Pricing opinions as a weekender

[exploreco]

Hey gang, I would appreciate your thoughts on what I have come up with. Just some background. I am not quitting my day job. Although, I am not real happy anymore, and if I could make a living at this, I enjoy this much more lol, but that is another story for another day. This is just something on the weekends. I have been getting more people from work and neighbors and such ask me, how much to do my car or what do you charge. I never really have a good answer for them because I either have done work as a favor or payback for someone so I worked cheap, or it is for family. That is what I did last summer. So, I am wanting to be prepared this year and have something ready to hand out to people, giving them some options, and they can take it or leave it. I know alot of people will see it and think the price is crazy. But those are also people that think they wax their car once a week because they go through the car wash

I live in a small mid west town. Small meaning, about 100,000 people, so that is small to a lot of you. I am not trying to compete with the dealers or local detailers, although I have seen what the dealers can do I can do much better than most. I never had a plan so if I did clean a car, I would spend all day on it whether I got $50 or $300. It was just relaxing to me. But now that I am using good products and have a family now, my time and money are more important than doing that, so that is why I am making up this little flyer and looking for your feedback.

So, here is what I came up with. I am open to suggestions. I have tried to research some prices locally the best I could from the dealers and such and I am probably low, I think, and that may be ok to start out with. But, tell me what you think and I will go from there.

I am trying to keep it simple by only having 3 options. I will allow separate things if people ask me, and I will work on a separate list that I will just keep to myself for when someone ask, can I just get the outside detailed. I already had one lady ask me that. But I need to get the pricing and this figured out first

I didn't put it in the document for the customer because I didn't think it mattered, but the AIO is D151, and the polish is UP and will be what ever the Detaliers line is when I run out and the wax is ULW and what ever the Detailers line is when ever that runs out. All Megs products at this point. All to be done at my home, unless they are in town.

Sorry for the long winded into...Appreciate you all!


Just Clean Me Up
$30 Car, Small SUV
$40 SUV, Van, Truck

• Hand wash and dry
• Clean tires and wheels and apply tire dressing
• Thorough vacuum of interior
• Wipe down of interior surface and clean with QID
• Clean windows
• Apply Synthetic Spray Wax to your vehicle to bring out that depth and gloss and provide that extra protection in between waxing. $5 Additional (Or should I just include this and up the price)???

Basic Detail
$125 Car, Small SUV
$175 SUV, Van, Truck

• Hand wash and dry
• Clean tires and wheels and apply tire dressing
• Clean door jambs
• Through vacuum of interior
• Spot Clean Carpets
• Wipe down of interior surface and clean with Meguiars Quik Interior Detailer, leaving behind UV protection.
• Wax your vehicle surface with an All in 1 Wax. This wax will clean the surface of the paint, remove light, minor defects, while leaving a brilliant shine and a provide up to 6 months of protection.
• Clean windows

Deluxe Detail
$250 Car, Small SUV
$300 SUV, Van, Truck

• Hand wash and dry
• Clean/Detail Engine Bay
• Clean tires and wheels and apply tire dressing
• Clean wheel wells
• Clean door jambs
• Tar Removal (excessive Tar removal additional cost)
• Decontaminate the surface of your paint to leave a clean and smooth glass like finish.
• Polish your vehicles paint surface to bring out your cars sparkling shine and remove minor defects in the process.
• Apply premium synthetic wax to paint surface and wheels which will last up to 12 months depending on conditions.
• Through vacuum of interior
• Steam clean interior surfaces including seats and carpets to remove dirt and spots and apply Meguiars Quik Interior Detailer, leaving behind UV protection.
• Apply leather cleaner and conditioner (if applicable)
• Spot clean headliner
• Clean windows

Additional Services:

• Tar Removal or Paint Over Spray-Due to the complexity and varying conditions that may exist I must see the vehicle to give a price quote for this service.

• Paint Decontamination- Decontaminate your paints surface to leave a clean and smooth glass like finish. Add to the Basic package.

Car, Small Suv-$25 SUV, Van, Truck-$40


Definition of vehicle type:
Car-Any sedan or coupe.
Small SUV-Escape, Venza, CRV, Rav 4, Equinox etc
SUV-Explorer, Pilot, Grand Cherokee, Traverse/Acadia, Highlander, Tahoe/Suburban, Expedition, Sequoia, etc
Truck-Any truck
Van-Odyssey, Sienna, Town & Country, Caravan, etc

[davey g-force]

Re: Pricing opinions as a weekender

Looks pretty good.

