There's a guy that works with me and he saw my car and asked who details it. I told him I do it myself and he asked if I would do his Dodge Ram 2500. He wants a 1-step polish, then Sealant and Wax, maybe glaze. How much should I charge for something like that?
Rates
Gerbig
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hmmmm...good to know what average rates run lol
i detail bikes on the side, but lately people have asked about doing their car.
i detail bikes on the side, but lately people have asked about doing their car.
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12,373 Posts
Man, I charge $25 and hour to the guys who work with me. That and dinner. I normally charge around $35. I go up in price depending on what they want for an LSP.
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How expensive are your classes?
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To teach you? Free. Just provide me with a car, some food, and a place to lay my head. Oh, and a willingness to learn and work! It's fun, ask Andy.
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TDY to Ft.Eustis DAMMIT!!!!!
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Let me look for some training classes up there to try to go to. They have to have something.
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5,253 Posts
I think your working for free basically. I would at least charge $250. Because it consists of the list below. Its alot of work and if your detailing the interior as well make it $300 at least.
LSP stripping Wash 3BM with GG
Clay
IPA
Polish
IPA
Glaze
Seal
Wax
Dress trim & tires
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It will most likely take you more that 5 to 6 hours. I say 8 hours at least and thats $200 at $25 an hour. But like I said I would still at least charge $250 its worth your labor and products to get the job done dont sell your self short.
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Work a few more time on your personal vehicles before working on someone else's vehicle even if your using a PC.
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318 Posts
I really don't think $150 is bad since you are just starting out and don't have an established clientel yet. Not to mention, this is someone you know personally right? Thing is you have to do some work at a very reasonable price first to establish your name and ability. Once you do that then you start to raise your prices, not to mention that the more you do the more efficient you will become and the 8 hour detail will only take you 6 hours. So even if you are still charging the same end price you are making more per hour because you are more efficient.
The same detail I do for $175 right now I started out doing for $50! I started out there and people jumped at the price, but you know what the same truck I started on for $50 the guy now pays me $175 for detailing the same truck, for the same detail process.
Now one thing I will state is that if you are going to start doing this for other people you really should look into some sort of insurance policy. I have one because you never know what might happen. If you accidently drop a buffer on the hood or God forbid burn through some paint, you are screwed. Not only will you not get paid for the detail but you are going to have to pay for a repaint. I like having the peace of mind that if something freaky happens, and it probably will if you do enough cars, I'm covered.
Oh and good idea on not doing the interior. Interiors are money pits and the first place you start to lose money when detailing. I mean it's not unreasonable to spend an hour vacuuming a car that probably has never been detailed and if you are trying to get $40 an hour, who in their right mind would really pay $40 for you to vacuum their car. You don't expect to spend as much time on an interior as most people do because it really is time consuming. If you are doing a really good job on the interior then you need to tack 2 hours of labor onto the cost of the detail. I'm straight up with my customers that I won't spend more than an hour on the interior for the price I quote. If they want more or the interior is that important to them then the price goes up.
The same detail I do for $175 right now I started out doing for $50! I started out there and people jumped at the price, but you know what the same truck I started on for $50 the guy now pays me $175 for detailing the same truck, for the same detail process.
Now one thing I will state is that if you are going to start doing this for other people you really should look into some sort of insurance policy. I have one because you never know what might happen. If you accidently drop a buffer on the hood or God forbid burn through some paint, you are screwed. Not only will you not get paid for the detail but you are going to have to pay for a repaint. I like having the peace of mind that if something freaky happens, and it probably will if you do enough cars, I'm covered.
Oh and good idea on not doing the interior. Interiors are money pits and the first place you start to lose money when detailing. I mean it's not unreasonable to spend an hour vacuuming a car that probably has never been detailed and if you are trying to get $40 an hour, who in their right mind would really pay $40 for you to vacuum their car. You don't expect to spend as much time on an interior as most people do because it really is time consuming. If you are doing a really good job on the interior then you need to tack 2 hours of labor onto the cost of the detail. I'm straight up with my customers that I won't spend more than an hour on the interior for the price I quote. If they want more or the interior is that important to them then the price goes up.
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Great advice JL! I could easily spend a full day on an interior. But I honestly love doing them.
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Man we need to team up and do some details then. I hate interiors and unfortunately for me some people are more concerned with how their interiors look than they are how their exterior looks. My wife's uncle has helped me on a number of details when I've been paid to travel to the Charlotte area and do them. He is the best interior guy I've seen and those details turn out phenomenal. He works the interior while I do the exterior. I wish I had as much passion for interiors as I do for exteriors.
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Man, I would love to work a car with you. To me the turn around on interiors is just amazing when you can get them done good. That is one of the reasons I like them so much. Heck, the MX5 I was supposed to so got pushed off, so I am doing my interior right now jusy for the hell of it. Might polish the car and put a new LSP on tomorrow as well. I really want to try out this blacklight. Think I will top it with AGHD.
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I doubt I will be doing anyone elses car ever truthfully...I prefer to just do my own...
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