Price on account

[MagicCity33]

Hey fellas,

I have a situation here that could generate me some extra cash coming in but I'm not sure exactly how much to charge.

I recently received a call concerning cleaning some local school buses (About 20 to be exact.)

Normally I charge $30-45 hr on vehicles that I detail, but never done anything of this size before.

The clients want basic sweep down inside and qhick wash on the outside with tire dressing.

What do you guys feel a good fair price would be? I have a figure in my head but I wanted to see if there was someone with more experience in this area since this would be my first time.

Thanks

 

[Beemerboy]

Hey fellas,

I have a situation here that could generate me some extra cash coming in but I'm not sure exactly how much to charge.

I recently received a call concerning cleaning some local school buses (About 20 to be exact.)

Normally I charge $30-45 hr on vehicles that I detail, but never done anything of this size before.

The clients want basic sweep down inside and qhick wash on the outside with tire dressing.

What do you guys feel a good fair price would be? I have a figure in my head but I wanted to see if there was someone with more experience in this area since this would be my first time.

Thanks

Charge by the foot someone will have a better idea of what that should be..there is not a lot of money in school buses, but can be good work to have in the slower times of the year...

School buses from what I have seen do not need real detailing...just washes on the out side and quick run threw on the inside...window will be the biggest job.

 

[Stephan]

Charge by the foot someone will have a better idea of what that should be..there is not a lot of money in school buses, but can be good work to have in the slower times of the year...

School buses from what I have seen do not need real detailing...just washes on the out side and quick run threw on the inside...window will be the biggest job.

Wash the outside, open the back door go inside and take a leaf blower to it, that should get rid of about 80% right there

 

[black bart]

Most of these buses are not kept all that clean.
I have washed a school bus several times and with a long handle brush you can do the kind of job that is wanted in an hour.
This is just wash and rinse NO drying it.
Find out just how good they expect them to be before you give them a price.

 

[MagicCity33]

Thanks guys I appreciate it. I met a fellow that tried to tell me that he paid a guy 20 bucks to wash the outside of the bus plus tire dressing. I told him that his was not my kind of work but because the increase in gas prices and everything else I'm begining to look into taking on jobs like these to keep things moving during the slow times.

I don't think they are looking for much more than a basica wash and sweep. Just didn't know how I should charge them. Looking at about 20 buses possibly more.

I was trying to generate some detail accounts from the teachers and principles when one of the guys over heard me talking with one of the teachers.

Again first time for me so I guess like other times I will create something. Thanks

 

[Beemerboy]

Thanks guys I appreciate it. I met a fellow that tried to tell me that he paid a guy 20 bucks to wash the outside of the bus plus tire dressing. I told him that his was not my kind of work but because the increase in gas prices and everything else I'm begining to look into taking on jobs like these to keep things moving during the slow times.

I don't think they are looking for much more than a basica wash and sweep. Just didn't know how I should charge them. Looking at about 20 buses possibly more.

I was trying to generate some detail accounts from the teachers and principles when one of the guys over heard me talking with one of the teachers.

Again first time for me so I guess like other times I will create something. Thanks

I don't know about you but at 20 bucks a bus I wouldn't take the work slow or not...thats only 400 for the 20 buses total...it should at least be twice that

 

[Tony Supreme]

Are you talking about short van buses or long school buses? I have a couple of school bus accounts I do the short van like buses, Exterior Wash, Wipe dash, sweep & or hose out & clean windows $50 bucks, takes like 45 min. Less than that I don't think it's worth your time. Most of my buses are newer and the drivers are responsible for picking up trash & sweeping everyday, so they are not that bad. If you clean 20-30 regularly you can give them a little break.

 

[dr_detail]

If they'd lock into a weekly, 1 year contract, I'd do the exteriors (wash & rinse), no windows, for $25ea/wk/vehicle. They all could be done in one day with two helpers -- that's a 28k/yr (gross) account

 

[Stephan]

I think you might spend half of that in dressing just to do the tires...$20 a bus, even if its just a wash is way to low...I would wash a Yugo for $20 but not a bus.

Plus remember Charles paper it said we waste a 100 gallons of water just to wash a car, imagine a bus...

 

[Squirtgun]

If they just wanted a wash through a fleet washing company they would go for $11 to $12 each with no interiors or tire dressing.Personally I would bid exteriors only at $12 we can knock down 15 an hour and would make decent money.
Think lower expectations for this type work.They aren't custom cars they are big cheese dogs with single stage paint and they only want the dirt and road film knocked off with as few window spots as possible.
Something to keep in mind is waste water.If they are on gravel you are good to go.If they are on concrete or asphalt you will need to divert water to a grassy area.

