Why Pro charge so much?!

Moral of the story here, DO NOT BUY CARS FROM HIM, ROFL
jk with ya Karl

 

Yeah, Its a sketchy deal..........

LOL



Honestly people are too concerned with price, that is what it comes down too really.

 

I'm happy for you Jimmy. Where I am we do a lot of single stage polishes as people here crap when you tell them $600 -700 for a two step. Thats why I will be focusing on mobile work this year to cater to the more affluent areas. Keep up the great work!

 

Thank you! And going mobile to reach out to those areas is a great idea half my business comes an hour or more away in the Los Angeles area! I hope all works out for you! And good luck!

 

Personally, when someone questions my rates or tries to negotiate me after we've sat down and I've explained everything I do in detail, I answer them with one of 2 things, depending on my mood:

1 - "When you call a plumber, he doesn't tell you what he's going to do, nor does he show you what he's done, nor does he give you any information on how to fix/maintain this yourself...yet, you have no issues paying his price without trying to negotiate. What I do deserves the same treatment. YOU came to see me for a specific service, don't try to make the rules on my pricing."

or, when I'm not in the best of moods:

2 - [actually told to me by someone who was just getting a light refining] "I don't want to be that guy, but is there anything better you can do for the price?" to which I responded... "You ARE being that guy right now. My price is final, take it or leave. I don't need that guy clients."

Before anyone says that was harsh, I'd like to add that he still accepted to get the job done and couldn't stop smiling after he picked up his car. He's sent me 2 clients thus far and is scheduled back for a refresh this spring.

Moral?

Although I do not like the title "pro," if someone charges what they do and offers additional services and "education" free of charge....clients shouldn't nag about the price, especially when its less than half what dealerships charge for mechanical maintenance. After all, this is aesthetic maintenance which is just as important.

For the wreckord [sic], I charge $40/hour (roughly)

 

Well said Joey! I'm gonna have to try your lines next time someone questions my pricing lol.
"Wreckord", good one lol

 

I totally agree....... and honestly, sometimes I think people test you to see if you are a push over.

 

^Definitely. They do the "how much can I get away with" test. lol. I get it all the time in my daily life as well. A foot down quickly resolves this

 

wonder if you can negotiate with a doctor like people do for other services in life........ :giggle:

 

Or POLICE OFFICERS to get out of a ticket? LOL

 

Most people think "everything is negotiable" if it hasn't been set in stone over the years or if it's a service that they are 'new' to in my opinion. I also agree with whoever said it's a test to see if you're a push over.

 

One difference is you can get a "best" car wash for $8 at a local gas stations. Doctors are regulated and licensed so you do not see a doctor offering $6 opinions.

From what I have seen, most service type people (plumbers, a/c repair man, mowing services, etc) want to charge at least $50 per hour. The problem is that many people are cost conscious (even detailers get cheap) who balk at paying for something that they can almost do themselves (or think they can do).

 

OP din't mention how many people are working on the car, having 2 to 3 detailers will total to 20-30 man hours.

 

ohh interesting thread, I've got a question. Someone recently PMed me on a local forum asking for my services.

The vehicle was a Mercedes ML350 2008 Silver, he wanted a "Full Detail" usually I associate these things with a Wash and Protection on the outside and a full interior detailing on the inside. So first I asked him what a full detail was? and then I told him my price. He was a hour away and I do not really do mobile. I usually ask $90 for just a wash and protection (no decon) at my home, so I figured $90+GAS+Price of detailing in cold = $130 and if he wanted the interior it would be $200 total (no interior shampoo or spot treatment)... Instead of explaining to him about everything I was doing, I just said visit my website to read about the services (I was actually out and replying on my phone) and I know the importance of getting back to customers fast.

Should I have asked for his number for I could explain further?

Should I have explained my services better in the message?

 

I have said as much on more than a few occasions, when I encounter someone like this I just move on as "Cheapness" is a disease that MANY suffer from.. Kilo 6 nails it as the "Detailing trade" is filled with guys who give it away and the business is easy to get into(a few hundred bucks in some cases) and "Voila" you are a pro. It is just the way things are and the perception will never change imho.

 

I just re-read the entire thread and all the replies, and ...well cu2mike one stepping a GTR? because the paint is soft, that car with a one step(Which you cannot do anyway because the car will always need more...) and a engine detail will take more than 8 hours in almost every case(Based on the all the GTR's I have done 10 plus) so lets say you are mobile and have travel time to and from plus gas..........then your chemicals.................... that $56.25 a hour for a 8 hour job (GROSS) is more like $37.50 a hour (NET) which is some places is alot of money...........but not in So.Cal, and if you are a fixed location like me...............................this will not get it done.

Charge those prices on a car that is always difficult and "Loss" not "Profit" is the reality, guys you need to think things thru when you quote a job................this is why people feel the car "Does not need much and you want to charge me what!!!!" and you make no headway.

Here is my motto................ "If the car does not need much the price will be less, if it needs more it will cost more" this is not gouging it is fair business pricing based upon "time spent" a dealership has a minimum hourly charge on the lowend $125.00 per hour to highend $165.00 in most cases with the addition of parts to that on repair orders, time to breakdown what it costs you to operate your business..........................if you do not know within a plus/minus 5% you are pissing in the wind...............so have lot's of towels ready.

 

Note: I find it funny that there is a "How-To" on becoming a "professional" detailer linked here... :lol:


Following steps to a recipe doesn't make you a chef.

 

this certainly hits the bullseye for me. another thing to mention is that i become obsessed with the job and simply dont stop or takes breaks. 13 or so hours is right in the wheelhouse for most of the daily drivers.

 

"If the car does not need much the price will be less, if it needs more it will cost more" this is not gouging it is fair business pricing based upon "time spent" a dealership has a minimum hourly charge on the lowend $125.00 per hour to highend $165.00 in most cases with the addition of parts to that on repair orders, time to breakdown what it costs you to operate your business..........................if you do not know within a plus/minus 5% you are pissing in the wind...............so have lot's of towels ready.



^^^ this

 

so lets say you are mobile and have travel time to and from plus gas..........then your chemicals.................... that $56.25 a hour for a 8 hour job (GROSS) is more like $37.50 a hour (NET) which is some places is alot of money...........but not in So.Cal, and if you are a fixed location like me...............................this will not get it done.

To clarify Bob, my $17/hr includes ALL my overhead including rent, materials gas etc so if if I'm billing $56/hr, I'm paying tax on $37/hr which is $75k a year. Its not great money but I'm doing something I love to do and realistically, it's all the market will bear up here with all the bandits working for free.