Timing

PristineClean

PristineClean

New member
I've been having trouble with timing its taking me close to 6 hours just for a sedan. Trying to get it down to at least 4 hours. Any info would be greatly appreciated
 
What are you acomplishing in those 6 hours, a complete interior and exterior detail?

Correction, polishing ,or engine work ?

I spend that and more time on a car without even polishing /correcting!

But I may be twice as old as you , old age slows one down!:D
 
It's a Full Detail I start with engine, then interior vac, shampoo, wipe down and leather conditioning. Then move to exterior, wash, clay bar, polish and wax, and final touches.
 
your time doesn't sound excessive for all that work. perhaps you should limit what is included in your "full vs. a standard detail" , if your pay doesn't match your hours involved. using an all-in-one lsp can save you some time and still give good results too as can wipe on walk away products. having an extra set of hands to help would be the only answer to drastically cut your overall time involved in a "full detail."
 
Agreed. I can easily spend 6 hours on an interior alone if its bad. Other times I can do an engine, interior, wash, and 2 stage correction in 8 hours. Just depends on the vehicle and what the customer is paying for. Compressed air or a steamer will help speed up interiors, and a power washer will speed up washes.
 
6-8-10 hours outside is normal for me...

but i'm just a out of shape old guy. (unless round is a shape)
 
mrclean81 said:
Agreed. I can easily spend 6 hours on an interior alone if its bad. Other times I can do an engine, interior, wash, and 2 stage correction in 8 hours. Just depends on the vehicle and what the customer is paying for. Compressed air or a steamer will help speed up interiors, and a power washer will speed up washes.
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This...

My pressure washer has cut my time in half especially on the wheels and tires. My extractor, I started using my extractor on leather, and it is amazing how clean and how much time is cut in half from using this on leather. My advice to you is to try new things, because if you're lazy like I am, you will think of little ways to make detailing better and faster...
 
Okay so my timing is about right, that's good to hear. I am using an air compressor, in the market for a extractor now. I am mobile, I included set up and clean up in that time so it seems I am doing okay, I just need to work on a standard detail what would I include in that.. Right now I charge 135 for a full detail on a sedan. What changes should i make? A Milliion and One questions right?
 
^^You're charging 135 on a sedan that takes you almost 8 hours to complete??? Do you have any time this week to detail my car???? :D

That is really cheap, and anyone that pays that little is going to be expecting cheap work. I'm assuming you take a lot of pride and care in your work. Try raising your prices. Everyone understands that you need to make a living, and if you put out high quality work then people are going to understand that they need to pay more for it. If you present yourself as a cheap detailing company, then that's all people are going to expect out of you. If you have a high dollar company that puts out high quality work, then all you'll attract is high dollar customers ;)
 
I definitely understand that, I would love to raise prices just not 100% about the market. Where I am its a real blue collar area, I just need to figure out a detail I can do for your average joe and save the full detail for high dollar clients.
 
Trust me when I say I understand your situation. I live in a very rural area, and sometimes have to travel 70 miles one way to do a job. To add insult to injury, I work out of a Tahoe that drinks gas like an alcoholic. When I started this business, there were a few production shops around in the bigger towns, but no mobile guys, and 0 guys doing any high level work. I literally had to create a market that hadnt existed in this area before. Telling someone its gonna cost them 200 or 300+ for a days worth of work seemed unreal to them. Even explaining the process, the amount of time it takes, etc they still wouldnt go for it. Many still dont lol. It took several years for me to be able to cut my losses with some customers because I really want to be able to offer something for everyone, but its just not possible for a mobile detailer to do. At the end of the day, you've gotta make sure the juice is worth the sqeeze. If 130 or 140 is what people in your area will pay, take those jobs but do them quickly and try to do more than 1 a day. Offer a few different packages, and if they want your best then make them pay for it. People have no problem paying their mechanic or body man $60 an hour..keep that in mind.
 
mrclean81 said:
Trust me when I say I understand your situation. I live in a very rural area, and sometimes have to travel 70 miles one way to do a job. To add insult to injury, I work out of a Tahoe that drinks gas like an alcoholic. When I started this business, there were a few production shops around in the bigger towns, but no mobile guys, and 0 guys doing any high level work. I literally had to create a market that hadnt existed in this area before. Telling someone its gonna cost them 200 or 300+ for a days worth of work seemed unreal to them. Even explaining the process, the amount of time it takes, etc they still wouldnt go for it. Many still dont lol. It took several years for me to be able to cut my losses with some customers because I really want to be able to offer something for everyone, but its just not possible for a mobile detailer to do. At the end of the day, you've gotta make sure the juice is worth the sqeeze. If 130 or 140 is what people in your area will pay, take those jobs but do them quickly and try to do more than 1 a day. Offer a few different packages, and if they want your best then make them pay for it. People have no problem paying their mechanic or body man $60 an hour..keep that in mind.
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Good Point
 
PristineClean said:
It's a Full Detail I start with engine, then interior vac, shampoo, wipe down and leather conditioning. Then move to exterior, wash, clay bar, polish and wax, and final touches.
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Thats a lot of work to do in 6 hours!

If you want to speed things up more you could use an AIO rather than both polish and wax.

Check into the Gary Dean wash method.I hear it saves quite a bit in wash time. I havent used it myself though.

Use the sponge type alternative claybars instead of clay ,will save you time as well.
 
PristineClean said:
Okay so my timing is about right, that's good to hear. I am using an air compressor, in the market for a extractor now. I am mobile, I included set up and clean up in that time so it seems I am doing okay, I just need to work on a standard detail what would I include in that.. Right now I charge 135 for a full detail on a sedan. What changes should i make? A Milliion and One questions right?
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Really depends on where (market) you are. (saw that you said that you're in a mostly "blue collar" area.

But what does the local competition offer? How much of a "Detail" is it. Do they just offer a wash/wax/vacume and tire shine, or do they do "real detailing"?

Saw that someone also suggested and AIO. GREAT SUGGESTION
 
For the most part I see one person that does work equal to me but he's not mobile. The others offer $60 details and such, so I assume they can't be doing what I'm doing. The good part is my other job is at a hospital and the doctors are starting to talk, so I may need to up prices before it's to late.
 
All I can say is set a standard. You will figure out your pricing. Just remember you have to be profitable to keep offering them.
It would be a disservice to go out of business once your clients only want what you give.
 
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