# Becoming a Detailer



## J3ayy

Hi All

I have been toying with the idea of becoming a Detailer.

The problem is that where i am from there isnt a detailer within 30 miles to get some professional training! I have had a offer from Paul @ PWPro but he is over 80 miles away which is alot of travelling for the odd day here & there training.
I have had lots of experience within the polishing/cleaning world the main area i need to brush up on it machine polishing.

What do you guys thing would it be worth doing & is there any tips for me??

Thanks Jamie


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## tom-225

I think alot more practice is needed mate. tbh machine polishing the most dangerous part of detailing, it is where the most damage can be caused. 

I dont want to deter you just think you should go about it differently. 

get yourself a machine and do lots of work and practise.

Tom


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## Mgs Detail

Machine polishing is only 1 part of doing a detail. Don't get me wrong mess up with a rotary and burn some paint it's going to be costly.

I think the whole point of detailing in the uk is to clean and protect all parts of the car and getting it to the best clean state possible, as not all details will involve correction work.

When detailer talk about 40 hours details on a car its not just 1 hour of washing and cleaning, 38 hours of correction then 1 hour protecting. I've spent 50 hours on an E-type jag and only 10-12 were polishing the rest was cleaning, sealing and protecting.

Thats just my two cents.

Thanks Mark.


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## Leemack

Hi mate,

What experience do you have?

Thing is with this site is that a lot of people think they can browse the site, see correction details and become a detailer.
This is not a slant on you but you joined in May and so far have 8 posts with a couple of them referring to becoming a detailer so I don't know if you've been detailing for years or since may.

It's a hard business to start and getting harder and to become established takes years (Im into year 2 now as a professional and still not where I want to be)
Word of mouth and customer referrals are the only way to get established IMO as all the advertising under the sun won't be as helpful.

One bad job, a customer will tell 20 people but a good one people will tell 5 so it's a battle from the start.

This site see's people asking the same question 10 times per week so do a search and you'll see the answers they got.

Can you earn a living from it?

Put it this way, if I didn't have money in the bank before i started (ie savings to pay bills) I would have been folded before i started.

Not having a go but it does get to the stage where these threads just get swamped


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## David

remember you'll be on your own almost all the time - i hate detailing now its soul destroying until you see the finished article.

my back aches now and again, and i generally do not enjoy it anymore like i used to - i've gone back to just valeting and i much prefer it


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## MirfieldMat

start valeting part time and practice paint correction on your own vehicle and friends etc.

eventually when you think you are good enough you can start offering it as an extra service.

from what i know about it, you wont make diddly sqwat if you go straight into offering detailing.


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## J3ayy

Thanks for the reply guys :thumb:

I have had alot of experience with cleaning & protecting my own vehicles. I have used a machine polisher on my own car again but havnt plucked up the courage to use on others 

Its been more than 2 years since i have been toying with the idea but its just having the bottle to do it? I have a well payed job but i dont enjoy it 1 bit :wall:


Jamie


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## Leemack

J3ayy said:


> Thanks for the reply guys :thumb:
> 
> I have had alot of experience with cleaning & protecting my own vehicles. I have used a machine polisher on my own car again but havnt plucked up the courage to use on others
> 
> Its been more than 2 years since i have been toying with the idea but its just having the bottle to do it? I have a well payed job but i dont enjoy it 1 bit :wall:
> 
> Jamie


Fair play to you for thinking about change but it's a whole different ballpark when touching someone elses car.

Examples of my experiences.

1/ I have a customer who is loaded and has me there once a month to protect his car and pays good money for premium services. I could put Black hole on it and FK1000 and he wouldn't know. I don't and he gets the finest service i offer .

2/ The complete opposite and is 10 times more anal than me when it comes to car care but he simply doesn't have the time so I do it for him purely because of time.
If i was to miss anything, he would be on it instantly. From the sounds of it, I think he would rip you to shreds so what if you got "one of them"

Also, The wage drop was massive for me.

Insurance, products, tax, van running costs and thats before you even earn money. I have to earn £200 per week before im in profit.
I would have gone 6 months without paying the mortgage before I started earning profit.

