you go in Florida therefore people create busy lives. It's a better convienance if your mobile. Right now things have slowed everywhere definately not the time to be moving a business. I have lost half my clients because they have lost their jobs. Stay where your at.

I have been looking at locations for opening a shop in South Florida and hope to do so with in the next 9-10 months. I hope your wrong

David Fermani · 05-18-08, 08:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by TH0001

I have been looking at locations for opening a shop in South Florida and hope to do so with in the next 9-10 months. I hope your wrong

Wow. That's great news. Where are you looking and are you planning on moving your family down here? Good luck finding a place that's in a good location that doesn't cost an arm & a leg. Are you getting away from the mobile side of things all together? I've been waiting to see someone make an attempt at this down here.

Forever New · 05-18-08, 01:23

Im in Jacksonville and my mobile business is doing great. Ive heard from several friends in south and central FL and their businesses are doing good as well. I do a lot of work at high end condos and I get continuous new business from them, and most turn into regular clients. I'm actually planning on buying a 2nd van and expanding soon.

AppliedColors · 05-18-08, 04:14

Consider buying a detail operation, fixed or mobile, in FL. Be certain it has 200+ customers with contact information and a good reputation. There's many detail operations for sale on Craigslist and through small business brokers.

Starting in a new market can be hell. The money you'll spend on advertising and the time you'll spend networking can mean you won't make money for 6-12 months.

BillyL207 · 05-18-08, 08:53

I dont have the wrong clientèle not when their business men and women. Im in the high income section of town. Try again chief. I just have a case of bad luck. Everything changes in time I'm not worried because it's not my primary source of income.

TH0001 · 05-18-08, 09:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Fermani

Wow. That's great news. Where are you looking and are you planning on moving your family down here? Good luck finding a place that's in a good location that doesn't cost an arm & a leg. Are you getting away from the mobile side of things all together? I've been waiting to see someone make an attempt at this down here.

I have some pretty good deals I could get on rent, but it comea down to how much am I willing to pay for location and how will location affect bussiness modeling and srategy. It is kind of those deals where in a more volume based shop location might be uber important but for the type of work we are doing, based more on word of mouth, a nicer, secure location might work as well.

I have several clients who own commerical real estate and have already offered some space to me at a very nice price. I think mobile detailing will continue, for maintence and so forth, but the goal for me personally would be to have a high end, world famous detailing botique.

Of course, all this talk about volume shops has me scratching my chin...

David Fermani · 05-20-08, 02:41

There's nothing like having a state of the art shop to work out of. But, like I'm sure you know, alot of times the clients down here prefer thier vehicles to be taken care of at their homes and don't want the hassel of dropping them off. Although I'm sure there's many ways to overcome these (and other) objections and there would ultimately be a domino effect with clientel. Unless you're planning on hiring more people to assist you to produce more income, I think it wouldn't be cost effective to carry a fixed shop's overhead (rent/utilities/insurance)? You would be working off less profit margin compared to being mobile. I'd love to see a nice store front right on US1 in Boca, but rent & zoning would make it virtually impossible to operate.

Are you opposed to hiring people? Someone you could train, trust & oversee to insure you're producing the desired level of perfection from your shop?

zoomzoom mazda5 · 05-20-08, 02:57

Location, Location, Location................and how much per sq ft too.

TH0001 · 05-20-08, 03:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Fermani

There's nothing like having a state of the art shop to work out of. But, like I'm sure you know, alot of times the clients down here prefer thier vehicles to be taken care of at their homes and don't want the hassel of dropping them off. Although I'm sure there's many ways to overcome these (and other) objections and there would ultimately be a domino effect with clientel. Unless you're planning on hiring more people to assist you to produce more income, I think it wouldn't be cost effective to carry a fixed shop's overhead (rent/utilities/insurance)? You would be working off less profit margin compared to being mobile. I'd love to see a nice store front right on US1 in Boca, but rent & zoning would make it virtually impossible to operate.

Are you opposed to hiring people? Someone you could train, trust & oversee to insure you're producing the desired level of perfection from your shop?

I would suppose it is a double edge sword with hirinig people and really trying to get them up to standard. Plus IMO, it is impossible to get people to even close to very high standard unless they are passoniate about their work and doing it themselves. I know of one guy in South Florida who charges astronomical rates (He charged a guy with an Enzo over 100 hours just to tape the car) and glazes the cars, has a little shop, and probably makes a good living.

I personally am not objected to doing more production like work however, and maybe meeting a balance half way in between. Make less and love what you do or make more and possibly hate it, ya know?