This article was written by a guy named Kevin Farrel (owns and operates Kleen Car, a full-service auto-detailing business located in New Milford, NJ.) who i spoke to in regards to sharing it here. it is for the automotive detailing market, and more for the detailers then the consumer, but the points in it are very valid, that i thought it should be shared with, and applied to, the boating world. i did not edit any of his article, but put foot notes under each paragraph in red to make it more boat freindly.
Enjoy!
One of the questions most frequently asked by detailers is “How long should it take to detail a car?" This is a loaded question - for many reasons. The old saying “time is money" is very true. If you can get the job done in a shorter period of time, your profit will be higher. If the job takes an hour or two longer, your profit will obviously be lower. Let's look at some factors regarding “time," and how long it may take to complete a detail.
VARIABLES
Some detailers are more thorough than others. Some have more skill, and some have better equipment. Also, some customers demand absolute perfection, while others are looking for more of an express type of detail. As you can imagine, these variables make judging the time factor very subjective, at best. You need to narrow things down a bit to gain a better understanding of time needed to detail a car.
Before you can say a vehicle should be detailed in three hours, four hours, five hours, etc., you need to identify several factors to gauge time. It's not possible to arbitrarily assign a set time for detailing any vehicle. Let's examine some of the many variables that influence how long it will take to detail a car.
How many operations are included in the detail? Some detailers will include more operations in a detail than others will. These could include engine cleaning and dressing, interior dressing, full compounding, or even wet sanding. Obviously, with more operations in the detail, there will be considerably more time spent.
How old is the vehicle and how has it been kept? Generally, an older vehicle will be more of a challenge to detail than a newer vehicle in relatively pristine condition. The job will therefore take longer.
What color is the car? Black will always show more imperfections than any other color will. Therefore, black cars will generally need more buffing steps and more time to look good. When compared to the time it would take to detail a white or silver car, there will be a big time differential.
What color is the interior? Light interiors show more dirt and stains than dark interiors. A light interior will always require more time and effort to recondition.
How big is the vehicle and how large are the painted surfaces? A small two-door convertible should take considerably less time than a quad-cab truck. Also, the amount of trim items and obstacles a vehicle has will increase the time spent on it.
What are the customer expectations? Do they want a show-car-like detail, or do they want a nicely cleaned-up vehicle for a fair price?
What climate and area of the country are the vehicles driven in? Do you constantly get vehicles driven in snowy conditions where the cars are always filthy and splattered with road salt? Do you work on vehicles from farm areas, or areas where they are always driven on dirt roads? Or, do
you work on vehicles from warm-weather climates that have limited amounts of rain and well-maintained roads?
The amount of time needed to complete a detail will vary from car to car, depending on the answers to these questions.
THERE IS NO AVERAGE
All of these variables will affect the labor time of your details. It is important not to worry about an “average" time. Concentrate on how much time you need to properly detail a vehicle, based on the variables mentioned, for each and every job.
While it is important not to spend too much time on any particular vehicle, you still must do a great job. If all that matters to you is time spent and not the quality of the detail, you will lose customers. However, if you concentrate on achieving a show-car detail on all cars, and you are not being paid accordingly, you will lose money on every single job. Again, don't worry about an “average" time. Worry about what the customer wants done, and how difficult that vehicle may be. By considering the variables previously mentioned, as well as what the customer wants done, you can properly determine a time range to appropriately detail that particular car!
(Basically, the above paragraphs are more oriented towards autos, but the same principles apply to boats... how much work does the customer want, and what are the extras? in my full details, i polish brightwork and will polish enclosure windows, and treat canvas with a waterproofer. those are not extras on my details, but may cost you more on someone elses. but at the same time, if these are not things you need, the price would be lower)
You may be wondering why I keep mentioning these variables that affect time, and concentrating on what each customer wants and each car needs. The reason is that these are the key factors for determining the individual price for each detail. I don't look at average time, and I don't have average or set prices. I talk to each customer and look at each car individually to determine a labor time and then a price for that particular vehicle.