Can you afford to lose money for a few months?

Be prepared for a lot of stress when no phone calls come in etc

There are obviously good points. I do what I love for a paid job being the main one but it does hurt getting there.


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## OvlovMike

It's a horrific business to try and establish yourself into - and one that if you have to ask about, you will struggle. Detailing is an ambition - a strive for perfection. Anything less, and you will end up as one of the businesses on here who cannot be named but many members complain of having been PM'd for 'cheap' work and then complain when they get cheap results.

Aside from this, you have to be prepared to do stupid hours. People want everything done in no time at all, and if you can't - someone else will.

By your own admission, you've never done anyone else's car. My advice - park the idea. For a long time. Maybe consider it in a couple of years, after building up a catalog of people who use your services unofficially, and go from there.

In short, waking up one morning and going; "Rather than doing my own car, I'm going to set up a business and do other peoples" is going to end in tears. And repossessions, unless you have big savings.


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## HeavenlyDetail

My first thought from reading your opening post is if your not prepared once or twice to drive 80 miles for professional training from someone like Paul your wasting your time.
How can you even consider starting a business and getting a headstart if your not even prepared to do an hour and a halfs drive?? There are people in this world who have flown half way across the world to further their knowledge and people on this forum that have driven 2 to 300 miles just to attend a detailing day with a skilled professional.
I'm regularly up at 4 to 5am at a weekend ready for a 150 mile drive to my customers , if your hoping all your future clients will be within 10 miles your looking at the wrong profession.


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## OvlovMike

Heavenly said:


> My first thought from reading your opening post is if your not prepared once or twice to drive 80 miles for professional training from someone like Paul your wasting your time.
> How can you even consider starting a business and getting a headstart if your not even prepared to do an hour and a halfs drive??


I didn't even spot this bit - very true.

Give up on the idea now. 80-90 miles is nothing to pick up experience from someone with that much experience who could teach you everything you need to know to get going.


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## Leemack

Heavenly said:


> My first thought from reading your opening post is if your not prepared once or twice to drive 80 miles for professional training from someone like Paul your wasting your time.
> How can you even consider starting a business and getting a headstart if your not even prepared to do an hour and a halfs drive?? There are people in this world who have flown half way across the world to further their knowledge and people on this forum that have driven 2 to 300 miles just to attend a detailing day with a skilled professional.
> I'm regularly up at 4 to 5am at a weekend ready for a 150 mile drive to my customers , if your hoping all your future clients will be within 10 miles your looking at the wrong profession.


+1

Marc - Stay away from Staffs you poacher


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## HeavenlyDetail

Showshine said:


> +1
> 
> Marc - Stay away from Staffs you poacher


Hahaha I think 90% of people in the uk that want cars corrected are Notts, Staff and Worcs, I've done just about every hotel there now


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## Leemack

Heavenly said:


> Hahaha I think 90% of people in the uk that want cars corrected are Notts, Staff and Worcs, I've one just about every hotel there now


:lol:

Im not surprised. The water alone would scratch a car it's that hard


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## Gleammachine

The best advice I would offer is to start from the bottom with a simple valeting service, then progress onwards with the skills and experience you will pick up along the way.

Better to experience the dirty end of the market first, this will stand you in good stead later down the line in your potential career.

Most of the established guys I know from 5+ years back started in the same way as above, self taught themselves along the way or got access into dealerships where you are forced to learn quickly.

Practice and hands on experience.:thumb:


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## Leemack

I started doing £10 mini valets and found myself spending hours on them but it got my name around.
I then progressed into full valets and paint cleaning and didn't touch a customers car until i did 4 training courses and spent £400 on scrap panels and did a detail per week on family cars

I still didn't feel ready so continued valeting until it happened then word of mouth took on etc


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## MidlandsCarCare

I'm not convinced there's much money in it either, unless you go absolute top end and work on a £400 per day basis. There are too many people prepared to do it for £50 now, after buying a G220 and some Megs 83.

What will make you stand out from your competition?

