detail pricing

[BLACKWRX]

i really really enjoy detailing and this site, you guys show pictures, products, steps, time frames, techniques, and good tips........but no one ever posts prices
when you guys post before and after pics i would really really appreciate it if you listed the price for the job done as well as thee above
just a suggestion.......now i know a lot of you guys have your own businesses and you guys might even live close by......by no means do i want this post to start some huge price war and competitive fued
thanks

[DetailDude]

Depending on the income of your target customers which corresponds with the type of vehicles they drive you can get a good idea of the prices they`ll pay.

Here in Silly-Clone Valley, CA I charge $40/hr. There is a wide range of low to high income customers here. Depending on the type of vehicle, it`s condition and how the customer came to be; friend, introduced or advertisment, is how I determine how much extra work I put in to the detail.
Example - I always sell my services for $40/hr but for friends, I might sell them 4 hours of service but end up giving them 8 hours.

[C. Charles Hahn]

Honestly, if you`re looking to gauge how much you should be charging, I would call around to established detail shops in your area and find out what their base charge is (be it hourly rate, etc.) Then, assuming you`re doing higher quality work and/or using better products and methods, you should look to charge 10-20% higher than a high volume shop. Just tell clients that you take longer to be more thorough, so they`re paying for a vehicle that will be cleaner and nicer when done than if they`d have gone to another shop.

[Jngrbrdman]

I put a bunch of information on how I figure pricing in this article on OCDetails.com. (http://www.ocdetails.com/html/making_money.html)

[BLACKWRX]

my thing is it seems like you guys spend hours on detailing
say it takes 8 hours to do a whole car you charge $320 ?
some of you guys have pictures of severely swirled cars with deep oxidation
i know if i were to do a job like that it would take me at least 4 to 5 hours.....200 bucks?

it seems like everyone here is a cheap xxxxxxx and everyone thinks $100 bucks is sufficient for a full detail......i tell customers i can do a 100 dollar job or a real job :yes:

[Jngrbrdman]

I just base my work on a $40 per hour rate. The average job for me is between $90 and $120. There is the ocassional destroyed vehicle that I end up having to quote over $200, but that is more like restoration and not typical detailing. For the typical interior clean and exterior wax I can get it done for about $90. If there is a need for clay and polishing then it is between $120 and $150.

The key is to be efficient. Most jobs don`t need to take 5 hours to be done right. If a job takes that long then it is more than a typical detail and the customer is aware that the price would be higher. A car with deep swirls or oxidation shouldn`t take 5 hours to polish out. If it does then either your process or products need to be evaluated. I could take 5 hours polishing the oxidation off a car too if I was trying to do it by hand with a cleaner wax off the shelf. Or it can be done in an hour or so with AIO and a PC with a cutting pad. You get faster the more you do it.

Some of us may spend 5 or 8 hours detailing our own personal vehicles, but the typical job doesn`t take that long. I estimate 3 hours on most jobs unless the vehicle is seriously neglected. The average cheapskate isn`t interested in total vehicle restoration anyway. They just want it cleaned up on the inside and shiney on the outside. You don`t have to cut corners when you are doing what you are paid for.

[CalgaryDetail]

i think for pricing it all depends on who you clinetal is. for example if you live in a rich area (i know canada so it will be example) such as Calgary Alberta you can charge more becasue people have nicer cars and more money to spend on them from the oild. However if you live in PEI their is less dispoable income and so it would be wise to charge less. If you are looking at setting up price like said eiler call around see what others are charging and base yur prices on that. The shops know how to make a profit so charge within that range. but ya 2 give you a price would be a shot in the dark as it depends on the income and cars of the clinetal. Good luck in the future