Price list

[Pro Shine]

Having a hard time making an official price list. I`m afraid if I do different packages everyone will do the basic because they know I won`t leave a vehicle looking like xxxx. Should i offer a basic interior / exterior and have add ons such as dog hair, shampoo, headlamp restore. Etc

[C. Charles Hahn]

I`m finding the easiest way to go is set an hourly rate and then figuring out on average how much time each process takes. Instead of advertising package prices, I advertise an hourly rate and the approximate time needed to complete a given task.

Plus, since I don`t ever give definite quotes sight-unseen, I can look over a car with each customer and suggest to them what would be needed to correct the defects they have, tailoring the "package" quote to fit their needs/desires.

[The Gloss Boss]

It depends on what all you want to offer.
Do you want to be a production shop (quantity over quality), a high level only shop (quality over quantity), or do you want to reach out to all needs and budgets (a hybrid of the two)?
I try to do the latter.
If you choose to go that route I would offer multiple levels of service from a basic wash, vacuum, and wipe down up to a full exterior correction and full interior treatments. Be sure to go over the vehicle with the customer present before performing any work and let them know what their package selection will and will not get them. Try and make suggestions and up sell them services that they NEED. Be honest and mindful of their budget and needs. Don’t try to sell a full correction to a Ford Escort owner unless they insist on it. If they aren’t willing to pay to have swirl marks removed or stains extracted, then that is their own prerogative, and you shouldn’t have to sweat over leaving a car in less than perfect condition.
I would charge extra for extra for things like excessive pet hair removal, sticker and decal removal, wet sanding, headlight restores, and overspray removal.
If you don’t have one already get yourself a pet hair remover rock tool. It will make normal pet hair build ups a breeze, but if you get the occasional trashed vehicle covered (and I mean COVERED) in pet hair then charge an extra hour or two in labor fees.
I hope this helps you and good luck with your business!

[Mr. Gloss]

I`m not in the Detailing Business, but I am in business.

If you find yourself doing things you`re not getting paid to do, you will work all your life doing things you`re not getting paid to do.

That`s not good for profit and surely not good for morale.

[Todd@RUPES]

Lots of variables. What type of work are you planning on doing, what type of work are you qualified to do, etc, etc.

The fastest route to making money is volume and having employees.

[RootsRadical]

Heya Pro Shine,

I`ll share my experience in case it might help you:

When I first got started, I wanted to go with the `hourly` route but quickly found that (at least around here) most of my customers greatly preferred a "package" with a set price-point. So what I did when I was first starting out was to do a few vehicles in each size category just to get an approximate baseline of how much time it would take for what I was going to include in each particular "package".

After learning the approximate amount of time that I would need for each service that I offered, I put together various packages figuring in how much I wanted to get paid per hour that I would need to do the job. Now, keep in mind, you always need to compare what you`d like to be paid and what you feel you deserve to be paid against what your local market and client base can afford to pay. It`s not always going to come to the same figure. I found that, in my area, I could get approximately $20/hr. for each job. Others may command more or less depending on their level of expertise, their client base and the shape of the economy where they live.

I also note on my price menu that there will be additional costs for extremely filthy vehicles or excessive paint defects (assuming the customer wants a complete correction). And, as others have mentioned above, I never give a final quote without seeing the vehicle.

If I feel that, due to the condition of their vehicle, I won`t be able to correct certain issues completely (typically due to time constraints with the package price point that they have selected) I will let them know and then offer to either A. charge them $20/hour beyond the amount of hours I have figured into the package that they have selected, or B. let them know that I will do the best job possible with the amount of hours that I can spend on that package and inform them of what to expect. Many customers will choose option "B" if it is the first time they are hiring me. When they do, I typically find that my standards are a lot higher than theirs and they are completely happy with the job I`ve done even though I would have spent a few more hours if it were my vehicle. I also find that some customers will go with the second option then to bring their vehicle back 6 or 12 months later and that I`m able to easily do the detail up to my standards within the package timeframe because I`ve already taken care of the major issues the first time that I worked on the vehicle.

So, in summary, it`s a matter of determining what your customers want and the rate that they will pay for your services and then set your price points and service plans accordingly.

I hope this helps a bit!

-J

P.S. I work out of my garage rather than a shop. I don`t have to pay employees, rent, etc. So of course, someone would want to take that into consideration when determining the amount that they need to charge.

[Mr. Gloss]

The fastest route to making money is volume and having employees.

That`s partly true.

You need volume at a profit and employees with a passion to deliver the results you promise. You won`t find passion at minimum wages.