(This would apply to those "price by foot" cleanups you may see ** more below**)
WIN SOME, LOSE SOME?
The problem with “averages" is that you will win sometimes and lose sometimes. Goods or products, such as a television, a car, equipment, etc., are sold at a set price. The profit is based on the difference between the sales price and the cost of the product being sold. The labor to sell that product remains virtually the same. Therefore, the profit on each sale is based solely on markup and remains constant. However, when a service is sold, such as detailing, there is labor time involved that varies from one job to the next. To realize a profit, the labor must be accurately calculated so that the service is completed in the allotted time. Exceeding the allotted time reduces profit.
I've had to overcome my dealership background and dealership mentality when it comes to labor and pricing. Service departments in dealerships often have a pricing menu for services such as oil changes, wheel alignments, brake jobs, tire rotations, and other services for which there is a fairly universal labor time from vehicle to vehicle, regardless of age or model. This pricing system works here because there is little variation in what needs to be done.
(The same applies in the marine market. your winterizing, oil changes, and other services are pretty much at a fixed price because, for the most part, are the same per boat)
However, in detailing it is more difficult to determine an “average" labor time because of the many variables mentioned earlier. All vehicles will vary in what they need to look their absolute best. Some cars need three hours of labor, while some cars may need five or six hours of labor, or more. Why should you win on some vehicles where you can meet or beat the “average" time placed on it, but lose on the others because they are more challenging and will take longer to work on? Unfortunately, you may lose more than you think, because some vehicles will need more labor-intensive operations to make them look their best. Many customers think that basic detailing services will fix all cosmetic problems. But we know this is not true. If you are fixing the more challenging problems on the more challenging vehicles for the “average" time or price, you will lose.
(Same applies to boats. A Searay and a Viking of the same year will, for the most part, not come back the same. the Viking, because of its gelcoat will require more work then the Searay. By using a set price system, the Searay owner will be paying more, while the Viking owner may be getting the shaft. These examples are just that, examples BTW.)
EVALUATE EVERY SINGLE CAR!
Every vehicle should be evaluated before a price is given. Evaluating a vehicle allows you to determine the labor time on that particular car and ensures you will allow yourself enough time to do the job correctly and still make money. If you use a menu-pricing system and go solely on “average time," you are setting yourself up to lose more often than you win.
A three-month-old silver coupe will generally not need the same service as a three-year-old black SUV that transports children every day. If menu pricing, or “average time" is used in this instance, the price may be too expensive for the owner of the three-month-old silver coupe and the customer may simply decline because of the expense. The menu price may be too low for the work required to detail the three-year-old black SUV. In both scenarios, the detailer has lost a profit opportunity.
If every car is fairly evaluated, and every customer is properly interviewed to assess his needs, you will create more of a win-win situation. You will allow the customer with a fairly clean vehicle to buy the service at a reasonable price, and still realize a profit. This creates a scenario in which more people are buying the service - including those who may not have, if the service were menu priced. The outcome should be win-win for everyone.
The best and, in my opinion, the only way to price detailing services is to look at and carefully examine each and every car prior to booking the job. It is important to ask the customer what he wants, but is it equally important to tell him what the car needs to look its best. From there you can determine a labor time and price it accordingly.
(I think the last paragraph sums it up.in order to get exactly what you are expecting, the person has the evaluate your boat to give you the best price, for the level of work you want. i can tell you that if you want your boat waxed, i can do it for $6 a foot. but when im done and it looks blotchy becuase you really needed a rub first, your not gonna be happy. and vice versa... if you wanted a rub, but all you need was a wax, but you now paid $10 extra dollars a foot, your not going to be happy either.)
MORE VARIABLES
Okay, you still want to know how long it should take to detail a car. There are still additional reasons why there is no easy answer to that question. Even after knowing all the variables regarding the condition of the vehicle, what the customer wants, and what you generally will include on your details, there are still other factors to evaluate.
