Starting your own car detailing/Valeting Business

[GarethM]

Hi Guys,

My Brother and i are looking into setting up our own car detailing business. We are both being made redundant in Sept and are looking to do something different and that we enjoy. We do basic valeting at the moment in our spare time for work colleagues, but are wanting to do this as a business and are very serious about this.

Can any of you who already do this as a living offer any advice, tips and how they went about it, costings etc.

PM if you prefer.

cheers
Gareth

 

[AlexG]

get onto detailingworld.co.uk mate that is where you want to be loads of info and i believe there is a guide on starting up a detailing business!

 

[GarethM]

currently on there now mate cheers

just trying to get as much info as possible

 

[Jamesstone]

Its very tough to make good profit from it from what i've heard, do a few swirl-removal & light scuff removals myself when i'm not working, brings in more £££ than my valeting side, bare in mind 65% of the time the weather is shite in the uK which will obviouslly slow buisness down.. also insurance & gear is not cheap

 

[GarethM]

yeah i know i spend quite a bit on products already lol

we've been looking around the area doing research and we cant find anyone who does swirl removal/paint correction. only in durham which is 30 miles away

 

[Bluebeard]

Every valeter I know is struggling.

Chemical costs/insurance costs/premisis or Mobile vehicle costs are crippling.

Remember, 90% of the general public are happy to pay a Russian £10 to clean their car inside and out to a reasonable standard than pay you £60+ for a full valet, even more including paint correction.

I'd think long and hard about it mate.

 

[Hawkeye]

I will be able to put some work your way once you get going mate,few lads at work are always asking for this type of thing,all local to you as well.

 

[Brand86]

I think the established people already going make ok money but not going to get rich from this I shouldn't imagine, like people have said the insurance costs alone are massive, then you need decent advertising to get started (although word of mouth is the best and cheapest once you get going), a decent van and maybe some premises later on.

Thing is, I do a rather good job if I don't say so myself and very competitive rates and still finding it hard to get sporadic work right now. Not sure if it is due to the global economy worries or not but people in general don't seem to want to spend money on detailing right now - especially when the general public can spend a tenner and in their eyes looks the same (obviously they don't look closely enough!!!)

My dad's mate just got an Audi S5 I would love to work on, and all the others have premium German cars, yet are all to skanky to cough up at the moment

Also, youi have to factor in that the work is very inconsistent unless you have been around for a while, and over winter especially it goes quiet and it sucks as gets dark so early and so cold.

Not to say you couldn't make it a success but I would say it is a difficult industry to break into and do well from, especially if you would be splitting earnings too.

 

[riz]

Every valeter I know is struggling.

Chemical costs/insurance costs/premisis or Mobile vehicle costs are crippling.

Remember, 90% of the general public are happy to pay a Russian £10 to clean their car inside and out to a reasonable standard than pay you £60+ for a full valet, even more including paint correction.

I'd think long and hard about it mate.

My thoughts exactly when i enjoyed doing it a year ago, it is quite a niche market that alot of people dont understand. There is potential out there, but like any business finding the customers i felt would have been difficult. For two of you aswell to make profit after breaking even would be hard.

If you do enough research in your area, is there a market for it?Competitors etc. Work out your start up costs, insurance/advertising/products and figure out how much operating profit you would need to break even and how many punters you would need to see to get a decent profit from.

I couldnt be bothered, but i think it can work but you need to research it thoroughyl first.

 

[GarethM]

cheers guys,

these things have been taken into consideration, we have an enterprise consultant who is helping us with start up, costs and advertising for free at the moment but thats only for a few more meetings.

I think we may try this as a part time thing, see if we can get the advertising right and build up a decent customer base and see how it goes.

 

[Bluebeard]

Why don't one of you work in a normal 9-5 job and the other do the detailing and when the detailer is busy enough, the other joins?

That way you can keep some money coming in.

 

[GarethM]

good idea dan, something to think about.

 

[Bluebeard]

Not just a pretty face eh? lol

 

[GarethM]

a man of many talents eh dan?

 

[Bluebeard]

I only say that because me and a mate were about to jump ship from our full time jobs to have a go as we were both Ex Valeters. Decided in the end we could not earn enough to fund us both.

That and I have just started my own business so I do take an interest in this sort of thing.

 

[The Big Yin]

get onto detailingworld.co.uk mate that is where you want to be loads of info and i believe there is a guide on starting up a detailing business!

There is indeed I have p[osted on it lol

Every valeter I know is struggling.

Chemical costs/insurance costs/premisis or Mobile vehicle costs are crippling.

Remember, 90% of the general public are happy to pay a Russian £10 to clean their car inside and out to a reasonable standard than pay you £60+ for a full valet, even more including paint correction.

I'd think long and hard about it mate.

Thats the trouble people dont want to pay any more than £50 for the works done - most dont understand detailing and swirl correction and rising fuel cost will be a big problem too

I have a valeters website i can pm you if you want but its down for work at the moment I found it good when i set up last year. Its hard work doing 4 - 5 cars a day to get decent money tho

 

[GarethM]

yeah any info or advice is helpful

 

[GarethM]

I only say that because me and a mate were about to jump ship from our full time jobs to have a go as we were both Ex Valeters. Decided in the end we could not earn enough to fund us both.

That and I have just started my own business so I do take an interest in this sort of thing.

what business have you started doing dan??

 

[SCOTT_182CUP]

hi garf

Good luck with this mate if you get it up and running. I bought my UDM for the simple fact that there really isn't anyone around our area who was willing to do swirl removal etc. Plenty of people who will do a valet but that was it so you might be on to something there. I've been asked by a few people to do their cars after seeing mine but I just don't have the time to do it. Keep us updated on how you get on and i'll send a few people your way

 

[GarethM]

sweet scott appreciate it fella

i do them now in my spare time but its finding the time to book them in.

 

[Brand86]

hi garf

Good luck with this mate if you get it up and running. I bought my UDM for the simple fact that there really isn't anyone around our area who was willing to do swirl removal etc. Plenty of people who will do a valet but that was it so you might be on to something there. I've been asked by a few people to do their cars after seeing mine but I just don't have the time to do it. Keep us updated on how you get on and i'll send a few people your way

I find a lot of people want it done but then don't want to pay for it...I'll do it cheaper for mates but not free!

 

[Bluebeard]

I only say that because me and a mate were about to jump ship from our full time jobs to have a go as we were both Ex Valeters. Decided in the end we could not earn enough to fund us both.

That and I have just started my own business so I do take an interest in this sort of thing.

what business have you started doing dan??

I now own a car sales place. www.colshe.co.uk

best thing I ever did!!

 

[GarethM]

good stuff fella

my mates does this and does very well too