another RV question

**white gecko** · 04-02-2009, 07:23 PM

A very good customer of mine has an RV and boat he wants done next week. He does want an estimate of the price before he signs off on it and gives me the `ok`. Been doing his cars for a little while now, and in addition to the RV and boat, he has 3 other cars I`ll be doing. So with that said, I think a discount would be nice somewhere....

The RV is around 33-38 ft. He currently has another detailer come out to wash and wax it every 2 months and pays $180 (broken down to $90/mo). Now he wants a better job.

What he wants: wash, clay, Z5pro x2 with ZFX, and Zaino CS. Including the roof. Doesn`t need any machine polishing.

I`ve gotten about 9months out of 2 coats of zaino topped with CS. So, I told him that is the maximum protection he can expect. So, $810 would match what he`s paying now, but give a better job and less inconvenience (someone coming out 6 times a year). How much more should I charge? Claying is gonna take a while, and 3 coats of Zaino on an RV....well thats a lot of Zaino.

What do you guys think? I need to give him an answer asap.

**imported_Jakerooni** · 04-02-2009, 07:45 PM

I`m going to go out on a limb here and ask. Do you have any idea what your doing when it comes to gel coats and RV`s? What exactly are you expecting to clay? Do you realise if its even possible to clay that how much clay it would take? Is the roof cool sealed? If so you`re not going to coat that with anything. i think just by the questions you`re asking and processes your suggesting that your in over your head on this one. You can not detail an RV like you do an automobile. The products are all completly different the processes are all completlely different. They can be a royal pain in the *** even if you use the correct processes and the right products. I Usually do about 20-30 RV`s and Boats a year. I`ve hated every one of them LOL. But seriously they take a different kind of process.

**white gecko** · 04-02-2009, 08:15 PM

Originally Posted by Jakerooni

I`m going to go out on a limb here and ask. Do you have any idea what your doing when it comes to gel coats and RV`s? What exactly are you expecting to clay? Do you realise if its even possible to clay that how much clay it would take? Is the roof cool sealed? If so you`re not going to coat that with anything. i think just by the questions you`re asking and processes your suggesting that your in over your head on this one. You can not detail an RV like you do an automobile. The products are all completly different the processes are all completlely different. They can be a royal pain in the *** even if you use the correct processes and the right products. I Usually do about 20-30 RV`s and Boats a year. I`ve hated every one of them LOL. But seriously they take a different kind of process.

Then perhaps answering some of my questions would help?

I have done a couple RV`s before. Can you explain some of what you said?

Are you saying its not possible to clay an RV?? I`d done it before and it was smooth as glass afterwards.

What is cool sealed? and why `won`t` I put anything on it?

I understand they are different than cars, but not THAT different. Wash, polish, seal/wax works for both.

I have been searching this forum (RV section) and learning a lot. I posted because I have more questions, so any help would be appreciated instead of discouraging me by telling me its over my head. Thanks.

**imported_Jakerooni** · 04-02-2009, 08:39 PM

Glad to help LOL. First off lets get some of the facts out of the way. Is the RV a gel coated RV or aluminum paint? That makes a difference to what products to use as well. Almost all larger RV`s have a cool seal top to them. They are for the lack of a better description dense foam. This is what causes all the of the lovely black streaks that are so common on RV`s and really a PITA to get off. You`ll need a heated power washer and a deck brush to clean this properly. Chemicals really aren`t needed as they don`t do alot on this type of surface. You can clay the surface if you want but I can`t imagine the sheer amount of clay it would take to do a 38` RV...especially if it`s gel coated. They tend to be rather distructive towards clay if oxidized at all (and all gel coats will oxidize regardless of care) Any chance you can get some of these items answered? I can probably help you out more if I know more about the project. In the mean time I`ll try to pull some pics of the tops that i`m talking about for you to compare.

**white gecko** · 04-02-2009, 08:48 PM

To be honest, I`m not sure if the rv is gel or aluminum paint, but I could find out. However, wouldn`t that be important for compounding/polishing? I will be going straight to Zaino after claying.

I know the current detailer did the roof once (waxed it) and doesn`t anymore because one of his guys slipped and fell off. So, I assume the roof can be done?

When i was talking with the owner about it, the surface felt suprisingly smooth, but could still tell it needed light claying... hopefully it hasn`t picked up too much garbage.

**imported_Jakerooni** · 04-03-2009, 06:27 AM

mmm.. Sounds like you might be dealing with aluminum paint and not gelcoating then. (most of the newer RV`s have switched over to aluminum) And it would be extreamly easy to tell if the top has a cool seal top to it. It would be white and not part of the paint. It would be an entirely different material.

If both cases are true then you can clay it (still going to be a beast and a half for that size) But I would test a spot out.. Take some clay and clay it. and then right next to it take a rotary and a wool pad with some marine grade polish and polish out a spot and see which one made the greatest difference.

**white gecko** · 04-03-2009, 02:00 PM

Well the sides of this thing have some flex too them, reminds me of aluminum paneling... so maybe not gelcoated. I haven`t been up to the top yet, but I don`t see any white peaking over the edge.

Why take the rotary to it? I`m not going to be polishing it, just sealing it with Zaino.

So with claying taking longer than average, and 3 coats of Zaino (a LOT of CS), how much more over the $810 he`s paying now should I charge?

**imported_Jakerooni** · 04-03-2009, 08:12 PM

I honestly can`t tell you what to charge because $810 is more than double than what I would charge for a full 3 step correction on an RV. But the question is how much product are you going to use on this bad beast? (quite a bit more than normal automotive detailing that`s for sure.) Figure how many clay bars to properly do that job (Just a guess but I`m going to say at least 10) And then figure in your hourly wage and how long it`s going to take you. (might want to quote an hourly rate and then charge him accordingly after the job is complete) That should give you a good enough quote. I can easily spend 3 solid days on an RV that size and I consider myself a rather fast detailer.

**white gecko** · 04-03-2009, 09:11 PM

you`d charge 400 or less for a 3 step on an RV????? Dude. Thats what a good portion of us charge for a 2-3 step on a car.

**imported_Jakerooni** · 04-04-2009, 08:14 AM

It`s all location man. The most I`ve ever gotten for a full correction on an RV was $375 I think. I know I`ve never broke the $400 range. A simple wash and seal like you`re doing would probably net me about $80 tops. And it`s also one of the main reasons I`m seriously looking to relocate here this year sometime. Just got to figure out where to go that will prove profitable for both my wife and myself.