You need to consider individual characteristics of the detailer himself, which will affect time.
How good is his skill and knowledge? A smart, skilled detailer will generally be able to detail a vehicle faster with results equal to or better than a novice or unskilled detailer will.
How efficient is the detailer in completing the job, and what are his working conditions like? Some detailers just work harder than others do, some are in better shape, and some have a better environment to work in, which aids in decreasing the time spent on the detail.
What kind of equipment and products is he using? A detailer that employs good equipment and great products and knows how to correctly use all the newer tools and technology will be able to detail a vehicle faster than a detailer using outdated and “old-school" methods will.
How aware of time is the detailer? A detailer should always know exactly how long he is taking to get the job done. If prices are based on a four-hour labor time, the detailer cannot drag out the detail to five or six hours. He or she needs to be able to meet or beat the time set to complete the job to consistently make money. By being unaware of time spent, a detailer is really hurting himself and losing money by taking too long to complete the job.
As you can see, there are many variables that go into figuring a time to detail a vehicle. Detailers will always want to know “how long it should take." But until the many
determining factors are identified and calculated, talking about time is actually a waste of time.
(I'll wont coment too much on this one, except to say that the skill/experience of the detailer is a huge factor. a more experienced detail will know of more methods or products that will restore your finish without adding to your bill. And the materials... i see it too many times of new detailers (and some established ones) who by discount products in bulk to save a buck, which in turn saves you a buck. but the honest truth is the cheaper products usually do not live up to the same durability as more expensive ones. if you are paying more for the premium products, your chances are much greater that your boat will in fact have a longer lasting shine, and require less work to shine up again next time.)
So Ro's, what does this all mean? Basically, your gonna get what you pay for, simple and plain. If you do want to have your boat detailed, try to use a detailer who will qoute your boat by seeing it, or at the minimum, a base starting qoute to do the boat with additional cost to be added when the condition of the boat is known. be leary of getting a qoute over the phone without any one actually comming out to look at the boat.
And by all means, ask for references. Any reliable detailer should be able to provide you with them.
Hope this helps in determining how much you should pay for the deatil service. prices will vary by region, but by asking around, you should get a feel for what prices are in your area....
Enjoy!
One of the questions most frequently asked by detailers is “How long should it take to detail a car?" This is a loaded question - for many reasons. The old saying “time is money" is very true. If you can get the job done in a shorter period of time, your profit will be higher. If the job takes an hour or two longer, your profit will obviously be lower. Let's look at some factors regarding “time," and how long it may take to complete a detail.
VARIABLES
Some detailers are more thorough than others. Some have more skill, and some have better equipment. Also, some customers demand absolute perfection, while others are looking for more of an express type of detail. As you can imagine, these variables make judging the time factor very subjective, at best. You need to narrow things down a bit to gain a better understanding of time needed to detail a car.
Before you can say a vehicle should be detailed in three hours, four hours, five hours, etc., you need to identify several factors to gauge time. It's not possible to arbitrarily assign a set time for detailing any vehicle. Let's examine some of the many variables that influence how long it will take to detail a car.
How many operations are included in the detail? Some detailers will include more operations in a detail than others will. These could include engine cleaning and dressing, interior dressing, full compounding, or even wet sanding. Obviously, with more operations in the detail, there will be considerably more time spent.
How old is the vehicle and how has it been kept? Generally, an older vehicle will be more of a challenge to detail than a newer vehicle in relatively pristine condition. The job will therefore take longer.
What color is the car? Black will always show more imperfections than any other color will. Therefore, black cars will generally need more buffing steps and more time to look good. When compared to the time it would take to detail a white or silver car, there will be a big time differential.
What color is the interior? Light interiors show more dirt and stains than dark interiors. A light interior will always require more time and effort to recondition.
How big is the vehicle and how large are the painted surfaces? A small two-door convertible should take considerably less time than a quad-cab truck. Also, the amount of trim items and obstacles a vehicle has will increase the time spent on it.
