Do you guys turn a job down because the owner doesn't want the "best"? Recently i had someone ask to do just a wash and wax, but the car is in really bad shape, plenty swirls and oxidation. I recommended claying, but the owner didnt want it, just the wash and wax, but i know applying sealant over oxidation wont last as long and will still feel like sand paper. Would you turn a job like this down for fear that he may tell friends he just got his car "detailed" by you and they may all think its a bad job and maybe start some bad word of mouth. I do understand though that not everyone wants the best and it was still a job which is why i took it. I am kinda just starting out doing details on the side, but at the same time dont want to develop a bad reputation.
I don't detail for a living but as a self employed consultant I can tell you that work is work and I have been ordered to do some incredibly stupid things at the customers request. Yes you will have it come back to you occasionally as what a bad job, or what were you thinking, to which you reply "customers request". Let your good work stand as an example of what you can do, and make the best of the "cheap work". Because at the end of the day it pays the bills and that's the bottom line when you work for yourself.
If after my recommendations and suggestions the customer still wants what they want, then of course I go ahead and do it. Remember, the customer is king and it's HIS car, not yours. I do turn work down all together. For example, I don't do horrid interiors.
I should have taken a picture of all the dirt and crap that came out of the wheel wells. There was a LOT, i probably could have swept it up and potted a little plant LOL.
Well this is just my opinion but like 911Fanatic said when your getting started you'll have to scarifies a little..um..almost a lot for less (when I say less I'm referring to money). Heck some of my co-workers want a full detail for $100 if not less and to be honest I haven't turned down a job yet. Some only want a wash and wax and if the vehicle is in really bad shape I'll do the paint correction just to prove to them what a detail should look like. When they see the vehicle after and they tell there friends the craftsmanship shows and that's what I'm after. However, keep in mind that I don't do this for a living, just to keep me entertained :shrug:
Here's the thing though the majority of people out there don't know what good work is in the first place. A coworker of mine got her car back from the bodyshop last week for a fender bender. When I come in she says to me "car looks good huh they polished it up nice". Anyway here is a pic of the car that was fresh from the bodyshop after being polished up real nice. The pic is a bit washed out but come on who looks at hologramming like that and thinks, yep that's a good lookin car right there. So when you throw out a number that it would take to be worth your time to make a car look good to one of us the average person think that's just nuts.
Don't forget that for someone who doesn't really understand what 'detailing' is, $50 is a lot for a car wash.
for $50 i think your time might be better spent/invested somewhere else as far as your detailing business goes. at 8hrs of work thats $6.25/hr
Where did you get 8 hours? it was $50 for a wash and wax. Took about 1.5 hours. Also this is not my profession, just a weekend thing like some on here.
I am always turning down work. After 18 years of doing detailing and only detailing I have stop takeing everything thats thrown my way. I know for my that this is not an option and money is money to them but in Jacksonville, FL. There is many shops that do lower grade work than mine and I refer people to them on a daily basis. If after I tell you my process and all of the extra miles I am going to spend on your car you still want to only want pay me two hundred dollars than you are not worthy of my service.
if you were to follow his advice, im assuming it would take around 8 hrs and at that it would only be the 6.25/hr there is nothing wrong with this advice but in my opinion, my time would be better spent advertising for more jobs or handing out cards etc.
It is usually a good idea to turn away "odor removal" if they are asking for a 100% grantee and they are not willing to pay for their car to be stripped down to metal (milk and cat pee almost always win). I also would turn away mass paint touch up jobs and 100% defect removal on repaints. The trick is to only take jobs in where both parties (you and your customer) come out ahead, then no one ever looses.
Thanks you all for your replies. Yes i do this part time, I am like Carlos i do this for fun and money just to pay for my addiction. I have NO plans of doing it as a profession as i personally feel that might take away from my passion. At the moment i only charge roughly $20 an hour, granted it is cheap but i enjoy getting jobs at the price i charge as it makes both me and the other person happy.
Then as long as you are happy with the results and the customer leaves happy, thats all that matters. I still think you should bump your rates up a bit. Even if you are only doing it as a hobby, you shouldn't be working for free.
