Detailing Garage For Hire

[john182rs]

Just wanting to raise a little bit of interest and get some idea's from people/detailers.

A friend of mine is looking at renting out his own garage/unit space to people who would like to spend anything from a day to a week detailing a car for a small fee. What this fee is as of yet we dont know, just pricing everything up before anything is made solid.

This would be based in the Nottingham area with easy access to the public transport of bus's, trams and even the train station.

He's looking to have a smooth painted white floor, enough garage space for 4 large 4x4's or even big transit vans to work around, electric, water, toilets and heating supplied, over night secure access/storage. So you could come and leave all your stuff here for when you return with CCTV watching everything.

Now would it be worth having some thing like a low mid scissor lift and air compressors on site for ease of taking wheels off and getting to the lower parts of cars? Specially if your 6'4" like me??

Also what else would you like from a detailing garage that could be for rent on a day to week basis?

For people that do own units for detailing, how much do you roughly spend on the unit in electric,water and rent?


All you would need to bring is your own equipment and products, although he may start selling stuff on site for people in the garages.

 

[Harpham]

Ill give him £20 per detail if he lets me use it .

Im genuinely looking into the possibility of taking my detailing to the next level in 2013, now that I've got a good 2-3 years behind me.

In all seriousness though, would he not be best to just rent the whole thing out to an organisation, rather than just getting drips & drabs from random detailing sessions.

 

[john182rs]

Hes looking to be the organisation though, with a weekly dairy and book spaces out to people with full use of what is on site.

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

Doesn't sound like a great idea really when you think about it ...

He needs to know what it'll cost him (variable (i.e.: rates of bills and rough use) and fixed (i.e.: the rent, insurance, tax (this is legit, right?) and costs of lifts etc)) before he can make a decision. You say it's his own place ? He'll need insurance then really as it's not just him and his mates larking about at the weekend. How much are scissor lifts ? Surely he'll need at least two if not four of those ?

4 random sets of people and cars in there ? Great you've got CCTV but BillyBob in bay 3 has stolen my radio / polisher / car overnight and now disappeared and it turns out that wasn't his name after all. How's he going to vet people before they're allowed in ?

What happens when it costs him £200 a week to run before tax, but there's only one person in 2 days this week ?

As above, I'd think he should either sell the space as a whole to BillyBob's Buffering Brigade or just leave it as somewhere useful to use for himself.

If it was more than lets say £50 for a full 7 days access, I don't think I'd bother as once I've factored in my time and products used I might as well have sent the car off to a pro for a day's work where it will probably look better

 

[Alex H]

Hes looking to be the organisation though, with a weekly dairy and book spaces out to people with full use of what is on site.

I'm there if there's milk on the go.

 

[Harpham]

I'm there if there's milk on the go.

LOL.

It isn't a great business plan tbf, as the Giraffe says.

 

[Laura]

nice idea though

 

[john182rs]

Its not even a plan at the moment its just an idea to use space and provide an area for people to work safely in the dry, warm well lit area.
It is 4 individual bays with a nice solid brick wall between each bay, so Bob in 3 cant pinch Joes polisher in 1,2 or 4.


It was used as a safe storage space but he's got idea's to use it as some thing else. I personally said to open it as a small photography studio, knock the wall's through if poss and have 2 or 1 big open room with basic lighting, electrical and plumbing on site.

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

That sounds like a much better (from a profit perspective) idea !

 

[Daniel]

If there's 4 bays, do two as a 'hire a ramp' and two as detailing

My mate does the rent a ramp thing with a small unit and does ok. He's never going to be rich but its ticking over nicely.

 

[lemonnobby]

there needs to be more of them rent a ramp things. i get fed you of working outside and not doing bigger jobs

 

[john182rs]

there needs to be more of them rent a ramp things. i get fed you of working outside and not doing bigger jobs

There would be a hose and jetwash onsite to work out side and then come in side for the other things.

 

[RussZS]

The absolute biggest issue here is insurance.

The moment a car is left in someones care it is their responsibility. If that car is somehow stolen/taken/carjacked then the insurer would pay out to the owner and most likely come after the individual who was caring for the car.

My insurance policy is £3000 per annum and covers me up to £150k's worth of car.

Of course this isn't a legal requirement but anyone with any sense would probably check to see if a Detailer is insured before leaving their £100k Ferrari with them.

Just a thought...