What are the customer expectations? Do they want a show-car-like detail, or do they want a nicely cleaned-up vehicle for a fair price?
What climate and area of the country are the vehicles driven in? Do you constantly get vehicles driven in snowy conditions where the cars are always filthy and splattered with road salt? Do you work on vehicles from farm areas, or areas where they are always driven on dirt roads? Or, do
you work on vehicles from warm-weather climates that have limited amounts of rain and well-maintained roads?
The amount of time needed to complete a detail will vary from car to car, depending on the answers to these questions.
THERE IS NO AVERAGE
All of these variables will affect the labor time of your details. It is important not to worry about an “average" time. Concentrate on how much time you need to properly detail a vehicle, based on the variables mentioned, for each and every job.
While it is important not to spend too much time on any particular vehicle, you still must do a great job. If all that matters to you is time spent and not the quality of the detail, you will lose customers. However, if you concentrate on achieving a show-car detail on all cars, and you are not being paid accordingly, you will lose money on every single job. Again, don't worry about an “average" time. Worry about what the customer wants done, and how difficult that vehicle may be. By considering the variables previously mentioned, as well as what the customer wants done, you can properly determine a time range to appropriately detail that particular car!
(Basically, the above paragraphs are more oriented towards autos, but the same principles apply to boats... how much work does the customer want, and what are the extras? in my full details, i polish brightwork and will polish enclosure windows, and treat canvas with a waterproofer. those are not extras on my details, but may cost you more on someone elses. but at the same time, if these are not things you need, the price would be lower)
You may be wondering why I keep mentioning these variables that affect time, and concentrating on what each customer wants and each car needs. The reason is that these are the key factors for determining the individual price for each detail. I don't look at average time, and I don't have average or set prices. I talk to each customer and look at each car individually to determine a labor time and then a price for that particular vehicle.
(This would apply to those "price by foot" cleanups you may see ** more below**)
WIN SOME, LOSE SOME?
The problem with “averages" is that you will win sometimes and lose sometimes. Goods or products, such as a television, a car, equipment, etc., are sold at a set price. The profit is based on the difference between the sales price and the cost of the product being sold. The labor to sell that product remains virtually the same. Therefore, the profit on each sale is based solely on markup and remains constant. However, when a service is sold, such as detailing, there is labor time involved that varies from one job to the next. To realize a profit, the labor must be accurately calculated so that the service is completed in the allotted time. Exceeding the allotted time reduces profit.
I've had to overcome my dealership background and dealership mentality when it comes to labor and pricing. Service departments in dealerships often have a pricing menu for services such as oil changes, wheel alignments, brake jobs, tire rotations, and other services for which there is a fairly universal labor time from vehicle to vehicle, regardless of age or model. This pricing system works here because there is little variation in what needs to be done.
(The same applies in the marine market. your winterizing, oil changes, and other services are pretty much at a fixed price because, for the most part, are the same per boat)
However, in detailing it is more difficult to determine an “average" labor time because of the many variables mentioned earlier. All vehicles will vary in what they need to look their absolute best. Some cars need three hours of labor, while some cars may need five or six hours of labor, or more. Why should you win on some vehicles where you can meet or beat the “average" time placed on it, but lose on the others because they are more challenging and will take longer to work on? Unfortunately, you may lose more than you think, because some vehicles will need more labor-intensive operations to make them look their best. Many customers think that basic detailing services will fix all cosmetic problems. But we know this is not true. If you are fixing the more challenging problems on the more challenging vehicles for the “average" time or price, you will lose.
(Same applies to boats. A Searay and a Viking of the same year will, for the most part, not come back the same. the Viking, because of its gelcoat will require more work then the Searay. By using a set price system, the Searay owner will be paying more, while the Viking owner may be getting the shaft. These examples are just that, examples BTW.)
EVALUATE EVERY SINGLE CAR!
