1 step polish+LSP $$$???

[imported_Ivan Rajic]

Depends on exactly what else is being done. I start exterior details (wash, clay, 1 DA polishing step and LSP) at $100 for small cars-takes about 2.5 hours total, and price and time go up depending on vehicle size. For 90% of the people interested in a detail, 1 DA polishing step is enough to make their jaw drop when they see the car.

Scott I`ve seen your work and don`t doubt your abilities but how in the world are you able to finish a car in 2.5 hours? Considering an average sized sedan, to thoroughly wash the wheels it takes me 15 minutes working pretty quickly. Wash/dry makes it an hour. Claying at least 30 minutes so I`m at 1.5hrs now. To properly work in almost any polish, about 1/4 of the hood takes maybe 3-4 minutes at the very least. Multiply that by similar sized surfaces around the car (4 roof, 4 hood, 3 trunk, 8-10 sides and 4 bumpers) and I`m at over an hour in polishing. LSP, dressings, exhaust tips, etc. follows.



And this is working like an energizer bunny... would you mind breaking down your process like that just to compare. Thanks

I agree.



I charge $325 for my 1 step, but that includes interior, wash, clay, 1 step, rewash and LSP plus all the little things. I need to charge more too for how long it takes me.



In many cases I can get at least 50% correction or better and that`s worth a lot too me. In some cases of softer paint cars, I can get 75%+ correction achieved and then they`re getting way more for there money.



Josh

My 1-step (Light Polish Detail.. cool name, I know :p) starts at $250 for smaller cars and it`s about $300 for midsize sedans like a BMW 5 series. It includes a thorough wash (wheels, wheel wells, etc. included) dry and clay before polishing. After everything is polished with the one step (I`ll usually do a very quick 2-3 step on a deeper scratch or two as a favor to the client) it`s followed with LSP, dressing of tires & trim, polishing of the exhaust tips and finally a quick interior dash wipedown and quick vac.



Additional polishing steps are $125-150 and as David said, are less expensive because only polishing is counted for the price.



All that said, you have to price accordingly and for whatever market you`re looking to get into.



For example, if I was to apply a lot less polish to the pad than I do at the moment, I would be able to polish out the same section of paint in half the time (say 1.5-2 minutes) and utilize maybe 50% of the correcting power a 1-step has on the paint, compared to 100% if I was to use more polish and polish the paint section for a longer time, 3-5 minutes.



For many average people, who aren`t nearly as critical as most of the members on here, this 50% is great looking and worth spending the hard earned $150. However, $250 is way too much even for 100%. To these clients you have to sell the 1-step as a $150 service but also explain what they can expect, or better yet show them a test spot.

[imported_JoshVette]

For many average people, who aren`t nearly as critical as most of the members on here, this 50% is great looking and worth spending the hard earned $150. However, $250 is way too much even for 100%. To these clients you have to sell the 1-step as a $150 service but also explain what they can expect, or better yet show them a test spot.

That`s your opinion friend, and I do not consider my clientele to be merely "average" people and they ARE as much critical of there vehicles as I am...



They are happy to pay $325++ to have it done correctly by someone who takes pride in his work and make them happy without question knowing they can leave the keys (to there prize possession) and go to work with no one home to monitor the situation. That`s called TRUST and you can`t put a price tag on that my friend.:2thumbs:



Josh

[Scottwax]

Scott I`ve seen your work and don`t doubt your abilities but how in the world are you able to finish a car in 2.5 hours? Considering an average sized sedan, to thoroughly wash the wheels it takes me 15 minutes working pretty quickly. Wash/dry makes it an hour. Claying at least 30 minutes so I`m at 1.5hrs now. To properly work in almost any polish, about 1/4 of the hood takes maybe 3-4 minutes at the very least. Multiply that by similar sized surfaces around the car (4 roof, 4 hood, 3 trunk, 8-10 sides and 4 bumpers) and I`m at over an hour in polishing. LSP, dressings, exhaust tips, etc. follows.



And this is working like an energizer bunny... would you mind breaking down your process like that just to compare. Thanks

Using ONR, I can usually have the car cleaned and ready to polish in under an hour. I start with the wheels, tires and fenderwells, get them cleaned and dressed (so any dressing overspray gets washed when I was the car`s body), then wash the car itself with ONR, claying at the same time. Once you get the area clean with ONR, you can then go over it with clay and then dry. We don`t have serious fallout issues in the Dallas area so claying usually goes pretty fast. Clean the door and trunk jambs.



Then an hour of polishing, CMW takes 15 minutes or so to apply and remove, OS about 4-5 minutes to apply. Clean the glass inside and out, quick vacuum and dash/console wipe-down and done.



Someone paying $100-150 ish for a simple exterior detail with 1 DA polishing step isn`t looking for perfection, just a clean, shiny and protected car. Corrections take me a lot longer due to the polishing required, along with deeper cleaning of the car.

[imported_Ivan Rajic]

That`s your opinion friend, and I do not consider my clientele to be merely "average" people and they ARE as much critical of there vehicles as I am...



