15 year part time veteran seeking advice (pricing)

[sobamautospa]

short background:

I began cleaning cars w/ a partner in high-school, both of us VERY meticulous, mainly doing basic cleaning/polishing/waxing (rarely high-end full detail jobs on anything other than our own cars). I carried on when he left for college and had a religious set of customers some that I had been seeing every other week for 10 years until I left Florida about 5 years ago.



About 6 months ago (after considering it for a couple years) I picked back up my side detailing career here in S. Alabama. This is half for extra cash and half because I just really enjoy it and all I`ve really done is my cars and family members since leaving that old client base. Just as happened long ago, I started with 1 person and she was so happy her friends & family started calling, and then another set got started and they have asked if thier friends & family can call.......(I`m up to about capacity on my 1.5 day a week extra fun already).



I`ve never really associated in the industry much, pretty much been by myself in my business. (Most) people seem to act like I charge too little but I`ve about doubled what I left Florida charging. I do a job I`m proud of and for the most part these people seem to glow. It takes me (by myself) about 2 hours to wash, vacuum, leather/vynil condition, windows, machine wax, dress the tires. Basically an overall clean but unless it`s pre-discussed and paid extra for I don`t usually touch the engine bay, don`t shampoo, remove major stains, try to get out surface imperfections, etc. I charge $75 for this. Keep in mind my customer base is the set that previously drug themselves to the local production line car wash and waited for a hour for still hung over kids to scratch or otherwise do a half a$$ job. I rarely clean cars more prestigious than a Lexus or Mercedes.



Now here`s the question and it`s two-fold: Am I still charging too little for my services? Am I doing my customers or myself a disservice offering what I call a "Mid-level Professional Detailing" service?



Sorry for the book, thanks for the advice, Travis

[psl car wash]

sounds like a good ballpark price......i charge $50.oo for a wash vacuum, wax ,. BUt $75.oo for a pastewax job

and also $10.oo per seat for cleaning/conditioning

so for a basic wash, wax, vacuum and 4 seats im @ $90.oo and $115 with paste.

oh and welcome to the site....im kinda your neighbor here on the Tn/Al border.

[sobamautospa]

Thanks for the welcome I like your neck of the woods, originally from Chattanooga and lived in Nashville before I settled back close to the coast.



Does your business drop off drastically in the winter, I never experienced it at all way down in S. Florida but everyone here promises me noone will want thier cars cleaned during the winter here. Doesn`t make much sense to me that just because it`s cold outside someone would be ok w/ a dirty car, doubly since they don`t have to do the cleaning?!

[psl car wash]

well thats funny you ask this............because i just recently moved here to tennessee in march of "05" and i am also from florida.....ive lived in florida (fort lauderdale) all my life and have 12 years of experience detailing in the HOTT humid florida beating sun..........when i moved here to TN everybody told me the same thing......."what are you going to do for winter?"...........or "will you be here for the winter months?"



so i was kinda worried also but as i am finding out i am also VERY busy here in the end of nov.

i thought of it this way......i will still be able to do my regulars, and than theres the people that clean there own personal cars .....<<<<what are they going to do when its cold? not many of THEM are going to want to go outside and clean theress so in the winter months itll probably be busier than normal due to that.........my only catch to winter months is that it has to be 30 degrees or above. :rules:

also something that im going to do next winter (again first winter here) is the only wash`s that i will be doing next winter is those that get there cars WAXd :buffing: prior to winter to make washing easier on us................

[Scottwax]

If you are accomplishing all that in a couple hours, I`d say you`ve priced your services well. Unfotunately, those of us in the south get a lower price for detailing than other areas of the country (based on price survey`s I have seen in Professional Car Washing and Detailing). On either coast, the upper midwest or northeast, you could get closer to $100 for the same work. However, housing, gas, etc all cost more in those areas so in the end, each price affords basically the same standard of living.



What products and buffer are you using? Just curious.



:wavey

[imported_mirrorfinishman]

It takes me (by myself) about 2 hours to wash, vacuum, leather/vynil condition, windows, machine wax, dress the tires.



I charge $75 for this.



Am I still charging too little for my services?

Hey Travis,



When you consider that you`re working about two hours in order to make $75, I`d say that`s a pretty good part time job. Especially when you figure that you`re doing something that you like.



Personally, if I were you I wouldn`t get too concerned about working during the colder winter months. Here in Southern New Jersey we have already been down to under twenty degrees for overnight temps and although I`ve had to get started a little later in the AM, I`ve still been able to get all of my detailing jobs in. And my schedule is still full for the next few weeks. Of course, the daytime temps in January and February are a lot colder then they are now. That`s when I begin to see a bit of a slowdown.

[sobamautospa]

Well thanks guys, I suppose I was just looking for input since I`m not in much of a loop but makes me feel better that I`m probably not completely out of the ballpark.



PSL - funny small world, my "dayjob" is working at home for the company I`ve worked for for 8 years in Davie, did you retreat what I affectionately call "HELL" too?



Scottwax - I need to regain some bulk supplies like I used to have but at this point of my "restart" I`m still using over the counter Meguires products and a pair of Porter Cables, I don`t even HAVE my trusty old High Speed any more. I was lead here in search of trying to put back together some bulk stock.



Part of my business plan if I keep doing this is to get myself a tank & pressure washer for the truck, I merely hook up to the customer`s water and elec. at the moment. I`ve got a good generator (%$#@! Hurricanes) so I could be fully mobile w/o too much effort if I had enough time and business to justify it.



Travis

[wannafbody]

sounds like you need some Chemical Guys products

[psl car wash]

PSL - funny small world, my "dayjob" is working at home for the company I`ve worked for for 8 years in Davie, did you retreat what I affectionately call "HELL" too?

yes sir i did lol......ive lived in ft laud all my life and just couldnt take it there any more........people/strangers are sooo rude and have NO respect at all down there........

i lived behind the SPICED APPLE when i was 4 LOL in davie.

and here the people are So nice and friendly.

a house in crack town runs $100,000 almost every where and here in TN u can buy a house with 10 acres for almost half of that!..............................

P.S. sobama........even funnier........the other day i was walkin through wal-mart and seen a friend (from FL) i havent seen in like 4 years and he lives 15 mins away from me!!!!!thats a small world!! :werd:

[pontman43]

On either coast, the upper midwest or northeast, you could get closer to $100 for the same work. However, housing, gas, etc all cost more in those areas so in the end, each price affords basically the same standard of living.





:wavey

Whats this..ah man I need to charge more. lol

Back to subject: I charge around or a little less than you, but most people think that a kid like me wont to as good of a job, so I`m forced to reduce prices.

[pontman43]

a house in crack town runs $100,000 almost every where and here in TN u can buy a house with 10 acres for almost half of that!..............................

Man, housing is cheap! That suprises me everytime. Where I live you could buy a really crappy shack (1bedroom, no bath) for $100K. lol Or for $50K you can buy a decent trailer. :lol