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Detail Labor Time?
- Thread starter dogwasher
- Start date
soapy
Senior Member
You should shoot for a 30% cost of labor per detail. It is a hard figure to attain but a good benchmark to strive for. IMO your detail labor should never go over 50% of the price charged. If you are paying someone $10 per hour and you add roughly 30% to that figure for taxes etc. you have a basic labor cost of $13 per hour. IF you charge $100 for an interior detail 3 hours of labor would yeild a cost of $39. That is probably pretty average of what a detail shop labor average is.
mjc3333
Member
I would have a limit on the hours spent on a particular job. With that said, smaller jobs will end up costing you the owner more in labor costs. If you want to charge $39.95 for a simple wash and wax with a quick interior vac, the entire job from start to finish cannot take any longer than 30-35 minutes. If you are a stand alone shop, the wash may take 10-12 minutes alone only leaving 15-20 minutes for everything else. Most customers that "only" want a wash and wax are way too particular on the final results. We won't do a small job for less than $75 (wash / wax , spot interior shampoo, etc.) with the time spent on the job at 1.5 - 2 hrs total.
The larger jobs would end up falling in line with X amount of hours needed to complete outside exterior( 3-4 steps compound buff wax wash tires vac interior etc.) as would a complete interior (total shampoo vac wash outside shine tires windows etc.) as would both exterior and interior completely done. Most complete outside jobs require at least 2.5 to 3 hours from start to finish as does complete interior jobs. Both outside and inside should run 4.5 to 6 hrs. If you take 50% labor costs as a maximum you would be willing to pay out $13 / hr times 6 hours should be priced at $160. I would rather see the labor costs be at 30% as soapy stated which would yield a $260 detail price. You should fall in between these numbers $160 and $260. Our shop charges $210 for a complete exterior and interior with the detailer taking 5 - 6 hrs to complete the task on average.
The larger jobs would end up falling in line with X amount of hours needed to complete outside exterior( 3-4 steps compound buff wax wash tires vac interior etc.) as would a complete interior (total shampoo vac wash outside shine tires windows etc.) as would both exterior and interior completely done. Most complete outside jobs require at least 2.5 to 3 hours from start to finish as does complete interior jobs. Both outside and inside should run 4.5 to 6 hrs. If you take 50% labor costs as a maximum you would be willing to pay out $13 / hr times 6 hours should be priced at $160. I would rather see the labor costs be at 30% as soapy stated which would yield a $260 detail price. You should fall in between these numbers $160 and $260. Our shop charges $210 for a complete exterior and interior with the detailer taking 5 - 6 hrs to complete the task on average.
robert roman
Bob Roman
Industry benchmarks for detailing both retail and wholesale work are easily obtained from Auto Laundry News and Professional Car Washing and Detailing magazine.
Benchmarks are available for a wide range of parameters including % of business by season and region, average time to complete, standard equipment used, distance travel by customers, number of competitors, line item operating expenses as % of gross sales, typical income, labor costs, % of business done by day of week, types and % of services offered, average price per service, typical traffic counts, etc.
I have this information dating back to 1991.
I would be glad to help if you are interested in making a lot of money detailing cars.
Benchmarks are available for a wide range of parameters including % of business by season and region, average time to complete, standard equipment used, distance travel by customers, number of competitors, line item operating expenses as % of gross sales, typical income, labor costs, % of business done by day of week, types and % of services offered, average price per service, typical traffic counts, etc.
I have this information dating back to 1991.
I would be glad to help if you are interested in making a lot of money detailing cars.
robert roman
Bob Roman
Yes,
I started washing cars in 1968 during the weekends and on summer vacations when in high school.
Thereafter, I taught myself to detail by reading literature from Germany on how to recondition vehicles. I then started a little detail shop in a one-car garage. I also have several years of experience doing reconditioning work in-house (retail and wholesale) in the evenings and during weekends for a new car dealer that sold Audi, Porsche, Lotus, Alfa Romeo and, LOL, AMC. During the week, I worked full-time in the detail shop for a new car dealership that sold Buick.
