Cost for weekly washes

Exquisite

Exquisite

New member
I haven't posted in a while, but I have the oppurtunity to pick up three boats for weekly washes and full details at least twice a year. Two of the boats ( a 57" and a 64") will need to be washed once a week and part of the year a 100' yacht. I just need to know pricing for a wash...granted it will be done every week. However, this is where the tricky part comes in; I live in Phoenix and the boats are in San Diego. I just moved back to Phoenix from San Diego! haha Anyhow, I detail the clients cars and he doesn't trust anyone else to touch the boats. What do you all think? It takes 11 hours round trip, no more than $200 in gas, food, and a place to stay (at some friends). I was thinking like $5 a linear foot to wash each.
 
Welcome back Nick:howdy

That's a lot of traveling for washes:wow:

Besides the $200 in basic costs, let's figure in wear and tear on your vehicle, depreciation of your vehicle because of excess mileage, your time while driving, how much could you be making in those 11 hours of just driving, barring any problems with your vehicle or if you don't feel well:hmmm: I'm thinking you would need to charge at least $10-$15 a foot to make it worth your time. At that expense I'm not sure the owner would be as anxious, but if he is, then get as much as you can..........and
don't have any fights with your friends:lol2:
 
Yeah, those concerns are exactly what I was thinking. My predicament is he was really set on me doing them until he found out I just moved back to Phoenix, but he still wants me to do them. I want to make it worth my time etc...yet, I don't want to quote him so high that it scares him away and I lose him for doing cars as well. However, I think he would understand though. He told me he pays a full time captain and I asked what does one usually charge to wash a boat of that size weekly. His reply was it just depends on the person. Fortunately for me he knows my work ethic, attention to detail etc...it's a toughy!
 
If he knows you and is a friend he will understand if you explain to him that it wouldn't be worth it for both of you but tell him you will still do the full details just not the washes. So he still gets the great details from you but not the washes. Should still be worth it for the full details.
 
Exquisite said:
Yeah, those concerns are exactly what I was thinking. My predicament is he was really set on me doing them until he found out I just moved back to Phoenix, but he still wants me to do them. I want to make it worth my time etc...yet, I don't want to quote him so high that it scares him away and I lose him for doing cars as well. However, I think he would understand though. He told me he pays a full time captain and I asked what does one usually charge to wash a boat of that size weekly. His reply was it just depends on the person. Fortunately for me he knows my work ethic, attention to detail etc...it's a toughy!
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I have a friend that has a 65' boat in Florida. I'll ask him what he pays to have it cleaned up.
If your guy is in the same financial range as my friend, you aren't going to scare him with your price. Just explain how you came up with the costs and he will understand. Just because they have a lot of money doesn't necessarily mean they don't realize that you need to be compensated. He may decide he doesn't want to pay that price, but when you have that kind of money, the price is not quite as important as getting what you want.

Charles
 
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Pockets said:
If he knows you and is a friend he will understand if you explain to him that it wouldn't be worth it for both of you but tell him you will still do the full details just not the washes. So he still gets the great details from you but not the washes. Should still be worth it for the full details.
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An excellent idea!
:bigups :bigups :bigups For Pockets.

Charles
 
Pockets: That is something I also mentioned to him and really his thing is he said he doesn't want anyone to touch the boat, but me. There has to be some sort of compromise.

CharlesW: That would be great if you could ask your friend.
 
If the person is dead set on having you do the work then you could give him a price on based on the washing, and then give him a dollar amount for travel expense.
Some companies calculate between $.35 - $.50 a mile for fuel,wear and tear. Then add food and lodging, if the person is a business man then he would see where your number was coming from.

Good luck

"J"
 
You're not going to want to do this weekly, as RF stated, it's going to get old really quick.

Poorboy said it best. When I get asked to travel outside my usual stomping grounds I tell them it will cost extra for time and travel.

