Your experience as a Detailer

[AquaHawk]

Hello there, I`m John and I am new to this forum. I have been trying to get into car detailing recently and tried to actually start yesterday but ran into a few problems and I am getting very discouraged.



I was wondering, as a detailer, what is your most favorite part and is it really all worth it? I kind of want to do a mobile car cleaning service, but I think I want to do detailing. Over all does it pay for itself? I know to refill your products is barely expensive, so that pretty much pays for itself. But for me to do mobile car detailing will that pay for itself? The Gas for the car, the generator, the pressure washer.



Also, if anyone has any tips, personal prices that I can know about to get an idea, I would really appreciate it!



Thanks.



-Hawk a.k.a John :)



Also: I would like to add, there is two of us, my partner Brian and I. I was wondering if we did detailing, how many cars can we both do in a day and how long would it take per car?

[Dan]

Seems like most of these question are only ones that you can answer. You have to do the math and decide for yourself.

[RaskyR1]

All you need to do is market yourself really well, ask advice from others and then not give credit for it, embellish a few things if needed, network like crazy, and post fancy car pics...people will think you`re a detailing god and in no time and you`ll be making $100-200/hr all day long! :D

[RaskyR1]

On a serious note, I feel you really need to love cars and working on them. It`s the transformation that I love....taking some thing worn out and making it like or better than new again.



There is good money to be made in the biz but that`s not going to happen overnight. Knowledge comes from experience and you`ll have to work your way up the ladder.






"Paint polishing is a learned craft, not an art form.

Realizing this is the most important step one can make towards becoming a better paint polisher!" - Kevin Brown

[C. Charles Hahn]

John, I mean no offense to you when I say this, but it really sounds like you should go out and try to get a job working for someone else doing detailing first, and break out on your own once you have learned a bit and have experience under your belt. Not sure where you`re located but if there are any Autopians near you looking to hire I`m thinking it would be valuable for you.



In the meantime, take some classes at the local Community College on business and management so you`ll understand how to evaluate opportunities and grow something profitable. Without profit, you`d be wasting your time.

[AquaHawk]

John, I mean no offense to you when I say this, but it really sounds like you should go out and try to get a job working for someone else doing detailing first, and break out on your own once you have learned a bit and have experience under your belt. Not sure where you`re located but if there are any Autopians near you looking to hire I`m thinking it would be valuable for you.



In the meantime, take some classes at the local Community College on business and management so you`ll understand how to evaluate opportunities and grow something profitable. Without profit, you`d be wasting your time.



I actually do plan to work somewhere soon for like a Mon-Fri job and do the business on Sat-Sun, for now. Then when I learned a bit and have my own stuff do the detailing business Mon-Fri.



Thanks for the answers everyone. I really do love cars, it has been a passion of mine since I can ever remember.



-John

[350f]

Have you ever used a buffer? Are you familiar with how different paints react to different products?

[AquaHawk]

Have you ever used a buffer? Are you familiar with how different paints react to different products?



Yes I have and yes, but how do you tell?

[Concours.John]

The biggest thing with polishing is knowing when to step polishes/pads for the least aggressive method to correct.



It`s easy to take a heavy cut pad or polish to remove defects but was it necessary? I`ve seen too many vehicles corrected to the point there was no room left for future polishing.



Over polish everytime + repeat client =

repaint at somepoint



Knowing how paint systems work (soft vrs. Hard clear vrs single stage) is key when doing it for a living. It dramatically cuts down the testing for your method to proceed.

[IHA Mark]

You really need to read "How to to start a home based detailing business" by Renny Doyle before you even consider starting in this business.

[CosminTX]

" tried to actually start yesterday but ran into a few problems and I am getting very discouraged. "

probably is time to rethink your business plan if you have any... that way you have more options and plan b , c... ready.



"as a detailer, what is your most favorite part and is it really all worth it? "

seeing the finish product and get paid are my favorite part of detailing, also get visible results is a big reward for me.



"I kind of want to do a mobile car cleaning service, but I think I want to do detailing."

my english may be broke , but sooner or later are the same



" Over all does it pay for itself? But for me to do mobile car detailing will that pay for itself? The Gas for the car, the generator, the pressure washer. "

i beat my own records a few times , now i am standing in 4k a week , around 8-900 a day , a bit over 10k a month. my new goals are to keep steady over 9k a month, get the second working van and hire one more guy, we are a 2 man team now. now ask yourself where you wanna be?



"Also, if anyone has any tips, personal prices that I can know about to get an idea, I would really appreciate it!"

you are the only one who can value/price your work. you can charge by project based of what you do to the car or by the hour. do a few cars time yourself and see where you stand.



" there is two of us, my partner Brian and I.how many cars can we both do in a day and how long would it take per car?"

with so many options out there to detail a car , you can finish one car in 20 minutes or less /dealer style , or 2-3+ hours , so a bit of math wouldn`t hurt you , time how long takes you for 1 car and figure how many you wanna do into a day, with brakes , and travel included.

[AquaHawk]

" tried to actually start yesterday but ran into a few problems and I am getting very discouraged. "

probably is time to rethink your business plan if you have any... that way you have more options and plan b , c... ready.



"as a detailer, what is your most favorite part and is it really all worth it? "

seeing the finish product and get paid are my favorite part of detailing, also get visible results is a big reward for me.



"I kind of want to do a mobile car cleaning service, but I think I want to do detailing."

my english may be broke , but sooner or later are the same



" Over all does it pay for itself? But for me to do mobile car detailing will that pay for itself? The Gas for the car, the generator, the pressure washer. "

i beat my own records a few times , now i am standing in 4k a week , around 8-900 a day , a bit over 10k a month. my new goals are to keep steady over 9k a month, get the second working van and hire one more guy, we are a 2 man team now. now ask yourself where you wanna be?



"Also, if anyone has any tips, personal prices that I can know about to get an idea, I would really appreciate it!"

you are the only one who can value/price your work. you can charge by project based of what you do to the car or by the hour. do a few cars time yourself and see where you stand.



" there is two of us, my partner Brian and I.how many cars can we both do in a day and how long would it take per car?"

with so many options out there to detail a car , you can finish one car in 20 minutes or less /dealer style , or 2-3+ hours , so a bit of math wouldn`t hurt you , time how long takes you for 1 car and figure how many you wanna do into a day, with brakes , and travel included.



Wow, thanks for all the help. I really appreciate it sir.



Thanks.



-John

[Scottwax]

You really need to read through the pro detailing forums, tons of good information in there. Asking questions about professional detailing in the basic car detailing forum isn`t the best place to post your threads. Read all three pro forums, then you will have a pretty good idea of what services to offer and how to market and manage a detailing business.