1. I think the UQW in the first package should definitely be an additional cost.
2. It may be a good idea in the third package to clarify that it's a one-step polish only.
3. Have you thought about how long each package may take you (on average) and what that equates to in terms of an hourly rate? Then factor in products etc...

[The Guz]

Re: Pricing opinions as a weekender

I agree with davey. I know you are doing this on the side but you should figure out how long it takes you to do each one of your package and figure out the hourly rate and if it's advantageous to you. I made some slight changes to your packages that you may want to consider. You should also include a full correction package.

More than likely your basic package will be your most popular one.

Just Clean Me Up - I would think you could adjust your prices here a little higher.
$50 Car, Small SUV
$60 SUV, Van, Truck


Basic Detail- I would bump up the price just a bit.
$150 Car, Small SUV - Assuming 4 hours this comes out to about $37.5/hr. Is this an acceptable rate for you and for the quality of work that you do?
$200 SUV, Van, Truck


Deluxe Detail - This looks to be priced pretty good.
$250 Car, Small SUV - Assuming 8 hours this comes out to $31.25/hr. Is this an acceptable rate for you and for the quality of work that you do?
$300 SUV, Van, Truck

[exploreco]

Re: Pricing opinions as a weekender

Looks pretty good.

1. I think the UQW in the first package should definitely be an additional cost.
2. It may be a good idea in the third package to clarify that it's a one-step polish only.
3. Have you thought about how long each package may take you (on average) and what that equates to in terms of an hourly rate? Then factor in products etc...

Thanks! I will add that in for #2. Yes, and some of this will be trail and error. I have done mostly the "deluxe" type deals for people for like $150 and it takes me around 7-8 hours including a lunch. But there are things I can do to gain efficiencies for sure. I have gotten $300 from my aunts boyfriend, but he has luxury cars and doesn't mind paying that. And with him, I never really told him a price, that is just what he gave me. So, I will need to try out the basic a couple of times and see where I land time wise. Might offer up a couple "freebies" or discounted deals for my boss just to practice. Can't really do my own car because it is so clean. Her car would be a good test. lol, and she is my target person.

I agree with davey. I know you are doing this on the side but you should figure out how long it takes you to do each one of your package and figure out the hourly rate and if it's advantageous to you. I made some slight changes to your packages that you may want to consider. You should also include a full correction package.

More than likely your basic package will be your most popular one.

Just Clean Me Up - I would think you could adjust your prices here a little higher.
$50 Car, Small SUV
$60 SUV, Van, Truck


Basic Detail- I would bump up the price just a bit.
$150 Car, Small SUV - Assuming 4 hours this comes out to about $37.5/hr. Is this an acceptable rate for you and for the quality of work that you do?
$200 SUV, Van, Truck


Deluxe Detail - This looks to be priced pretty good.
$250 Car, Small SUV - Assuming 8 hours this comes out to $31.25/hr. Is this an acceptable rate for you and for the quality of work that you do?
$300 SUV, Van, Truck

Thanks Guz, I think I will offer up a full correction on that separate listing I will keep. Might not advertise it because it I don't want it to be my target work, but if someone comes and says they have something they want me to consider I will. Plus, that would probably be a job better priced as a "quote only" right? I really haven't gotten into much paint correction other than UP polishing, but I think with what I have learned from you all on her I am confident in myself to do a multistep compound, polish, and wax if one comes up. I might try to find someone that wouldn't mind letting me practice. I have a friend that has an old POS Buick that the paint is peeling off and fading and he doesn't do anything to it. It is pretty rough. He would probally let me practice on the sides and wouldn't care if I messed it up, lol

I think the changes to the basic will work. I think that could sell. Not too sure about the wash package, if people will be willing to pay that much around her for that, but I can kind of feel that one out. Would want to add the quick wax in that price I feel for sure.

Appreciate your input.

[DrdetailNashville]

Re: Pricing opinions as a weekender

Do you have a shop/garage or are you going to be mobile? If you're mobile, I wouldn't offer the first package at all. Unless you set up at a parking lot somewhere and planned to be there all day.

[davey g-force]

Re: Pricing opinions as a weekender

Do you have a shop/garage or are you going to be mobile? If you're mobile, I wouldn't offer the first package at all. Unless you set up at a parking lot somewhere and planned to be there all day.

All to be done at my home, unless they are in town.

