What does everyone charge when doing detailing??

[Titantruckguy]

Just wondering what everyone charges to detail vehicles for other people?? And what do you include with those prices?? Trying to get my business up off the ground and trying to get prices set. Thanks for the help!

[Fierce5]

I usually charge somewhere between $300 and $500 for a FULL detail. depending if they're friends, family or both lol. That includes paint correction and interior cleaning and reconditioning plus glass sealant.

[Adam]

Congrats on your business! Many people here, myself included, started off detailing, and it's an enjoyable way to make a living...

 

First, are you offering a mobile service, or detailing from your location? Also, have you checked with any local shops to see what they are charging? Seems the rates vary across our GREAT country, and determining the going rate is key.

 

Finally, are you doing full paint correction? Using a Flex to remove most or all swirls, etc?

 

How you show up, ideally in a clean, logo-embroidered polo shirt, with your business name, arriving in an immaculate vehicle, certainly adds value!

 

As with anything, the more professional you are, the more you can charge, and the more the customer will be comfortable paying for your services.

 

Our most successful detailer-customers charge between $35 and $100/hr, and even more if they are working from a first class location, or are detailing out of a first-rate mobile detailing rig.

 

That's my $0.02, and go big for big $$!

 

[Vincenzo]

To do literally everything, interior, exterior, polish, wax, leather/cloth treatments, clay, trim, engine bay, wheel wells, wheels/tires (take them off, clean all around, polish if needed, wax), basically the whole thing I would charge 300 bucks for.

 

For just a wash (2 bucket wash, door jams, interior/exterior glass, wheels, trim, tires, etc. No wax/polish/real correction or anything like that) I charge 35 bucks.

Add clay, maybe another 15 bucks. Wax (I won't clay without waxing later, but I will wax without claying) another 15.

 

For all the wash/wax/polish/etc that goes into a full exterior detail, I charge like 150 bucks.

 

I don't really have set prices for anything besides those. I take a look at the car and think how much trouble it will give me and go from there. Even the prices I say are "set" vary alot depending on if I know the person, what kind of car it is, etc etc. For example, I washed a friend's miata for 20 bucks the other day, partially because he is my buddy, partially because he just lost his job and can't afford this stuff, and partially because his poor miata really needed it.

 

I'll come to anyone's house within an hour drive, even for just a wash (although it ends up COSTING me money in gas sometimes [what can I say, I like to drive, and cleaning cars is fun]), or they can bring it to my house and I will do it.

 

Then again, I don't have any legit business, I am just a kid with some product, a hose, and a driveway.

[Team Adam's]

Good info Adam, I've also contemplated doing a little detailing on the side, just not exactly sure how to dive in and start.

[Bill-V8V]

I am just a kid with some product, a hose, and a driveway.

 

I don't know why but I think that would look GREAT on a business card

[ChargerMatt]

An excellent thread. I plan on detailing on the side betwen my 40 hour work week and school schedule . I was talking with a neighbor who knows someone who details cars. He says he will charge roughly 200 for the full exterior (minus a clay bar - he claims he doesn't think they do anything) as well as interior - no engine bay. I think when I start out I will charge 150 for the smaller cars, 200 for SUVs, vans, and trucks - no engine bay cleaning (I don't want any kind of liability). Keep in mind I'll hopefully get a car a week in, at least 3 a month I want. That will really help when my student loan bills start coming in

 

I don't know why but I think that would look GREAT on a business card

 

 

Already trademarked, thanks for the idea

[Stryker]

I've always been interested in this. There are a few hand wash places around here that will do inside and out for >$20. I know they make profit by doing the volume and there are a few guys working on the car at once.

 

I can imagine its hard to stay competitive with that if you're just by yourself.

[ssooch]

$175 car / $200 SUV/ $225-300 for full sized truck

 

What I've found helpful is to have a consultation first. I go over their vehicle with them to set up expectations. Some people think that their 10 year old truck that they've never washed with peeling clear coat is going to look brand new when I'm done. Some cars are so bad I refuse to do them. Some vehicles are beyond a detail.

 

That's what I do.

[Team Adam's]

Like Adam mentioned, it can vary A LOT depending on the local market. Guys in some areas can fetch upwards of $500 per car where guys in other spots might struggle to get anything over $200... best thing to do is call around and price shop local detailers to see what the going rate is and price accordingly.

 

Also figure out if you'll be doing hourly, flat rate, or menu pricing.

 

Hourly - You charge by the hour a specific rate. The customer has to agree that the price can vary up or down depending on how long it take you to complete. This is often best suited to details where a customer is expecting perfection or a specific result and cost is not an object.

 

Flat Rate - You determine car size and thats where your prices are based. Car = $XXX.XX, Truck = $XXX.XX, SUV = $XXX.XX and the service is uniform for all vehicles. They all get a interior and exterior cleanup and detail. Makes it easy to quote, but on some cars you may loose a little, others you may make a little more. It all balances out hopefully.

 

Menu - You start with base pricing and options are added. $150 for a basic wash, clay, wax w/ exterior trim dressing. Add $100 for 1 stage polishing, add $75 for interior carpet extraction and leather conditioning, add $250 for 2 or 3 stage machine polishing/paint correction, add $50 for engine bay detailing - etc. This gives you the option to give people their choices or address areas that are specific concerns without making you do work on things they don't care to have addressed.

 

Each one has its positives and negatives, you need to determine what fits your model the best and will still cover your product costs and put some money in your pocket for the labor.

 

Also, if you're planning on doing this the right way and for more than just close friends and family... apply for a business license and find insurance. The right people get wind that you're pocketing an extra couple hundred a week in cash tax time might get pretty crappy for you. Also, accidents do happen. You can slip and drop a PC on someones hood, you get a tad too aggressive with the 4" pads and show up someones primer - better to have a basic insurance policy to cover you rather than being out a couple grand for a $150 detail job. Remember... as a 'detailer' you're going to have possession of what is potentially someones second most expensive purchase next to their home... thats a lot of responsibility if its not just a buddy or a family member.

[Chris@Adams]

Good luck Justin!

[LowNslo]

I base all of my details on meeting the customer and looking at the car. I physically put my hand on the car and determine what it will take to do the job. As said before by several people here (including myself) We strive for perfection and most of the time we won't settle for less. This could get costly when detailing a 10 year old vehicle that has had a ton of abuse.

 

Meeting with the customer also allows you to get a feel for what they expect out of the detail and how to approach the problems areas (as dylan said).

 

I usually have a figure in mind depending on the size of the vehicle and what they "said" they would like to have. Sometimes the customer wants more or less than you can provide for them. I like the idea of figuring out what they want and go from there!

[TK427]

$175 car / $200 SUV/ $225-300 for full sized truck

 

What I've found helpful is to have a consultation first. I go over their vehicle with them to set up expectations. Some people think that their 10 year old truck that they've never washed with peeling clear coat is going to look brand new when I'm done. Some cars are so bad I refuse to do them. Some vehicles are beyond a detail.

 

That's what I do.

 

Smart Smart Smart, This is what I started to do as well, people have to know what they are getting! Most of the time with <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com</st1:place>Adams products, they are getting way more then they bargain for.. This was a very helpful thread by the way<?xml:namespace prefix = v ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" /><v:shape style="WIDTH: 27pt; HEIGHT: 13.5pt" id=_x0000_i1025 alt="0" type="#_x0000_t75"><v:imagedata o:href="http://adamsforums.com/forums/images/smilies/sHa_thumbsup3.gif" src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\MMENKA~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_image001.gif"></v:imagedata></v:shape>I am defiantly under charging, but then again so is all my competition

 

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