Working as a pro detailer.

H

heshperera

New member
hey guys

i'm just about to finish my B/S in biochemistry, and I was looking at my prospects for what I want to do in life. I have always loved detailing and I have been told that I do a very good job at it(at least at an amateur level). I just wanted to find out about what life is like as a pro detailer. is it something I should do to supplement my income, or could I eventually (with enough experience) make enough money as a full time detailer to support a family? financially, how lucrative is it, or could it be? i of course want to start a family soon (like I'm sure many of you on the forum have already done) so unfortunately money is def an issue. how about working during the winter months (esp in the northeast, where I live)? do you guys supplement your income with another source during this time? i love the idea of being self employed, and i know that I would get great job satisfaction by working as a detailer. I def have the patience, work ethic and eye for detail to do this work. if i were thinking just about myself, then i would have no problems making the transition to become a pro detailer. im just worried about meeting the responsibilities that I will face when i have a family. any thoughts/ideas guys? sorry for the long post, lol. thx! heshan
 
Use your degree in biochemistry and get a job in the field.



Detail as a paying hobby and stress relief.



I am a career firefighter and detailing pays for vacations and my flying lessons.
 
Gonzo0903 said:
Use your degree in biochemistry and get a job in the field.



Detail as a paying hobby and stress relief.



I am a career firefighter and detailing pays for vacations and my flying lessons.
Click to expand...



Ditto to this . If I had a degree in something I sure as hell wouldn't be working this hard in all kinds of weather like I do now. You could aways detail on weekends like so many people do .



Many years ago I was given advice from an older guy , he told me to "Work smarter ,Not harder " I try to apply this to everything I do ;) So I say to you Work smarter , Not harder . Use that degree you spent so many years earning. :xyxthumbs
 
Detailing can be a lucrative business, certainly to the extent of being able to support a family, BUT it may take several years of HARD work and LONG hours to get there. If I were in your shoes i'd use detailing to supplement your income. With kids it'll be nice to have regular paychecks.
 
im majoring in business administration and ive always wanted my own business so i thought about a detailing business but i don't think theres enough people out there that would keep me making a good amount of income unless i somehow franchized a detailing business eventually but .. yeah that seems like a lifetime commitment to get that far into it
 
The grass isn't always greener...



I have a degree and a few years of corporate experience, made good money too. For me there is no comparison, i'll never go back willingly.
 
2000firebird said:
... i don't think theres enough people out there that would keep me making a good amount of income unless i somehow franchized ...
Click to expand...
I guess that depends on what you consider "a good amount of income". From what I've seen it's reasonable for an individual self-employed craftsman to support a middle class lifestyle. A business owner with a team can generate a greater income and a multiple business owner still more. I don't think anybody's getting rich from it. (But I guess that depends on the definition of "rich" too.)



2000firebird said:
.. yeah that seems like a lifetime commitment to get that far into it
Click to expand...
When you're 20, 20 years is a lifetime. When you're 45, with a successful business, a wife (and maybe an ex or two), 2.3 kids in college, a mortgage and thinning hair it was a blink of an eye.



MichaelM said:
...I have a degree and a few years of corporate experience, made good money too. For me there is no comparison, i'll never go back willingly.
Click to expand...
Sir, I commend your independent spirit! :bow





PC.
 
MichaelM said:
I have a degree and a few years of corporate experience, made good money too. For me there is no comparison, i'll never go back willingly.
Click to expand...



I completely agree. I also have a degree, but hate working in an office for other people who mostly have no clue what they are doing. I have always been an entrepreneur. There is just something about being self employed that appeals to me. To be honest, it is not the money either. If your are young, like I am, now is the time to do it.
 
I agree with PC. The numbers stated are very obtainable if you KNOW business, marketing, finance, etc.



Author: David Bynon

“The benefit of a detailing shop over a mobile business or home business is that you can hire employees and locate your business in a natural traffic center to bring in business. Given a good location and a sound marketing plan, a detailing shop with two or three bays can easily generate annual revenues of $400,000 to $500,000".



Thanks
 
Please keep in mind that those are GROSS numbers and that your "take" will be lots less after you pay rent, insurance, license, taxes, payroll, water, power, advertising.......
 
SpoiledMan said:
Please keep in mind that those are GROSS numbers and that your "take" will be lots less after you pay rent, insurance, license, taxes, payroll, water, power, advertising.......
Click to expand...



Very true.