 

[MagicCity33]

Are you talking about short van buses or long school buses? I have a couple of school bus accounts I do the short van like buses, Exterior Wash, Wipe dash, sweep & or hose out & clean windows $50 bucks, takes like 45 min. Less than that I don't think it's worth your time. Most of my buses are newer and the drivers are responsible for picking up trash & sweeping everyday, so they are not that bad. If you clean 20-30 regularly you can give them a little break.

All of the buses are long buses and I definitely wouldn't clean the buses for less than $40 per bus. From what I could tell they have not been clean in quite some time due to the water restriction. One of my friends went to another city that was not on water restriction, purchased a meter that tells how much water he has loaded up with and he pays the city just as if he were at a gase station.

I don't have the cash to take this route yet but I do have friends that have been very helpful in allowing me to refill when I've needed.

 

[MagicCity33]

If they just wanted a wash through a fleet washing company they would go for $11 to $12 each with no interiors or tire dressing.Personally I would bid exteriors only at $12 we can knock down 15 an hour and would make decent money.
Think lower expectations for this type work.They aren't custom cars they are big cheese dogs with single stage paint and they only want the dirt and road film knocked off with as few window spots as possible.
Something to keep in mind is waste water.If they are on gravel you are good to go.If they are on concrete or asphalt you will need to divert water to a grassy area.

Thanks for the insight SquirtGun. Receiving different points of view is really helping me determine what I should quote them. I've never considered fleet washes before as I enjoy restoring paint through polishing (especially dark vehicles) then protecting.

Plus I enjoy seeing the smiles on my clients faces after I spray the last bit of detail spray on the vehicle before saying I'm done.

This really feels well.....cheap.

I'm going to sleep on it some more and devise a plan that will get me the fleet wash account and possibly some full service deals on their personal vehicles.

Hopefully I can sleep. (I see more $$$$) :drool:

:thanks

 

[Squirtgun]

Thanks for the insight SquirtGun. Receiving different points of view is really helping me determine what I should quote them. I've never considered fleet washes before as I enjoy restoring paint through polishing (especially dark vehicles) then protecting.

Plus I enjoy seeing the smiles on my clients faces after I spray the last bit of detail spray on the vehicle before saying I'm done.

This really feels well.....cheap.

I'm going to sleep on it some more and devise a plan that will get me the fleet wash account and possibly some full service deals on their personal vehicles.

Hopefully I can sleep. (I see more $$$$) :drool:

:thanks

I understand the frustration over cheap.Just trying to be realistic since we have done these types of accounts and I know first hand that most aren't looking for detail quality.
The pics below are of a bus fleet we did that paid $30 for interior vac/wipe down and exterior.
Most details won't touch them at that price point,we were banging out 14 in 6 hours.Although they didn't meet my personal expectations they exceeded the customers.

 

[MagicCity33]

Thanks Squirtgun you've helped me look at this in a different light. I may check down with the board to see if I can get even more buses on the account and not worry about my own personal feelings because business is business and the money is definitely needed!!!!!!!


Also Thanks for the pics.

 

[Beemerboy]

Thanks Squirtgun you've helped me look at this in a different light. I may check down with the board to see if I can get even more buses on the account and not worry about my own personal feelings because business is business and the money is definitely needed!!!!!!!


Also Thanks for the pics.

At the end of the day you have to look at time, product and man hours invested...if you walk away with little in your pocket, then its not worth your time even if you have no other work available..In some cases its better not to work than be spinning your wheels for nothing....I also agree with Squirtgun...lower your expectations of the complete job if you decide that you can come out on the other end with some $$$ in your pocket

 

[Fishpimp]

If they'd lock into a weekly, 1 year contract, I'd do the exteriors (wash & rinse), no windows, for $25ea/wk/vehicle. They all could be done in one day with two helpers -- that's a 28k/yr (gross) account

This sounds about right. In addition you could dilute your tire dressings and such. $25 to powerwash and scrub with a brush wouldn't take you long at all especially since you aren't drying them. I would add a front windshield cleaning in this package. I think the thing to keep in mind is that these are utility vehicles with large flat surfaces that don't gleam but are designed to look clean when washed. I've never seen a water spot on a school bus...Smile but then again who is looking for one. I have however seen school buses that were clean and had a nice shine on the WHEELS. :rockon