Professional Detailing as a career?

C

Catch-22

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I always wondered this. Can detailing be a lucrative line of work? What are some of the best ways to earn money? How hard is it to grow your business? Can you do this for a long time? As it making a career out of it.
 
get people working for you from the start....stick with it for 5 years, build a client base, stash away a lot of money and invest into other businesses/investment


 


go for volume and dealer accounts if you want to make real money...
 
No matter how or what, you have to work at it and make it what you want. If you want to make a career out of detailing, then why not? you're the only person thats gonna put limits on what you can/cannot do.


 


Some are completely content with working an 8-5 m-f job that they can count on.


 


Ultimately, money plays a factor in what someone can/cannot do.


 


I've been detailing now since 2005 and have done decent, not where I would like to be after 8 years, but I'm ok with that, until I make the changes needed to get to where I want to be.
 
Catch-22 said:
I always wondered this. Can detailing be a lucrative line of work? What are some of the best ways to earn money? How hard is it to grow your business? Can you do this for a long time? As it making a career out of it.
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as far as you are in good shape , you know where you wanna be , you can run this for long time.


it took me around 2 years to get a solid line of clients , as money goes first year ~3k , 3,5 k ,third year  5k , a bit over  7k / a month average for this year , and i see another 20% on total income  increase for next year with easy...if not even more than that.


if i lower my prices and not focus on quality than i can make way more , but i am happy where i am and what i do!


you are the only one who decide where you wanna be , just stay focus and you will succeed !
 
is anyone else willing to share their take home profits (after all expenses)? i'd be interested in first year, second, etc, to see what kind of growth you've done. also a little description of your typical work/clientele, and mobile, or fixed...
 
I've done both individual and team/shop based detailing and totally understand that there are pros and cons to both sides of this. 


 


I know quite a few detailers (1 person operations) that make $100K/yr. I think if you focus on the high end market and coatings it is much easier to earn more. I just wouldn't want to be their back when they are in their 50's, but that depends on their physical shape too. 


 


Conversely, I know many more that have shops and truly there is an unlimited earning potential which is much easier to capture. Especially with high volume shops that focus on doing used car dealer detailing. 


 


Both have their fair share of headaches, but great payoffs. 
 
also would like to add the number of hours worked per week to get that profit. 100k at say 60 hr per week is not worth it.
 
dfoxengr said:
also would like to add the number of hours worked per week to get that profit. 100k at say 60 hr per week is not worth it.
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One person might think that's a great living. Some may have different reservations. 


 


Here's some basic math:


 


$100,000 @ 52 weeks = $1923 per week


 


$1923 per week @ 60 hours = $32 per hour


 


What other trade can you earn $32 per hour and have the flexibility to come & go as you wish and have the power to report your earnings? :) 


 


And again, that's if you're working 60 hours per week. There are several detailers that charge $1500-2500 per car. 
 
That's true, but for me, time and family is just as important as money. I've known too many people to have crappy home lives because they work too much.
 
I really do admire the guys who can run their own business, not overwork themselves and make good money at the same time. I hope one day I can get to that point.
 
good money to me is different to good money to someone in lets say, new mexico...


 


to make a good comparison:


 


a gallon of milk for me is about 4 bucks, in hawaii its about 7 bucks, and in new mexico, its about 3 bucks.


 


Now, I would need to make about 25% more than the NM guy to have the same lifestyle and buy the same things, while I dont need to make as much as the HI guy because things cost more there.


 


so 100K is a lot in some areas and average in others...depends on where you live and HOW you want to live your own life that dictates what you need out of your job!


 


There are 100 other detail businesses local to me who all charge 1/2 of what I charge, but they also live with roommates, in garages, in poorer areas (just in my area because its higher end part of town = more money thought process), etc.  Do they do the same level of work, ABSOLUTELY NOT!  a full detail to them is a wash and wax to me, while paint correction is the norm to me and not even in their vocabulary!  apples to oranges!


 


can I enter into the market with a more volume based business and just bang out the cheap work, yes I sure can, but there is SO MUCH competition in that space, its not worth it to me!  I would rather stick with the higher end clientel and offer higher end services and work on higher end cars!  I do less cars that the volume detailers, but I charge accordingly for a higher end job, with better results!


 


ALSO, something to think about:


 


I can personally do fiver $150 jobs in one day.  Thats 750 for the day doing a wash and wax and interior wipedown for me.  Sure its easy work, but its not enjoyable and there isnt a WOW factor like when doing paint correction with coating application for that same $750-900.  Choice is yours!!!
 
dfoxengr said:
is anyone else willing to share their take home profits (after all expenses)? i'd be interested in first year, second, etc, to see what kind of growth you've done. also a little description of your typical work/clientele, and mobile, or fixed...
Click to expand...