But, one might expect to NET about 20% of the gross. $80-100k is doable.

Probably not as a mobile operator, and certainly not the first year.



A very realistic goal for the savvy operator. :woohoo: :woohoo:



Jim
 
Thanks Jim! I just wanted to take care of anyone thinking they were going to pick up a Maybach in the first year of business.:D:D
 
hey peoples

thx for all the sound advice! after reading your posts I feel like my best bet is to start honing my skills on the side as a paid hobbyist whilst working a full time job. once i'm futher down the road of detailing mastery and have a real feel for the business then I can consider getting into detailing on a more permanent basis. i love detailing, but i get the feeling that the skills required to go into business full time (and succeed) are beyond what I currently posess :buffing: . one thing is for sure...the guys(and gals) on autopia are awesome, and no doubt my travels through detailing university will be alot swifter and less painful because of you guys....see ya around!
 
heshperera said:
hey peoples

thx for all the sound advice! after reading your posts I feel like my best bet is to start honing my skills on the side as a paid hobbyist whilst working a full time job. once i'm futher down the road of detailing mastery and have a real feel for the business then I can consider getting into detailing on a more permanent basis. i love detailing, but i get the feeling that the skills required to go into business full time (and succeed) are beyond what I currently posess :buffing: . one thing is for sure...the guys(and gals) on autopia are awesome, and no doubt my travels through detailing university will be alot swifter and less painful because of you guys....see ya around!
Click to expand...



Well, yeah, you'll have to work a little to perfect your detailing skills, but dude... You've got a college degree! You've already mastered one set of skills that an employer will highly take into consideration, and will probably have a good chance at getting a job that not many of us could!



However... The number one thing, in my opinion, when getting a job - even over how much it pays - is how much you enjoy it. If you're the type of person that would rather do something more exciting than a desk job, or if your true passion is in detailing - or if it's just something you really want to do, I say go for it! The number one importance is for you to be happy with what you do for a living, so just go for what you want to do man.
 
when you are your own boss,the sky is the limit. Most people just stay at the one level of detailing with 1 or 2 vehicles and are happy and satisfied with that. You can take detailing as far as you want and make as much as you want. For example. Detail King
 
heshperera said:
hey guys

i'm just about to finish my B/S in biochemistry, and I was looking at my prospects for what I want to do in life. I have always loved detailing and I have been told that I do a very good job at it(at least at an amateur level). I just wanted to find out about what life is like as a pro detailer. is it something I should do to supplement my income, or could I eventually (with enough experience) make enough money as a full time detailer to support a family? financially, how lucrative is it, or could it be? i of course want to start a family soon (like I'm sure many of you on the forum have already done) so unfortunately money is def an issue. how about working during the winter months (esp in the northeast, where I live)? do you guys supplement your income with another source during this time? i love the idea of being self employed, and i know that I would get great job satisfaction by working as a detailer. I def have the patience, work ethic and eye for detail to do this work. if i were thinking just about myself, then i would have no problems making the transition to become a pro detailer. im just worried about meeting the responsibilities that I will face when i have a family. any thoughts/ideas guys? sorry for the long post, lol. thx! heshan
Click to expand...

If you decide to try detailing you should consider learning how to repair interior surfaces. The profit is great and the time necessary to do the work is minimal compared to the detailing process. This way you could offer both services and perhaps hire someone to to the detail work while you repair leather, vinyl, plastic, healiners, and carpet.
 
I've been around cars since I was 12, i'm now 20. It's been more performance oriented and I've seen some people that are living off of their detailing gig and not have a big business with 3 big bays and fancy equipment.



The thing to do is learn to do more then just detail a car. Learn to repair surfaces like LKDFW said is good. Also, knowing how to polish metal is another very good money maker. You just have to get into the right group of people. Go out of saturday nights to the local car meets and show them your work, etc.. If you can polish metal GOOD then you will have tons of business just by hanging out on saturday nights at car clubs. Then once they are coming to you for that, they might need some leather repaired. While you have their car you could also be detailing it for them. Get what i'm saying? I think if you don't want to have a big business that spends alot on advertising then somethingn like that is the way to go.



I will never understand why people underestimate those "racer kids" and their spending. I myself dump TONS into my cars. I know one guy who was building performance engines from his house, and he was DAMN good. He didn't charge the rediculous prices that most performance shops did, but to get your engine built by him would mean a month of waiting. He made around $100k a year just working from his house doing what he LOVES to do.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top