[exploreco]

Re: Pricing opinions as a weekender

Do you have a shop/garage or are you going to be mobile? If you're mobile, I wouldn't offer the first package at all. Unless you set up at a parking lot somewhere and planned to be there all day.

No shop and no mobile, unless I put everything into my car and go there and use their water, which I have done for my aunts boyfriend. This is really more for those times when someone at work says, hey, I hear you clean cars, how much do you charge, what do you do, I can say, here you go. They can drop it by on a Saturday or I have for my friends, even driven their cars for the weekend. I will go to someones house if they are in town. Not really looking at making this a business at this point, unless I am looking for a career change. Who knows what life will throw my way, lol.

[exploreco]

Re: Pricing opinions as a weekender

Considering taking off the first wash and vacuum package as there isn't alot of profit there for the time. I really would hate it if I got a ton of those as I am thinking, I spend at least an hour or more on my car and it is clean. Most cars, especially interiors aren't clean and a good vacuum and consume alot of time.

[exploreco]

Re: Pricing opinions as a weekender

Ok, so this is where I have landed for two main detailing packages. I decided to add paint decontamination to the Basic as well. Didn't orginally have it in there but was offering it as an up charge. But I know that a smooth clean surface is the right think to do to help in aiding gloss and what protection the Megs AIO will give. Plus with the Nanoskin autoscruber, it goes pretty quickly. After reading some post over at AGO, I really don't think the average daily driver will buy that process and it really should be a must. Let me know what you think. My next step is to split these services out as an exterior only, interior only. I am not going to list them on this sheet, but will have them on my sheet, if someone ask, well, I only want my inside cleaned, how much for that. I just need to get this part locked down first. Thanks for all your help!!

Basic Detail
$150 Car, Small SUV
$200 SUV, Van, Truck

• Hand wash and dry
• Clean tires and wheels and apply tire dressing
• Clean door jambs
• Through vacuum of interior
• Spot Clean Carpets
• Wipe down of interior surface and clean with Meguiars Quik Interior Detailer, leaving behind UV protection.
• Decontaminate the surface of your paint to leave a clean and smooth glass like finish.
• Wax your vehicle surface with an All in 1 Wax. This wax will clean the surface of the paint, remove light, minor defects, while leaving a brilliant shine and a provide up to 6 months of protection.
• Clean windows

Deluxe Detail
$250 Car, Small SUV
$300 SUV, Van, Truck

• Hand wash and dry
• Clean/Detail Engine Bay
• Clean tires and wheels and apply tire dressing
• Clean wheel wells
• Clean door jambs
• Tar Removal (excessive Tar removal additional cost)
• Decontaminate the surface of your paint to leave a clean and smooth glass like finish.
• Polish your vehicles paint surface to bring out your cars sparkling shine and remove minor defects in the process.
• Apply premium synthetic wax to paint surface and wheels which will last up to 12 months depending on conditions.
• Through vacuum of interior
• Steam clean interior surfaces including seats and carpets to remove dirt and spots and apply Meguiars Quik Interior Detailer, leaving behind UV protection.
• Apply leather cleaner and conditioner (if applicable)
• Spot clean headliner
• Clean windows

[davey g-force]

Re: Pricing opinions as a weekender

Looks good to me.

Still not sure whether your average Joe will see the value in paying a bit extra for the paint decontamination or not.

Maybe the basic detail should be (say) $120 without the decontamination and then you can try and upsell it to them?

I suppose you will get a feel for your market once you have started, and then you can adjust your packages accordingly.

[exploreco]

Re: Pricing opinions as a weekender

Looks good to me.

Still not sure whether your average Joe will see the value in paying a bit extra for the paint decontamination or not.

Maybe the basic detail should be (say) $120 without the decontamination and then you can try and upsell it to them?

I suppose you will get a feel for your market once you have started, and then you can adjust your packages accordingly.

Thanks davey! Just have been on the fence about decontamation at that level of package because I agree with you. The average joe isn't going to notice. My aunt was a prime canditate last fall. Her Acadia needed it bad, but it sits out 24/7 and she told me she would rather me spend more time on the inside and just get the outside looking good, so all i did was a cleaner wax on it. It looked good, but it sure good have used a good decontamitaton. But to her, she was super happy. I had the price at $150 without it and was going to see how that pricing went and then offerer the decontamtion as an up charge but then was on the fence so I added it. Guess I will see if anyone else has any thoughts too.

Appreciate it!