They are happy to pay $325++ to have it done correctly by someone who takes pride in his work and make them happy without question knowing they can leave the keys (to there prize possession) and go to work with no one home to monitor the situation. That`s called TRUST and you can`t put a price tag on that my friend.:2thumbs:



Josh

It`s not an opinion, it`s a fact. 99% of the population goes to the corner wash for $5 and it has nothing to do with what you or I think.



Maybe you misunderstood what I was saying... I have yet to do a $150 1-step and my clients are clients like you described... critical, want the job done right and at 100%, and happily pay my asking prices. That aside, I was merely pointing out that there`s a market out there, as Scott mentioned in the post after you, where clients are looking to spend a little less and get a little less, and it`s a market you want to address because there`s tons of profit there.

Using ONR, I can usually have the car cleaned and ready to polish in under an hour. I start with the wheels, tires and fenderwells, get them cleaned and dressed (so any dressing overspray gets washed when I was the car`s body), then wash the car itself with ONR, claying at the same time. Once you get the area clean with ONR, you can then go over it with clay and then dry. We don`t have serious fallout issues in the Dallas area so claying usually goes pretty fast. Clean the door and trunk jambs.



Then an hour of polishing, CMW takes 15 minutes or so to apply and remove, OS about 4-5 minutes to apply. Clean the glass inside and out, quick vacuum and dash/console wipe-down and done.



Someone paying $100-150 ish for a simple exterior detail with 1 DA polishing step isn`t looking for perfection, just a clean, shiny and protected car. Corrections take me a lot longer due to the polishing required, along with deeper cleaning of the car.

Yea I figured I`m taking a bit longer with washing and claying cars in Chicago is a big pain usually. Completely agree on the $150ish 1-steps... it`s about satisfying the client and earning their money.

[imported_JoshVette]

Lecchilo, maybe I am misunderstanding you, but in that quote I quoted of you it sounded like you are saying that $250 is too much for 100% correction let alone 50% correction. That`s how it reads.



I do not market my services to the "average" "99%" everyday car drivers, I market myself to the hardcore enthusiast who loves there`s car`s more then there kids....



If you think the average everyday person is the untapped market, by all means, be my guest.



Josh

[sacdetailing]

Please tell me you`re not doing a 1 step with a rotary?? that will be bad since you`ll most likely leave holograms behind with those pads you`re referring too.



If you`re going to do a single step job it should be with a DA as Scott mentioned and be able to finish down well.

ok, can you do 1st step with orange LC pad and m105, then white LC pad m205 or 85rd?

[David Fermani]

I market myself to the hardcore enthusiast who loves there`s car`s more then there kids....

That must be an interesting group of people to set your targets on? :funnypost





Are you still charging hourly Josh?

[imported_Ivan Rajic]

Lecchilo, maybe I am misunderstanding you, but in that quote I quoted of you it sounded like you are saying that $250 is too much for 100% correction let alone 50% correction. That`s how it reads.



I do not market my services to the "average" "99%" everyday car drivers, I market myself to the hardcore enthusiast who loves there`s car`s more then there kids....



If you think the average everyday person is the untapped market, by all means, be my guest.



Josh

haha I don`t know if I can be any clearer. I`ll be extremely simple just for explanation purposes, so don`t take it the wrong way please.



I`m in the same boat as you... I haven`t done a $150 job yet and my target clients are enthusiasts who know what it takes to properly correct paint and pay my "high" prices.



However, I was simply stating that to many people my prices are too much. I was also talking only about a 1-step polishing, which rarely results in 100% paint correction.



As for the 100%, I was referring to what the 1-step polish is capable of... for example, if I get 70% paint correction with a 1-step, then utilizing the 1-step 100% means getting a 7 of 10 paint condition. Utilizing 50% of the 1-step then results in, for example, 4 of 10 paint condition. So I was saying that many average people out there won`t pay the $250 to get 7 of 10 but will pay $150 for 4 of 10, and since all money is green, I see no reason not to dip in and earn more.



That market is definitely "tapped" but there are many people out there who`d gladly pay me $150 for a 1-step so I`m thinking of a way to get into that market as well, but separate it from my current market and business.



Does that make more sense?

[todd@bsaw]

Lecchilo, maybe I am misunderstanding you, but in that quote I quoted of you it sounded like you are saying that $250 is too much for 100% correction let alone 50% correction. That`s how it reads.



I do not market my services to the "average" "99%" everyday car drivers, I market myself to the hardcore enthusiast who loves there`s car`s more then there kids....



If you think the average everyday person is the untapped market, by all means, be my guest.



Josh

Josh, you are misunderstanding what Ivan said:



"For many average people, who aren`t nearly as critical as most of the members on here, this 50% is great looking and worth spending the hard earned $150. However, $250 is way too much even for 100%. To these clients you have to sell the 1-step as a $150 service but also explain what they can expect, or better yet show them a test spot."



For your average person, that 99% of the population you are talking about, $250 is typically too much to spend for a "car wash" as that 99% of the population would consider it. That is all Ivan is pointing out, and I agree.