When you have people like Marc, who is very well established, very well presented and marketed, prepared to cover a lot of the country, you need to be VERY good to compete with that - or cheaper, but then you won't make a living out of it.

It's becoming saturated, and fast.


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## DetailMe

There's a he'll of a lot of sound, straight advice on this thread! It's not Pro's trying to put you off (for a change lol) for their own gains, benefits or ego's but the truth! Like Rob said, work from the bottom and work your way up! 

May I add for the mods, maybe this could become a sticky!?

Good luck for the future mate whatever you do!

Chris


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## David

RussZS said:


> I'm not convinced there's much money in it either, unless you go absolute top end and work on a £400 per day basis. There are too many people prepared to do it for £50 now, after buying a G220 and some Megs 83.
> 
> It's becoming saturated, and fast.


all true - but i reckon most good detailers do make good money.

i make more money valeting than i would detailing - simply as thats how i've marketed my business - in such im running 2 vans, one doing cars and one doing commercial, so the money is there - its how you market yourself

if you think every job is going to be a lambo, you need to wake up


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## Leemack

DetailMe said:


> There's a he'll of a lot of sound, straight advice on this thread! It's not Pro's trying to put you off (for a change lol) for their own gains, benefits or ego's but the truth! Like Rob said, work from the bottom and work your way up!
> 
> May I add for the mods, maybe this could become a sticky!?
> 
> Good luck for the future mate whatever you do!
> 
> Chris


I agree

Advice never hurt anyone and tbf I asked enough questions before I started


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## bigmc

Showshine said:


> Hi mate,
> 
> Thing is with this site is that a lot of people think they can browse the site, see correction details and become a detailer.
> This is not a slant on you but you joined in May and so far have 8 posts with a couple of them referring to becoming a detailer so I don't know if you've been detailing for years or since may.


This is the thing for me, people see pro's like yourself, Marc, Paul, Kelly and the rest wafting a rotary around like it's nothing and think I'll have a blast at that it looks like money for old rope", I'm very adept and dexterous (used to using heavy engineering tools etc.) and was surprised at how much finesse and care it takes to achieve a good finish. 
Add this into the fact the market is becoming flooded with "detailers" who are ready to wield a rotary, wool and some G3 on your car for £50, the few reputable guys and us weekend warriors there's not that many people who are willing to pay £300+ "to have their car cleaned" as they'll see it, we're still in a precarious financial state and people are afraid of spending on luxurious services like this.


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## Leemack

bigmc said:


> This is the thing for me, people see pro's like yourself, Marc, Paul, Kelly and the rest wafting a rotary around like it's nothing and think I'll have a blast at that it looks like money for old rope", I'm very adept and dexterous (used to using heavy engineering tools etc.) and was surprised at how much finesse and care it takes to achieve a good finish.
> Add this into the fact the market is becoming flooded with "detailers" who are ready to wield a rotary, wool and some G3 on your car for £50, the few reputable guys and us weekend warriors there's not that many people who are willing to pay £300+ "to have their car cleaned" as they'll see it, we're still in a precarious financial state and people are afraid of spending on luxurious services like this.


This is true

I gave up my unit last week due to a Valeting/detailing company setting up next door but one.

£3 wash and wax
£40 full machine polish (It takes us just 2 hours to do a car is their strapline)

:wall:


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## bigmc

^^ Can't really compete at those sort of prices either, it must be annoying to see numpties setting up and doing jobs for nothing basically. There's an all american car wash not far from me, £6 for hand wash and wax and they're always busy.


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## wish wash

Showshine thats a shame u had to give up, trouble is people have money or they don't and generally the money men with porsches etc are tight as ducks ****'s. They live in the land of all show, flash cars, big house but have little money left a month to spend. Hard business! valeting's 10 a penny since people think cleaning cars is easy, to do it correct it aint, takes years to be good at it, 5 pound polak hand scratch wash's dont help either. u get what you pay for.


