What would you charge?

[Raiden]

Now and again I get people approach me and ask how much for me to clean there car? But every time I give a price they say NO WAY.

A guy I know keeps hounding me to do his new BMW 1 series he brought and he said how much for a deep clean? As he lives 20 miles away so I couldn't see it (last time I did that I felt I well under charged) I said for me to snow foam it, 2 buckets method do the wheels and door jambs with a quick clean inside it £40 with a wet wax. (1-2 hours)

Another guy wanted his new range rover done and waxed as well and as he was a mate I said £60 and that includes me claying the paint and machine waxing the paint so it should last a bit longer. (2-4 hours)

Then last year I was asked to deep clean a T5 van. Clay bar and use my DA polisher to try and get most of the scratches out then wax it £80 and it would take all day I told her.

I wouldn't mind but they moan about the £5 hand washes. Plus as my wife has a unit I do all the waxing etc inside. I'm sure a full time detailer would charge a lot more. Everyone says to me how do I make my car look like yours? I say time, effort and descent products. They also think it will take about 30 mins

Am I asking for too much money? A few years ago I would do the odd car now and then but now everyone has heart failure at the price.

 

[Terminator x]

Seems OK to me.

TX.

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[martin1984]

Seems on the cheap side to me before i got into doing my cars myself i paid around £160 in/out wax shamppoo carpets all done on my drive took the bloke about 6/8 hours and well worth every penny.

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[daytonamart]

Once you have paid income tax on the amounts above I would suggest you are a little light, especially at the work you're carrying out.

 

[Raiden]

Once you have paid income tax on the amounts above I would suggest you are a little light, especially at the work you're carrying out.

I'll admit it's only really a side line if I get asked and I do it cash. I just like detailing and as you guys know it becomes an addiction. People see my cars and a couple of family members i'll do there's free now and again. I keeping getting offered £10-30!!!! I'll just keep telling them to p155 off then

 

[martin1984]

I'll admit it's only really a side line if I get asked and I do it cash. I just like detailing and as you guys know it becomes an addiction. People see my cars and a couple of family members i'll do there's free now and again. I keeping getting offered £10-30!!!! I'll just keep telling them to p155 off then

You should go yea £30 per hour

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[Corb2000]

Yup, your rates are a bargain compared to full time detailers plus you are probably a lot more careful / fussy than many!


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[T-800]

You are doing it far too cheap......

All that effort too for so little financial gain.

It’s your products and electric / time / pain

 

[Raiden]

Last year this guy who rents my old shop from me has a man in van valet all his cars for about £30 each. The guy doesn't use snow foam and has one bucket to clean 2-3 vehicles. And he does this every 2 weeks.

He sees me doing mine and asked about all the different stuff I use. I pointed out what the Muppet he uses does wrong and showed all the swirls in his cars. So he sacked the valet man and now uses the eastern European car wash for a fiver. I give up

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[Jassyo06]

Now and again I get people approach me and ask how much for me to clean there car? But every time I give a price they say NO WAY.

A guy I know keeps hounding me to do his new BMW 1 series he brought and he said how much for a deep clean? As he lives 20 miles away so I couldn't see it (last time I did that I felt I well under charged) I said for me to snow foam it, 2 buckets method do the wheels and door jambs with a quick clean inside it £40 with a wet wax. (1-2 hours)

Another guy wanted his new range rover done and waxed as well and as he was a mate I said £60 and that includes me claying the paint and machine waxing the paint so it should last a bit longer. (2-4 hours)

Then last year I was asked to deep clean a T5 van. Clay bar and use my DA polisher to try and get most of the scratches out then wax it £80 and it would take all day I told her.

I wouldn't mind but they moan about the £5 hand washes. Plus as my wife has a unit I do all the waxing etc inside. I'm sure a full time detailer would charge a lot more. Everyone says to me how do I make my car look like yours? I say time, effort and descent products. They also think it will take about 30 mins

Am I asking for too much money? A few years ago I would do the odd car now and then but now everyone has heart failure at the price.

Mates rates tell me about it, l am a electrician come charity foundation at times, its a good job you and l didn't start our own businesses busted within months, only do it to make money mate, pointless otherwise its hard graft, and as they say shy waines don't get any cake

 

[T-800]

Mates rates tell me about it, l am a electrician come charity foundation at times, its a good job you and l didn't start our own businesses busted within months, only do it to make money mate, pointless otherwise its hard graft, and as they say shy waines don't get any cake

Agreed jassyo06

Learned this the hard way years ago.

Having an interest in fixing cars leads to suddenly being called upon for ALL family cars whether for a service or at stupid o’clock when they break down......

And always tight ***** that won’t pay for proper parts.

 

[S32B]

I keeping getting offered £10-30!!!! I'll just keep telling them to p155 off then

£10-£30 is an insult mate, 4 hours works would equal £7.50 per hour...f*** that! You'd get more doing a Saturday job in McDonalds

I got all the scratches out of a mates van a few months back (took me about 30-45 minutes), in return he gave me a a full days work doing the roof on my garage (he's a builder), as I wouldn't take any cash from him.

 

[Bristle Hound]

@Raiden - I suppose its how much you want to do it as well
I continually get asked by family & friends to Detail their cars
I politely refuse saying I've got enough on doing my own cars
Funny how none of them ever offer any money for me to do it but just expect a freebie ...

As much as I like Detailing I'm at my limit doing both of our cars TBH

 

[SamR92]

Mates rates tell me about it, l am a electrician come charity foundation at times, its a good job you and l didn't start our own businesses busted within months, only do it to make money mate, pointless otherwise its hard graft, and as they say shy waines don't get any cake

Do you do an Audi sport discount?

 

[ckl139]

@Raiden where abouts are you? If you are doing it for cash id be interested.

 

[Raiden]

@Raiden where abouts are you? If you are doing it for cash id be interested.

I'm in Hertfordshire

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[ckl139]

Ok cool. I'm in Bedfordshire. Just bought an a4 cab and wantes to treat with full clean and detail with clay bar etc and full interior clear.

I bought some chemicals to do it myself but to be honest I've never done it well


If your still into private jobs, I'd appreciate a a quote..... happy to take a PM on it

 

[Raiden]

Had a punter today wanting there van done. Washed,clayed and waxed for £100. Took forever and I wished I charged more now. There was a bit of road kill under the back bumper which was a first for me

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[scotty76]

Bargain. You definitely need to charge more or say no.

 

[Bristle Hound]

Had a punter today wanting there van done. Washed,clayed and waxed for £100. Took forever and I wished I charged more now. There was a bit of road kill under the back bumper which was a first for me

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@Raiden - Great work & a fab result buddy
You defo NEED to be charging more. Whoever it was got a bargain for £100 IMHO

 

[Raiden]

Now this was a pleasure to do. My friend wanted me to sort his old MK2 he's had since 1996. Came out ok but it really does need a respray but this will do for now. Paint was very flat but now has some shine. Got a free dinner out of it

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[Gnasher]

I just think you need to differentiate between a hobby and a job/trade.

As your detailing is a hobby, ask yourself if (with what you charge per hour) you could make a reasonable living out of it if you did it full time. Factor in a bit of discount as (by the looks of it) you're doing jobs few and far between and cash in hand.

There's some good work there and whilst what I do is probably half way between detailing and washing I wouldn't/couldn't charge for doing it for others, you're definitely selling yourself short.