Full Service Wash Pricing: How much?

[imported_Detailing Technology]

for someone over the phone $75. I dont want to take that work. I usually send them to a shop near us who does an excellent job.



Regular customers I ask $50 as a courtesy for their loyalty.



If a regular customer makes a referral, I ask $75. Cant say no to good customers or their friends.

[rcrobbins]

I don`t detail cars on a daily basis, so I simply charge by the hour when someone calls me up. It usually takes me an hour to 1.5hrs to wash/blow dry. Once I do corrections/polishing/wax on cars, I tell the customer it`s easier on them and myself to just bring it by to wash or instruct them on safe washing methods/materials. Nothing stings worse than thinking about a red neck, shop cloth, hose and a bottle of dawn "takin` a good ol`shine to er".

[David Fermani]

Here’s the meat & potatoes of my business plan:

Enroll 50 vehicles (not clients) into my maintenance program (club). This will include an initial maximum correction/complete detail (+$500) and follow up of weekly maintenance washes ($75/$100??). LSP (spray wax/WOWA) will be applied monthly (+$25) and each vehicle will receive a semi-annual paint correction with interior revitalization/protection. This will of course be staggered ultimately to insure a 6 day work week if possible. An assistant will be implemented and will be equipped to earn approximately $35K/yr based on performance. If max capacity is reached this is the potential breakdown of income if all goes well:



Here’s the bulk breakdown @ $75 per wash:



$195,000 - Maintenance Wash income

$25,000 - Initial Details

$15,000 - LSP monthly treatment

$40,000 - Semi-Annual Correction

_________

$275,000 - Net Sales

-$35,000 - Labor

_________

$240,000 - Income before Expenses





At $100 per wash:



$260,000

$25,000

$15,000

$40,000

_________

$340,000

-$35,000

_________

$290,000

I think Joe said it best..."washing is the redheaded stepchild of detailing"

Is it though? Does anyone know of any Sole Proprietor/Operator/Technician Detailers earning this level of revenue? Wouldn’t you rather wash 10-12 cars per day (w/help) than do mediocre details day in-day out? I’m a firm believer in catering to clients that see value in 1-stop shopping. When we detail client’s vehicles, think of all the money left behind in trivial washes? Plus, it’s much easier to find & train people to perform these services.

C`mon David, I thought you were this very experienced business person. Surely you can price a wash and vacuum correctly.

You tell me Bradley? I think I am! I’m anxious to hear your input on my plan.

[imported_Jakerooni]

Ummm that sounds an aweful lot like a full time gig... What happened in the insurence world there dave?



And exactly (because I really want to know) how are you planning on convinceing people that cheap arse spray wax that offers little to no protection at all is worth a $25 upcharge? I think that`s one of my biggest hang ups. I know how cheap most of this stuff is and I find it hard to sell it as something worthwhile.

[imported_Detailing Technology]

Here’s the meat & potatoes of my business plan:

Enroll 50 vehicles (not clients) into my maintenance program (club). This will include an initial maximum correction/complete detail (+$500) and follow up of weekly maintenance washes ($75/$100??). LSP (spray wax/WOWA) will be applied monthly (+$25) and each vehicle will receive a semi-annual paint correction with interior revitalization/protection. This will of course be staggered ultimately to insure a 6 day work week if possible. An assistant will be implemented and will be equipped to earn approximately $35K/yr based on performance. If max capacity is reached this is the potential breakdown of income if all goes well:



Here’s the bulk breakdown @ $75 per wash:



$195,000 - Maintenance Wash income

$25,000 - Initial Details

$15,000 - LSP monthly treatment

$40,000 - Semi-Annual Correction

_________

$275,000 - Net Sales

-$35,000 - Labor

_________

$240,000 - Income before Expenses





At $100 per wash:



$260,000

$25,000

$15,000

$40,000

_________

$340,000

-$35,000

_________

$290,000







Is it though? Does anyone know of any Sole Proprietor/Operator/Technician Detailers earning this level of revenue? Wouldn’t you rather wash 10-12 cars per day (w/help) than do mediocre details day in-day out? I’m a firm believer in catering to clients that see value in 1-stop shopping. When we detail client’s vehicles, think of all the money left behind in trivial washes? Plus, it’s much easier to find & train people to perform these services.







You tell me Bradley? I think I am! I’m anxious to hear your input on my plan.

Go and do it.

Seems logical and almost to good to share in such detail before you have it locked in for your area.



$240k - taxes - expenses is good if you dont need to spend all your time there.

[jfelbab]

I never wanted just the wash part of the business. This doesn`t utilize my skills and my time can be better spent correcting paint. My lowest offering was a Wash & Wax $100. You can`t really compete with a $7 car wash for most people.

[imported_Detailing Technology]

If I could pay 2 kids to drive around in a truck and wash cars all day while netting me $100k while not interrupting what I`m do all day, Id set it up.



I dont see the demand or the climate where I am.

[David Fermani]

Ummm that sounds an aweful lot like a full time gig... What happened in the insurence world there dave?

Sure does & will most likely turn into full time ultimately. Insurance is really great, but I don`t see being able to earn this much income potential from it.

And exactly (because I really want to know) how are you planning on convinceing people that cheap arse spray wax that offers little to no protection at all is worth a $25 upcharge? I think that`s one of my biggest hang ups. I know how cheap most of this stuff is and I find it hard to sell it as something worthwhile.