If it takes me 3 hours to travel somewhere to do a detail for $300 or more then I have to consider that I could make another $150 to $200 in that amount of time if I had stayed in my area....not to mention another 3 hours coming back home. If someone wants your services bad enough and have the convenience of you coming to them they must be will to then pay for your inconvenience.

Anthony
 
Quite a bit of great ideas! That's why I love this place. I talked to him yesterday and explained to him my expenses and quoted him $5/foot for three boats. He freaked a bit, but I explained my expenses and I told him I don't know what it would normally cost to wash boats of this size weekly. And, this would cover my costs and I would make some dough. He was shocked to say the least and then he told me it takes about an hour to wash a 100ft boat!:rofl I just don't see how that is feasible when doing any sort of a quality job.
 
Some basic information

Some of the costs involved in the care of my friends boat in Boca Raton, FL.

The boat is 18' x 65'.
2 or 3 years old.
Twin diesel engines.
Cost of about $2,250,000 when purchased new.
He has a person that he and another boat owner hire to take care of their two boats.
His share of that persons wages is $2500 per month.
General cleanup and inspection is mostly what that person does. Keeps the logs and sees that the services are performed as needed. Has the boat ready for use at all times. Any services or repairs are charged for as done. Oil changes, fuel filters, etc.

Wash & dry - $200 - Takes about 4 to 5 hours. Not weekly, but as needed. Probably two or three times a month. The guy that does a 100' boat in an hour must be awfully fast.

Wash, polish & wax - $650. Probably two or three times per year.

They take care of the interior themselves, but did have it cleaned once when they were not going to be there prior to entertaining guests. The cost was $200.

He does hire a captain for longer ocean going trips. Not the same guy that is the caretaker. Short trips he handles on his own. It has three control stations, one of which is just for docking.

FWIW, insurance is $18,600 a year with $75,000 deductible for hurricanes.

Charles
 
The more I read this thread, the more I think you might be better off building your business in your new place of residence.
The guy isn't really too concerned about taking care of you and seems to be more price conscious rather than being willing to pay you what you deserve.

Charles
 
I agree with Charles :rockon i don't think he and you are on the same page of maintenece ..the other guy who does it in an hour is probably doing a power wash and then walks away ..i think you have a bit more detail in mind..and for what this guy is thinking, you are best off building new business where you are and not doing the traveling:)
 
that has got to be the funniest thing I have ever heard...
Exquisite said:
... it takes about an hour to wash a 100ft boat!
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just how long does it take to wash his Mercedes -- what -- about 10 minutes ???
:rofl :rofl :rofl :rofl

For me, I tend to be quite arrogant to people like this -- I might suggest to him that since he's in San Diego; with it's high concentration of eager to work illegals, that he might just want to go pick up a couple and offer them $20 buks and see what happens.

I have also kept my answers short more than once to lowbuck price shoppers by replying "I run a business not a charity, have a good day :click: " :D

hope this all works out for you though, keep us posted as to how it ends
 
The more I think about it I just can't justify doing it when he got all up tight with the quote I gave him. I had a business here in Phoenix for three years prior to moving to San Diego. The owner (the guy I have been giving quotes too) of two of the boats lives here in Phoenix and he has been my customer for 2 years. He is the one who said it takes an hour to wash the 100 footer! I just can't believe that. However, he still to this day just goes out and hoses and drys off his cars sometimes (E55 amg, DB9, range rover etc...). :wow: Some people you just can't influence I suppose.
 
Exquisite said:
The more I think about it I just can't justify doing it when he got all up tight with the quote I gave him. I had a business here in Phoenix for three years prior to moving to San Diego. The owner (the guy I have been giving quotes too) of two of the boats lives here in Phoenix and he has been my customer for 2 years. He is the one who said it takes an hour to wash the 100 footer! I just can't believe that. However, he still to this day just goes out and hoses and drys off his cars sometimes (E55 amg, DB9, range rover etc...). :wow: Some people you just can't influence I suppose.
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Sounds like you made the right choice, I had a 42ft and the guy that did mine charged 7.50 per ft for wash and wax.
 
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