car cleaning as a business!

[Daniel09]

right guys i have been thinking,

the last year i have been making a career in somerfield, now co-op as they was bought out, and i have work myself up pretty quick tbh..

now i know my job is 100% secure and i do enjoy retail,

although i enjoy cleaning cars aswell, asin full detailing.

i was thinking of settiong up a part time car detailing thing up, i have a 55 plate clio sat outside doing nothing and i was thinking about blacking out the rear windows and stripping the rear to make a kind of small van for pressure washer / small water tank ETC..

my main question is if i get out there could i make it pay for itself? i never ever see any mobile detailers around where i live.

any suggestions would be appriciated :)

[swampy]

Would need to be very good at doing it.
And not just by hand but also with a machine.

Start off doing cars for friends and family to get a porfolio togeather to show what you can do.
Get a good selection of products to cover all aspects.
And you would need insurance incase anything goes wrong

[Connor_scotland]

If there are no other detailers in the area crack on with it. The worst that can happen is you fail its not the end of the world.

Im in the middle of setting up a Import business myself in the Highlands. Now that could go tits up but i dont care lol to a certain extent...... Luckily it WONT go tits up.

The question is are you good?
Do you have examples you can show customers?
Get a website set up aswell and some business cards.

[dannyboy2005]

Yell.com ?

I wouldn't suggest using a water pump and a tank full of water. The water would be gone soo quick + so much weight in the car, would make it over weight. Esp as its a small car.

I'd supply the cleaning products + presure washer. But you'd have to use their water and electric.

When i used to do Mobile Grass Cutting, I used their electric, as carrying a generator weighs a tonne.

[JamesR]

As long as your shit hot at detailing, and can get enough buisness :)

THe portfolio thing above is a great idea imo :)

[frankie]

you'll always do well, if you have a good reputation.

there's a place we work at big office block, and there a bloke that comes in a few days a week and cleans the office workers car's... could try that.

[markdavid]

All good ideas read all above.Keep your good job while setting it up,do it part time to begin with to see how many good customers you can get.It would be best if you got a van for the job.Even old sooty vans are great for work,suzuki or other sims you can get all the kit inside one,and they sell fast if things do not work out,they even let them in the council tips for free extra work space if needed...

[Chuffy]

Join detailing world as a lot of these threads come up. You will also find the guys with smaller detailing businesses on there too so you can get good advice...

Look at polished bliss up Aberdeen. I'm sure this is how they started out and now they have their own premises and their books are always full.

You only get out what you put in so have a try.

Good luck pal

[djmartin]

go on ebay type in valeting vans.

you'll be surpised lol

£1,300 can get you a fully set up van with water tank,generator,products,water pump,jet wash,carpet washer & vacuum cleaner. :D

I was doing valeting/detailing myself but stopped doing it for a while due to two reasons.

1. alot of those shitty hand wash places has opend up around my area
2. no one has the money to want a full detail (for me I had to drive 35+ miles to customers lols)

[adam_baker]

Go for it mate, if it fails you can just convert the clio back into a car and sell that to help with money issues if you have them.

[EazyDayz]

Do it, just make sure your good at it, once someone knows your good cheap and reliable youl get more business,

[Daniel09]

thanks for the reply guys, i think im going to offer to do some friends and get a nice pic potfolio together i think :)

[Krys_23]

I'm half planning it myself, Wreckon i'd be not far off £500-750 profit a week ( Includes paint correction )