After that, I went to GM Training Center, Fisher Body School, through a dealer apprenticeship program for auto body repair and paint refinishing. I work at that trade for 4 years, also detailing at home on weekends.
After that, I eventually owned/operated a full-service wash with lube and detail shop. I also have several years of experience as a general manager for high volume washes with both detail shop and express detailing programs.
I started washing cars in 1968 during the weekends and on summer vacations when in high school.
Thereafter, I taught myself to detail by reading literature from Germany on how to recondition vehicles. I then started a little detail shop in a one-car garage. I also have several years of experience doing reconditioning work in-house (retail and wholesale) in the evenings and during weekends for a new car dealer that sold Audi, Porsche, Lotus, Alfa Romeo and, LOL, AMC. During the week, I worked full-time in the detail shop for a new car dealership that sold Buick.
After that, I went to GM Training Center, Fisher Body School, through a dealer apprenticeship program for auto body repair and paint refinishing. I work at that trade for 4 years, also detailing at home on weekends.
After that, I eventually owned/operated a full-service wash with lube and detail shop. I also have several years of experience as a general manager for high volume washes with both detail shop and express detailing programs.
robert roman
Bob Roman
“Wow. You must have some really great ideas about improving the profitablilty of a detail shop. I am impressed by your resume. Looks alot better than mine! 
Kudos and thanks for sharing some of your knowledge with us.”
Waxman,
Your welcome. However, I would not dare to judge you because I don’t know what you know or what you are capable of. Detail, car washing or anything for that matter that involves competition is analogous to sports.
The reigning champion is often convinced as are many others that he or she or a team is currently the fastest, strongest and most talented. However, experience has shown that someone or another team eventually comes along that is faster, stronger and more talented. You can’t let your guard down.
Car washing and detailing, day-in/day-out, is a younger person’s game. I’m nearly 60 years old. I may be fit enough for it, but I no longer have the desire to battle it out in the trenches on a daily basis. Today, I only wash and wax my wife’s cars and maybe one or two of the neighbors cars as a favor.
I enjoy doing what I do today as a consultant more than anything I have done in the past.
Glad to help, anytime.
Bob
Kudos and thanks for sharing some of your knowledge with us.”Waxman,
Your welcome. However, I would not dare to judge you because I don’t know what you know or what you are capable of. Detail, car washing or anything for that matter that involves competition is analogous to sports.
The reigning champion is often convinced as are many others that he or she or a team is currently the fastest, strongest and most talented. However, experience has shown that someone or another team eventually comes along that is faster, stronger and more talented. You can’t let your guard down.
Car washing and detailing, day-in/day-out, is a younger person’s game. I’m nearly 60 years old. I may be fit enough for it, but I no longer have the desire to battle it out in the trenches on a daily basis. Today, I only wash and wax my wife’s cars and maybe one or two of the neighbors cars as a favor.
I enjoy doing what I do today as a consultant more than anything I have done in the past.
Glad to help, anytime.
Bob
robert roman
Bob Roman
Waxman,
Are you going to EXPO?
I may go this year because my wife is putting a lot of heat on me to attend so she can drag her mother along to go to the casinos. LOL
Otherwise, I don't get up to your neck of the woods very often.
If you haven't been there yet, you may want to drive to Attleboro, Mass. and check out Triple Play Car Wash. Terrance runs a first class operation. I worked with him during the planning phase of this project. Terrance is a stand-up guy and he may be willing to show you around.
Are you going to EXPO?
I may go this year because my wife is putting a lot of heat on me to attend so she can drag her mother along to go to the casinos. LOL
Otherwise, I don't get up to your neck of the woods very often.
If you haven't been there yet, you may want to drive to Attleboro, Mass. and check out Triple Play Car Wash. Terrance runs a first class operation. I worked with him during the planning phase of this project. Terrance is a stand-up guy and he may be willing to show you around.