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## J3ayy

Heavenly said:


> My first thought from reading your opening post is if your not prepared once or twice to drive 80 miles for professional training from someone like Paul your wasting your time.
> How can you even consider starting a business and getting a headstart if your not even prepared to do an hour and a halfs drive?? There are people in this world who have flown half way across the world to further their knowledge and people on this forum that have driven 2 to 300 miles just to attend a detailing day with a skilled professional.
> I'm regularly up at 4 to 5am at a weekend ready for a 150 mile drive to my customers , if your hoping all your future clients will be within 10 miles your looking at the wrong profession.


Driving is not the problem!! It is having the time to do so i work upto 60 hours a week in my job & sometimes dont get finished until 8pm 5 days a week & on a weekend paul tends to do either abit of wrapping or tinting.

& as alot of you tends to say that i have just woke up with this idea you are greatly mistaken! I have said before i have been thinking of it for a couple of years!
I dont mind criticism but there aint no need to start a slagging match


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## -Kev-

Showshine said:


> This is true
> 
> I gave up my unit last week due to a Valeting/detailing company setting up next door but one.
> 
> £3 wash and wax
> £40 full machine polish (It takes us just 2 hours to do a car is their strapline)
> 
> :wall:


must be a superb job at that price - wool pad + G3 + max speed on rotary :lol:


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## OvlovMike

I'm sure it's probably just a blast over with AG SRP or something, so that way they don't cause too much damage but they have 'machine polished' the car from a legal standpoint.


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## kasman

Showshine said:


> This is true
> 
> I gave up my unit last week due to a Valeting/detailing company setting up next door but one.
> 
> £3 wash and wax
> £40 full machine polish (It takes us just 2 hours to do a car is their strapline)
> 
> :wall:


Sorry to hear that bud. Thats abit out of order by the landlord allowing that company in knowing your already there. Although competition is healthy and keeps us on our toes, nothing has been achieved as you have given your unit up, so he is back to square one with an empty unit and he has lost an established customer that he knew!!


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## HeavenlyDetail

J3ayy said:


> Driving is not the problem!! It is having the time to do so i work upto 60 hours a week in my job & sometimes dont get finished until 8pm 5 days a week & on a weekend paul tends to do either abit of wrapping or tinting.
> 
> & as alot of you tends to say that i have just woke up with this idea you are greatly mistaken! I have said before i have been thinking of it for a couple of years!
> I dont mind criticism but there aint no need to start a slagging match


Sadly this is Detailingworld not mindreaders.com , my post was justified from the information you posted. Had you posted te reasons why you would have had a different response. I would still say if your serious about a new career in Detailing then you take a couple of days holiday and arrange a good time for you both , other than that your asking a question with no answers because you have to put yourself out to do these things. If you were looking at being a Gas installer and were informed before you could start this career you needed to take various registered courses you would have to find the time one way or another, I would look at Trainning as the same important thing to help you get started.
Apologies if you think i was unfair, not intentional.

My post was in response to this line..

I have had a offer from Paul @ PWPro but he is over 80 miles away which is alot of travelling for the odd day here & there training.


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## J3ayy

Heavenly said:


> Sadly this is Detailingworld not mindreaders.com , my post was justified from the information you posted. Had you posted te reasons why you would have had a different response. I would still say if your serious about a new career in Detailing then you take a couple of days holiday and arrange a good time for you both , other than that your asking a question with no answers because you have to put yourself out to do these things. If you were looking at being a Gas installer and were informed before you could start this career you needed to take various registered courses you would have to find the time one way or another, I would look at Trainning as the same important thing to help you get started.
> Apologies if you think i was unfair, not intentional.
> 
> My post was in response to this line..
> 
> I have had a offer from Paul @ PWPro but he is over 80 miles away which is alot of travelling for the odd day here & there training.


