How do you guys make a living

wagsjr · 10-04-09, 07:26

I have been detailing for years. Did it through college in a pro shop. Now I do it as a side business.

Realistically a full detail, done with a pc, and then sealed along with a full interior takes one person forever. I have an efficient system. I pay attention to detail but can take up to 8 hours for an SUV. People just dont want to pay more than 150 bucks and thats doing correction.

Just wondering how you pros do it

VALE TUDO · 10-04-09, 08:39

easy live with your parents!

efnfast · 10-04-09, 11:45

They use a rotary - cuts down on correction time, especially when you're skilled in its use.

They don't charge $150 for an 8hr detail. I'm not a pro per-say, but I won't do anything less than $60/hr. Usually end up around $80/hr when I do it, which I less than my day job, but hey, I do it for the passion of detailing, not to make a living.

Jakerooni · 10-05-09, 06:03

Raise your prices and get rid of the people that don't want to pay over $150 for a full correction job. You're still dealing with volume shop customers that have no clue what it takes to detail properly and thus hold no real value for your service. If your going to do volume pricing then you need to do volume business. (i.e. get a shop with 5 bays and have them busy all the time and then you'll start making your money) But if it's just you... then you need different customers.

jdoria · 10-05-09, 06:11

Barely........

wagsjr · 10-05-09, 11:44

Well hats off to you guys. I do it for the love of detailing and liking the few extra bucks. Lately I wont touch correction work any more. I am decent with a rotary but its nearly impossible to be hologram free. At least for me anyway so a pc follow up is neccessary.

But for example yesterday my job for 150 bucks did exterior with clay bar and megs 26 as well as door jams and get te rust off some chrome wheels. Interior was a full shampoo, clean all cracks and panels then dress interior and windows.

Took about 5 hours. 30 bucks an hour. Sucks. Lol.

And Im working my balls off. Was an 05 grand cherokee btw white

toyotaguy · 10-05-09, 12:01

30/hr is more than a lot of people are making right now...so it doesnt suck!

depending on lifestyle and location, 60K take home is pretty good money! cant have champagne taste on beer money though, live within your means!

mose · 10-05-09, 12:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by toyotaguy

30/hr is more than a lot of people are making right now...so it doesnt suck!

depending on lifestyle and location, 60K take home is pretty good money! cant have champagne taste on beer money though, live within your means!

+1

There are a lot of people out there that don't make $30 an hour at their normal job...let alone a side gig!! Be happy with getting paid to do something you love. Life could be a lot worse!!

advs1 · 10-05-09, 12:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by toyotaguy

30/hr is more than a lot of people are making right now...so it doesnt suck!

depending on lifestyle and location, 60K take home is pretty good money! cant have champagne taste on beer money though, live within your means!

well said TG

i know people taking jobs at $10 an hour right now because they were laid off. thats serious business coming from $20 plus to $10-$12. so i feel fortunate to make an average $30-$40 and work doing what i love instead of what i have to do. i have seen the market in my area go way down. seems to be coming up a bit again, but i have very few $1000 plus details right now. even the well to do people in my area are cutting back and i dont blame them, i know i have. i have just adjusted my work, tried getting more into what people can afford and are willing to pay. 90% of the general public doesnt want 100% correction, they just want their moneys worth and that doesnt mean i do a crappy job, i just do it to their satisfaction not mine. yes it does pain me to see swirls i know i can get out but if its not in the budget, it just cant be done.

scholar · 10-05-09, 01:39

[quote=toyotaguy;1316741]30/hr is more than a lot of people are making right now...so it doesnt suck!

not to mention tax-free...

toyotaguy · 10-05-09, 08:46

i have had a few cancellations in the past couple of weeks due to "economic situation" - basically people are still scared to spend money

I have also lost a couple of accounts, and couldnt get a couple more because of "expense accounts have been cut BIGTIME" and one business place I routinely get work from went from 6 people down to 2 or 3....

its killing me, which is why I have to come up with a more efficient way to market and get a smile on EVREYONE'S faces (theirs AND mine) with the detail packages...

wagsjr · 10-05-09, 09:47

I understand what you guys are saying.

It seems 90% of people dont see swirls and love shiny tires and interiors. I am a perfectionist and hate swirls or even one smudge anywhere. Makes me crazy.

The normal customer isnt concerned with the minor minor details I guess.