How do you determine price?

**John M.** · 08-01-2009, 12:33 AM

So far through my business this summer I have only offered washing and waxing with specific scratch removal and such as I had no machine. Only polished mine and the families cars by hand. Now I have the PC :devil:

Basically my question is, how do you guys determine what to charge someone for correction work? I have some guys in my town I want to target with old school cars that are garage queens and also some people with DD`s. Now I was thinking of starting at 200..in all of your expert opinions is this a good starting point? Also, what things do you look at upon inspection to determine what the estimate is your going to give them?

Ive seen the people doing $500 jobs and man would I love that :clap: but I feel that it would be hard for me to find people to pay that and not sure how to price it to there. Any help yall can give me is greatly appreciated!

Thanks a ton,
John

**imported_Luster** · 08-01-2009, 07:58 AM

Hey John... my formula is pretty simple. I charge $40 per hour.

The most important part of the estimate is Looking the car over really well before quoting a price!!!!

For example, for a wash, wax, clean interior, leather conditioner, tire dressing... I usually figure 2.5 hours or $100. (for a medium-size coupe or sedan)

For me it`s pretty easy to figure out how many hours it will take.

Just make sure you know exactly what the customer wants and be sure to check for areas that might sneak up on you. Like TAR! Can be very time consuming!!!:banghead:

**imported_Luster** · 08-01-2009, 08:07 AM

Additionally, John, let`s say a customer only want`s paint correction. I can usually do paint correction and sealant application on a small car like a Corvette in less than 3 hours. So the guy gets his car polished and waxed for $120. That`s a pretty good deal.

I`ve had many guys say, You can polish and wax my Vette for $120? Body shops charge 3 times that much!

The customers usually end up asking me to do more than just polish and wax so it`s a little more. Remember Vettes are small and you can polish them quickly. Expecially the roadsters.

Why do you think I get so many Vettes!!! :biggrin:

**imported_agentf1** · 08-01-2009, 10:47 AM

I try to charge 50 an hour but it usually ends up being around 35 an hour. Good thing I do not do this for a living.

**imported_Luster** · 08-01-2009, 12:57 PM

Originally Posted by agentf1

i try to charge 50 an hour but it usually ends up being around 35 an hour. good thing i do not do this for a living.

Yup!!!!!

**John M.** · 08-01-2009, 03:20 PM

Thanks Luster! That really helps me out a lot! Especially where you mentioned the paint correction only! I figure a lot of customers will want only the paint done and no interior. I think you work a little bit faster than I do though

Im a slow poke haha

**John M.** · 08-01-2009, 04:30 PM

If yall also dont mind me asking, when you started off detailing for money did you have any trouble with people thinking you price to high? I have only had a few people ask why it was so high making me wonder if I should make my prices cheaper, however I dont think that I should when I am giving them the best quality I possibly can and devoting pratically my entire day to give them a awesome outcome. So what kinds of things would you tell them to help them to understand why their full detail would cost up to or more than 300? I say that price because in my thinking I find that this is where a bulk of full details will be priced. I wish I could find people willing to pay for a 500 job! I would be estatic!!

**imported_Luster** · 08-01-2009, 09:55 PM

Originally Posted by John M.

If yall also dont mind me asking, when you started off detailing for money did you have any trouble with people thinking you price to high?

When you buy your first house, you don`t start out with a mansion.

Start out with a lower rate per hour and build up a customer base. Offer an "express" detail for $59. Wash, clean interior, spray wax.

As you get more customers, raise your rates accordingly.

It took me about 5 years to get up to $40-50 per hour. I started out charging about $20 per hour!

**Mustangous** · 08-02-2009, 03:51 PM

Very good points!!!
I used to work for a detail place for a little while 8 years ago when i was in school. I tried to do details on the side, but decided it wasnt worth it for me. I surely wasnt charging correctly. I would charge around 130 to 175 depending on the size of the vehicle, but it took me nearly 8 hours to do them. I was giving them too much... I was doing full paint correction, and interior shampoos the hole 9 yards. Sure their expressions were self satisfying, but I was burning myself out for the money.

**mrtonyn** · 08-02-2009, 08:07 PM

[QUOTE=Luster;12834]Additionally, John, let`s say a customer only want`s paint correction. I can usually do paint correction and sealant application on a small car like a Corvette in less than 3 hours. So the guy gets his car polished and waxed for $120. That`s a pretty good deal.

How often or what percentage would you say that your customers only wants paint correction?
Do you feel that this is a better package for you in a sense? (not having to deal with the interior).

thanks,

**imported_Luster** · 08-02-2009, 08:59 PM

[QUOTE=mrtonyn;12912]

Originally Posted by Luster

Additionally, John, let`s say a customer only want`s paint correction. I can usually do paint correction and sealant application on a small car like a Corvette in less than 3 hours. So the guy gets his car polished and waxed for $120. That`s a pretty good deal.

How often or what percentage would you say that your customers only wants paint correction?
Do you feel that this is a better package for you in a sense? (not having to deal with the interior).

thanks,

For the work that I do on classic muscle cars and Corvettes, I would say that 95% of the people only want paint correction. They usually keep their interiors and engine pretty clean, they just can`t polish.

For "normal" cars. Daily drivers, SUV`s, etc., I would say I do 90% interiors and just was and wax the exteriors. (Mostly women who don`t care what the outside looks like, but want the inside to look like an operating room.)

**mrtonyn** · 08-03-2009, 02:59 PM

Hi Bill....so which group do you enjoy doing more? the collector`s group or the female group? and WHY?

**John M.** · 08-04-2009, 04:03 PM

Thanks a ton guys, this really helps me out! I have had my polisher for a week now and havent gotten to polish anything yet

Ive only gotten two DD`s that want a wash and wax and a quickie on the interior

Plus with the rain I have no time to polish my own car

**imported_Luster** · 08-04-2009, 09:42 PM

Originally Posted by mrtonyn

Hi Bill....so which group do you enjoy doing more? the collector`s group or the female group? and WHY?

Now there`s a question!!!

Both sides have there advantages.

But the choice is clear. I HATE DOING INTERIORS. (Even if their owners are cute and smell good!)

Muscle cars win by a mile.:clap::clap::clap: Most classic car guys keep their interiors pretty clean. So I`m just polishing the paint, which is what I love to do!:biggrin:

**John M.** · 08-04-2009, 10:39 PM

Couldnt agree more! Interiors were fun when I started out and its nice seeing the finished product on a nasty interior but where I have had the most fun is when I have helped Nick Chapman when he was helping me get started in polishing! I sound like a nerd but man its fun