There is a market for $150 1-step details and a much larger percentage of the population would fall under that umbrella than your 1% clientele. It`s not exactly a trade secret.



Edit: Looks like he already cleared that up. :LOLOL

[imported_Ivan Rajic]

Josh, you are misunderstanding what Ivan said:



"For many average people, who aren`t nearly as critical as most of the members on here, this 50% is great looking and worth spending the hard earned $150. However, $250 is way too much even for 100%. To these clients you have to sell the 1-step as a $150 service but also explain what they can expect, or better yet show them a test spot."



For your average person, that 99% of the population you are talking about, $250 is typically too much to spend for a "car wash" as that 99% of the population would consider it. That is all Ivan is pointing out, and I agree.



There is a market for $150 1-step details and a much larger percentage of the population would fall under that umbrella than your 1% clientele. It`s not exactly a trade secret.



Edit: Looks like he already cleared that up. :LOLOL

^^Thanks. I think I was a bit confusing with the 100% and 50%. Hopefully I cleared it up in my last post. The numbers have nothing to do with paint correction, rather the ability of a 1-step detail.

[todd@bsaw]

Also, to go along with the thread, I do a lot of details just as Scott described. I can do a 1-step with interior in about 3 hours and charge $150. I can do this because of my experience sub-contracting with dealerships, because the process is basically the same thing. A `flip` or `recon` job.



The market for these details is mostly people trying to sell their cars, likely Craigslist or eBay or just locally. They don`t want 90% correction, just to have their car presentable to be sold. If you`re looking for that market, Ivan, pick up a local Autotrader and search your CL classifieds and start making calls. You`ll fill up the rest of your schedule in no time. I love those details because I can slip them in easily and not need to book the entire day.

[imported_JoshVette]

ok, can you do 1st step with orange LC pad and m105, then white LC pad m205 or 85rd?

You`re using a rotary??



It all depends on the car and condition of the paint.



In my opinion you should not use a white pad (middle aggressive) pad as a final step unless it`s a SUPER HARD clear. It should be a finishing (very soft) pad and a final polish as a last step when using a rotary.



I don`t think you`ll finish down hologram free with 205 and a white pad.



If you are going to do a 1 step, it should be with a DA/Orbital machine to ensure no holograms left behind.



Josh

[imported_Ivan Rajic]

Also, to go along with the thread, I do a lot of details just as Scott described. I can do a 1-step with interior in about 3 hours and charge $150. I can do this because of my experience sub-contracting with dealerships, because the process is basically the same thing. A `flip` or `recon` job.



The market for these details is mostly people trying to sell their cars, likely Craigslist or eBay or just locally. They don`t want 90% correction, just to have their car presentable to be sold. If you`re looking for that market, Ivan, pick up a local Autotrader and search your CL classifieds and start making calls. You`ll fill up the rest of your schedule in no time. I love those details because I can slip them in easily and not need to book the entire day.

I`ll definitely look into it. Not to go too off topic, but as I mentioned already, I`m trying to get into that as a separate business. I`ve built a great reputation for myself with a good client base that I`d hate to include "dealer recon" details as a service. Thus the new mobile detailing business venture with a couple friends. They have contacts with dealerships and rental car places and I have experience with all the work involved as well as a whole list of clients waiting for the $150 detail. Hopefully it turns out well.



Ok back on topic... haha

[imported_JoshVette]

That must be an interesting group of people to set your targets on? :funnypost





Are you still charging hourly Josh?

Can be interesting for sure, but I said that as a little bit of an exaggeration to make a point...:LOLOL most love there kids more...most.....:LOLOL



I charge paint correction by the hour yes and I have two basic packages that are set pricing with the understanding that the price goes up based on the vehicle and condition.



Most of my clients do not ask me the price till I`m finished with car though. Most of them understand what they are getting and what price range they will be in and if not I make sure to be clear about it before hand so there`s no surprises.



Josh

[imported_JoshVette]

haha I don`t know if I can be any clearer. I`ll be extremely simple just for explanation purposes, so don`t take it the wrong way please.



I`m in the same boat as you... I haven`t done a $150 job yet and my target clients are enthusiasts who know what it takes to properly correct paint and pay my "high" prices.



However, I was simply stating that to many people my prices are too much. I was also talking only about a 1-step polishing, which rarely results in 100% paint correction.



As for the 100%, I was referring to what the 1-step polish is capable of... for example, if I get 70% paint correction with a 1-step, then utilizing the 1-step 100% means getting a 7 of 10 paint condition. Utilizing 50% of the 1-step then results in, for example, 4 of 10 paint condition. So I was saying that many average people out there won`t pay the $250 to get 7 of 10 but will pay $150 for 4 of 10, and since all money is green, I see no reason not to dip in and earn more.



That market is definitely "tapped" but there are many people out there who`d gladly pay me $150 for a 1-step so I`m thinking of a way to get into that market as well, but separate it from my current market and business.



Does that make more sense?

Got it. thanks for the clarification.



Josh