Fair play mate  I am a gas registered engineer to


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## glo

I am new to the game and am no expert but strictly from a business point of view I am going to do valeting for a few years, get well known by going the extra mile for less and learning that inside out. i plan then to go on a few courses run by some of the experts on here then practice machine polishing on scrap, then and only then make the move into detailing as well as valeting.

i must admit you boys on here make it look easy but not so easy that you should let loose on someone's pride and joy without training

I hate to use cliches but "learn to walk before you can run"

Great advice on here guys


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## CliveP

Heavenly said:


> My first thought from reading your opening post is if your not prepared once or twice to drive 80 miles for professional training from someone like Paul your wasting your time.
> How can you even consider starting a business and getting a headstart if your not even prepared to do an hour and a halfs drive?? There are people in this world who have flown half way across the world to further their knowledge and people on this forum that have driven 2 to 300 miles just to attend a detailing day with a skilled professional.
> I'm regularly up at 4 to 5am at a weekend ready for a 150 mile drive to my customers , if your hoping all your future clients will be within 10 miles your looking at the wrong profession.


I agree with the above (the above post is as far as I read). I just do it for a hobby, I don't believe it would pay anything like I earn for a day job (I'm lucky but it did take a lot of hard work etc).

For my hobby (this one), I drove 350 miles each way for one day's training as a hobbyist - my drive (no pun intended!) was to learn how to deliver perfection in polishing - for my own pleasure, it just so happens others benefit from it. I've no plan to do it for a living unless it becomes part of my retirement income soon when it won't matter what I earn (i.e. no pressure).....

For my other hobby I flown half way round the world several times, but that's a hobby as this is....but if you do something do it well is my motto...

Do I get asked to do other people's cars? Yes - regularly - why? because people take their cars I've done to work and someone says to them 'will he do mine?' - do they offer to pay - yes - have I taken it - no, because I'm no pro, just a lot of pretty semi-decent corrections behind me.

My point is as above, anything in life takes a lot of work, nothing is on the plate anymore (if it ever was, ask Lord Sugar his thoughts). So if you want it go for it, because Ambition is good, blind ambition can be even better - but do it with so much determination that sleep time and relax time will be your enemy as you won't want to do either - you'll just want to work, work, work and won't care. 80 miles or 800 miles you won't care -Got that level of drive? If so, do it....

Regards,
Clive.


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## Leemack

The only problem is this:-

People sign up here and then think they can just earn money doing it thus devaluing the services established businesses have taken time and money to gain.
There was a bloke on here who said he had read a few showroom threads and wanted to get into it bla bla bla.

I've been into car care and the best of car care since 1995 and I am still learning and not only that, I had my first business when I was 17 and had a £100,000 loan from my parents to start it.
It was a hrash lesson and I spent 10 years in the Police after that and I was the car cleaning bobby and only I would clean the traffic cars (Snow foam mitts etc on my days off I was that passionate.

IMO you cannot do this for a living unless you are 100% committed/competent and not just someone who's been on DW for a while and thinks you can pick up some polish and a machine and charge customers money for it.


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## CliveP

Yep I agree with you there.....hard work is the only way to get on......I have no intention of doing this for a living! But I've seen young people do well with just blind ambition, but that's one in a thousand....probably getting less by the day as fewer and fewer have the drive....

I'm happy with my workaholic part time 60-70 hour weeks, you pro detailers can do the 100 hour detailing weeks!!!! in the rain and wet - no thank you!!

Regards,
Clive.


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## MidlandsCarCare

Exactly my thoughts on it Clive, I will do much better with my 'career' than if I chose to pursue detailing. I, like you, like to keep up on my skills, so am happy to hone these skills on friends cars, but I would never have any intention on taking it any further than that.

I'm sure there is decent money to be made if you're at the top of your game though. but again a lot of that seems to come down to where you're based.


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## Leemack

I've had the 1500 quid weeks with 3 vans stacked out. But I've had the bad weeks with nothing. 

People think its great money and want a piece but it ain't what people think sometimes. Hard and competitive


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## TheMattFinish

i have been cleaning and detailing cars ever since i have held a license (5 years now) was told by my neighbour after cleaning his car that should persue this as a hobby money earner on side of work. 

based in medway kent will be travelling a few hundred miles up north to auto glym to have some training. think it is essential that i get some as it doesnt only help my skills it is a visible attraction to potential client base that you have gone and paid for training


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## Mirror Finish Details

Business Plans is what it is down to. You cannot run a business with out one.