Every vehicle should be evaluated before a price is given. Evaluating a vehicle allows you to determine the labor time on that particular car and ensures you will allow yourself enough time to do the job correctly and still make money. If you use a menu-pricing system and go solely on “average time," you are setting yourself up to lose more often than you win.
A three-month-old silver coupe will generally not need the same service as a three-year-old black SUV that transports children every day. If menu pricing, or “average time" is used in this instance, the price may be too expensive for the owner of the three-month-old silver coupe and the customer may simply decline because of the expense. The menu price may be too low for the work required to detail the three-year-old black SUV. In both scenarios, the detailer has lost a profit opportunity.
If every car is fairly evaluated, and every customer is properly interviewed to assess his needs, you will create more of a win-win situation. You will allow the customer with a fairly clean vehicle to buy the service at a reasonable price, and still realize a profit. This creates a scenario in which more people are buying the service - including those who may not have, if the service were menu priced. The outcome should be win-win for everyone.
The best and, in my opinion, the only way to price detailing services is to look at and carefully examine each and every car prior to booking the job. It is important to ask the customer what he wants, but is it equally important to tell him what the car needs to look its best. From there you can determine a labor time and price it accordingly.
(I think the last paragraph sums it up.in order to get exactly what you are expecting, the person has the evaluate your boat to give you the best price, for the level of work you want. i can tell you that if you want your boat waxed, i can do it for $6 a foot. but when im done and it looks blotchy becuase you really needed a rub first, your not gonna be happy. and vice versa... if you wanted a rub, but all you need was a wax, but you now paid $10 extra dollars a foot, your not going to be happy either.)
MORE VARIABLES
Okay, you still want to know how long it should take to detail a car. There are still additional reasons why there is no easy answer to that question. Even after knowing all the variables regarding the condition of the vehicle, what the customer wants, and what you generally will include on your details, there are still other factors to evaluate.
You need to consider individual characteristics of the detailer himself, which will affect time.
How good is his skill and knowledge? A smart, skilled detailer will generally be able to detail a vehicle faster with results equal to or better than a novice or unskilled detailer will.
How efficient is the detailer in completing the job, and what are his working conditions like? Some detailers just work harder than others do, some are in better shape, and some have a better environment to work in, which aids in decreasing the time spent on the detail.
What kind of equipment and products is he using? A detailer that employs good equipment and great products and knows how to correctly use all the newer tools and technology will be able to detail a vehicle faster than a detailer using outdated and “old-school" methods will.
How aware of time is the detailer? A detailer should always know exactly how long he is taking to get the job done. If prices are based on a four-hour labor time, the detailer cannot drag out the detail to five or six hours. He or she needs to be able to meet or beat the time set to complete the job to consistently make money. By being unaware of time spent, a detailer is really hurting himself and losing money by taking too long to complete the job.
As you can see, there are many variables that go into figuring a time to detail a vehicle. Detailers will always want to know “how long it should take." But until the many
determining factors are identified and calculated, talking about time is actually a waste of time.
(I'll wont coment too much on this one, except to say that the skill/experience of the detailer is a huge factor. a more experienced detail will know of more methods or products that will restore your finish without adding to your bill. And the materials... i see it too many times of new detailers (and some established ones) who by discount products in bulk to save a buck, which in turn saves you a buck. but the honest truth is the cheaper products usually do not live up to the same durability as more expensive ones. if you are paying more for the premium products, your chances are much greater that your boat will in fact have a longer lasting shine, and require less work to shine up again next time.)
So Ro's, what does this all mean? Basically, your gonna get what you pay for, simple and plain. If you do want to have your boat detailed, try to use a detailer who will qoute your boat by seeing it, or at the minimum, a base starting qoute to do the boat with additional cost to be added when the condition of the boat is known. be leary of getting a qoute over the phone without any one actually comming out to look at the boat.
And by all means, ask for references. Any reliable detailer should be able to provide you with them.
Hope this helps in determining how much you should pay for the deatil service. prices will vary by region, but by asking around, you should get a feel for what prices are in your area....