Upselling really isn`t too difficult or that big of a deal for me. People like to see insane beading if it rains and have the impression that applying a spray wax or WOWA product will add some kind of slick barrier to thier exterior. I use one and like the slickness it gives. That alone is worth it to many. Here`s a thread I posted 2 1/2 years ago about the great experience I had with the use of spray waxes:

http://www.autopia.org/forum/car-det...wash-cars.html

[Deep Gloss Auto Salon]

I don`t charge hourly for detailing. I usually give a price range that I stay within.

I know you say you don`t charge per our but, do you not have an avg $ that you end up yielding per hour...

Here’s the meat & potatoes of my business plan:

Enroll 50 vehicles (not clients) into my maintenance program (club). This will include an initial maximum correction/complete detail (+$500) and follow up of weekly maintenance washes ($75/$100??). LSP (spray wax/WOWA) will be applied monthly (+$25) and each vehicle will receive a semi-annual paint correction with interior revitalization/protection. This will of course be staggered ultimately to insure a 6 day work week if possible. An assistant will be implemented and will be equipped to earn approximately $35K/yr based on performance. If max capacity is reached this is the potential breakdown of income if all goes well:



Here’s the bulk breakdown @ $75 per wash:



$195,000 - Maintenance Wash income

$25,000 - Initial Details

$15,000 - LSP monthly treatment

$40,000 - Semi-Annual Correction

_________

$275,000 - Net Sales

-$35,000 - Labor

_________

$240,000 - Income before Expenses





At $100 per wash:



$260,000

$25,000

$15,000

$40,000

_________

$340,000

-$35,000

_________

$290,000

If you got the $50 prospects then do it...



I would do $75 if they came to me...You will also be able to upsell other items as well....

Wouldn’t you rather wash 10-12 cars per day (w/help) than do mediocre details day in-day out? I’m a firm believer in catering to clients that see value in 1-stop shopping. When we detail client’s vehicles, think of all the money left behind in trivial washes?



Plus, it’s much easier to find & train people to perform these services.

You are correct and this is key because the actual act of washing a vehicle is one of my least favorite things to do. I have trained someone to do this and he is very good...



Run with it David

[Jean-Claude]

I wish it were easy to pick up 50+ regular wash clients at $50 a pop. People are cheap and finding those who are willing to pay for quality in bulk is not easy.

[fergnation]

[quote name=`David Fermani`]Here’s the meat & potatoes of my business plan:

Enroll 50 vehicles (not clients) into my maintenance program (club). This will include an initial maximum correction/complete detail (+$500) and follow up of weekly maintenance washes ($75/$100??). LSP (spray wax/WOWA) will be applied monthly (+$25) and each vehicle will receive a semi-annual paint correction with interior revitalization/protection. This will of course be staggered ultimately to insure a 6 day work week if possible. An assistant will be implemented and will be equipped to earn approximately $35K/yr based on performance. If max capacity is reached this is the potential breakdown of income if all goes well:



Here’s the bulk breakdown @ $75 per wash:



$195,000 - Maintenance Wash income

$25,000 - Initial Details

$15,000 - LSP monthly treatment

$40,000 - Semi-Annual Correction

_________

$275,000 - Net Sales

-$35,000 - Labor

_________

$240,000 - Income before Expenses





At $100 per wash:



$260,000

$25,000

$15,000

$40,000

_________

$340,000

-$35,000

_________

$290,000







Ya and Pigs will fly out of my butt!!!



Just kidding David!!



Actually, after following your posts for the past couple of years I would really like to see you get there.



I think the +500 initial correction is going to be hard enough to get. But I will never be the guy that tells someone they can`t do it. So go for it and then fill me in on how you did it.

[dmw2692004]

I like the plan, and I hope it works out well for you. I have been trying to set up something similar here but, its almost impossible to compete on a "lower" level with the quick "in-out" hand washes here that do mediocre work at best. Plus, I dont think this kind of plan works if you don`t get tons of volume consistently.



Oh, and here, anything over 50.00 for a hand wash is considered insanity. Not even a lot of the high end customers I sometimes deal with would ever consider having their car washed for 50.00. Especially when they know that they can do it themselves and achieve similar results, call me out 1-2 times a year to clean up any marring they induce, and still have an awesome looking ride.



just my .02 cents. Good luck though and let us know how it works out!

[JimmyCutlass]

For a wash, spray wax and trim dressed I charge $40, sometimes with a quick vacuum if it`s someone I like.

[MichaelM]

Is it though? Does anyone know of any Sole Proprietor/Operator/Technician Detailers earning this level of revenue? Wouldn’t you rather wash 10-12 cars per day (w/help) than do mediocre details day in-day out?

I would much rather do mediocre details then washes. Dealing with 3 or 4 customers/vehicles a day will be much easier then 10-12. Even if you can do the washes in 1hr you will lose time in the transitions and you won`t physically be able to work 10 straight hours a day everyday of the week, and your helper won`t even want to, not for 35k a yr.





Some questions for thought:



Will your market be willing to pay $5,500/yr on detailing costs for one vehicle?



Assuming you`ve got your 50 customers, can you and a helper complete a full correction, or the semi-annual details that are due, plus your other 9 washes in one day?



If a customer needs to reschedule can you and one helper do the catch-up work and stay on your current jobs in a given day?



IME the volume of work you`re attempting to complete can`t be done with one employee. You`re trying to operate at less then 15% of your gross in employee cost. Has your previous detailing business ran close to that? Mine runs at about double what you`re attempting to do.

[Envious Eric]

^^^^ I agree with Michael, you might need more help. Maybe train one guy, then as business picks up have him train the other and send both of them out while you do the correction work.



and what is considered a full service wash to you? (maybe I missed it) I would find it hard to believe anyone would pay $75 for a simple washing, let alone $100. But, if you can find the clients for that, more power to ya!