 


if you look for profits start play lottery :)


 


in my opinion , to bulid a solid business with a steady solid income takes time , but once set-up and running is Gold. i would say profit , starts in second -3rd year, untill than reinvest in equipment and to get more clients.


i work mobile , most hi-end , / rare cars for me are honda and toyotas, as clientele .. 3/4 live in house at 500k-1mill plus, and multiple cars 50-100k+


1st year , around 9 months work, close to 30k, (average month was 15-20 days worked, some days half,slow)


2nd year 43% more than first year ,


3rd year 60% more than 2nd year ,


4th year over 40% more than 3rd year


i am getting close to 100k a year if not over for 2014 , i plan for at least 20% more than 4th year.


i see this business like a snow ball , just roll it where the snow is thick !


 


do i am rick or have this money?  No ... but all the investement is done for the next 2 years from now and i can say i am where i wanna be. i have all the bills payed, every year done a few exotic vacations, trips to europe, no debs and got a nice credit score and history from all the money movement.


 


like other say you have way more freedom as a job. and depends to you whee you wanna be, if you are investor than yes you can detail cars with hands in the pocket if not... elbow grease for the first 2-3 years.
 
4th year in the biz, first year as a fixed location and doing a little mobile work (just maintenance for my earliest clients)


Gross Income was $80k


Expenses: $40k


Employees: $12000


Child care: $19k


Mortgage$ $9600


truck payment: $4800


 


Net income; $-5400 Not exactly lucrative.
 
I'd rather not disclose my income but we've done well and I am satisfied with my income and rate of growth as a full-time business with high expectations.


 


Some weeks are long, very stressful and hard and some are more pleasant than they should be. Being a business owner is a bag of mixed nuts. If someone wants smooth sailing(as relative as that is) they may want to consider working for someone else. Being the owner of a successful detailing business means you're a problem solver. Not that business revolves around problems but growing a successful business means you certainly face unique circumstances that need addressing all the time. Making good money in this business and having a healthy work/life balance is tricky. I spend a lot of evenings working on the back end of the business because I don't have time during the day. This doesn't mean I don't have a healthy work/life balance. It means I cut out a lot of TV, video games, golf, football and other "luxuries" that I don't need in place of the business. What I need is to be able to provide for my family and give them the other time I have.


 


I don't view weeks as five 8-hour work days. I view my weeks as having a specific load. Sometimes it's a big load and sometimes it's easy(usually due to well thought out and executed planning -which gets better with time/experience). Busy weeks usually mean 12+ hour days. 
 
This is very interesting, please keep posting guys.


 


To anyone who has run a volume shop, could you give a little insight into average profits per car, time spent, etc. I've recently picked up some used car dealer accounts in the $85-low 100s range and wonder what others would be offering/profiting from this type of service. Thanks.
 
Green, I've found that there is a MAJOR problem in the detailing industry.


They ask the question just as you put it. 


 


When you bring up detailing to a dealer, they instantly ask "How Much".


This shows you what their priorities are.  They don't know really what they want done,


they only know what they want to pay for it.  If you go in with a dollar amount, then


they will want EVERYTHING done to a T on the car, at the amount that you stated.


 


That is, unless you educate them and explain that there are more important things


to look for on a detail.  Sure, I could tell them 80 dollars, but what if I only spend 2 hours


on the car; did they really get a good value.  I personally think the more important questions


are how long I will work on the vehicle, and the quality of work that I will do. 


This being said, if you throw out a flat rate, then they could expect the same rate for


SUV, MiniVans, and mudded up trucks.  I wouldn't want to get into that situation.


 


I provide a much better service at a reasonable hourly rate.  They get better quality,


and if they want extra services completed, then it will take extra hours. I wouldn't want to


get stuck on a 5 hour detail for 60 bucks because I would want to clean it to my standards.


Unfortunately our standards and a dealer standards are different.  They don't know how


much work really goes into this job, all they know is how much they normally pay.


 


I'm sorry that I don't have the answer for you, I just know that this is a tricky situation.


If you get into the High Volume Business, you must do everything that you can to protect


your profits, because you can lose your margin very quickly.  Plus, lots of dealers have


detailers.  I've found that lot maintenance can be quite lucrative.  They don't need the car


fully detailed, they only need it looking better on the lot.  The question for you is in which


sector can you get the most business.  Is there anyone specializing in lot maintenance in


your city?  Where is your competition.  Ask these questions, and try to find your niche.
 
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