I scooted round for 3 years in an old van and did my valeting business. In that time as I did 3 years at Rolls Royce as a kid I was trying to build up the machine polishing and paint correction business. It was not called Detailing in those days. No body was interested.

2007 ish I got a few detailing jobs and started building up a client base to which this day I still do work for half of them plus various customers I only ever meet once and never again and others I see a few times a year.

Recently I have gone back to valeting with the help of my brother as we have found we can earn just as much valeting as detailing. With a lot less pressure and not worrying about swirl mark removal.


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## Ninja59

Mirror Finish said:


> Business Plans is what it is down to. You cannot run a business with out one.
> 
> I scooted round for 3 years in an old van and did my valeting business. In that time as I did 3 years at Rolls Royce as a kid I was trying to build up the machine polishing and paint correction business. It was not called Detailing in those days. No body was interested.
> 
> 2007 ish I got a few detailing jobs and started building up a client base to which this day I still do work for half of them plus various customers I only ever meet once and never again and others I see a few times a year.
> 
> Recently I have gone back to valeting with the help of my brother as we have found we can earn just as much valeting as detailing. With a lot less pressure and not worrying about swirl mark removal.


that first bit is a sound bit of advice.

as some have allured to it takes time,effort and alot of money to get recognized in many circles but even then one bad job can still ruin you or at least tarnish your name for some time (as has happened once or twice on here).

To do it properly it is not just detailing skills you need but at least some if not quite abit of business knowledge at the end of the day i dont know how many on here are sole traders but this area is important to without the business side you cannot get the jobs to detail and without the detailing you dont have a business the two go hand in hand.

Also consider how your going to finance "the company." And the structure and setup of it to reduce risk should the worst happen.

and remember this is without even touching the extra distance for furthering your training or even considering any detailing in any form what so ever.

Also one little point which i dont think has been highlighted is liability insurance if your doing other people cars this is a must not an option.


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## Leemack

Like Steve.

My business plan from the start was all about low cost, high volume quality valeting. USP? hard one in valeting but quality was the biggest USP.
Anyone who starts a business in this game thinking they will print off a few flyers and earn good money is an idiot.

It takes months to start even getting anywhere and times can be bloody hard especially as everyone thinks they are a pro.


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## wish wash

Showshine said:


> Like Steve.
> 
> My business plan from the start was all about low cost, high volume quality valeting. USP? hard one in valeting but quality was the biggest USP.
> Anyone who starts a business in this game thinking they will print off a few flyers and earn good money is an idiot.


I completely agree with that one, Takes months before you start to even to get noticed. The ultimate main thing is 'WORD OF MOUTH' this is more valuable than thousands of advertising, Anyone can say they can do this and that but its proving it


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## dominic84

To the OP lots of good advice here. But if you're a Gas Safe fitter then why not get into plumbing and heating on your own? It's probably just as congested as car cleaning, but you can still command a good rate because you actually do need years or experience and recognised qualification to do it.

If you do get into car cleaning then it is good idea to have a lesson in using a machine polisher if you haven't used one before. The AutoGlym or AS Courses will tell you everything else you need to know. And off you go. Expect hardwork though.

Don't get to bogged down on the business side i.e. ltd companies etc. Get the work coming in first and sort that out if the work warrants it.


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## David

Mirror Finish said:


> Recently I have gone back to valeting with the help of my brother as we have found we can earn just as much valeting as detailing. With a lot less pressure and not worrying about swirl mark removal.


at last, someone who has the same perspective as me - i worked out how many hours were needed to "complete" a detail, start to finish, the cost of the products, tools and getting to the good jobs vs valeting which requires 4 or 5 chemicals (wheel cleaner,apc,shampoo,dressing,tyres/plastics) you can use those 5 chemicals on i'd warrent 80% of cars, the other 20% maybe needing something else depending on its surface on the interior.

no need for the makita, no need for £24/litre polish, quick detailers, loads and loads of clothes, masking tape et al.

valeting takes roughly 1.5 hours or an hour max with someone helping charging a decent amount you can make good money if you can turn over the numbers and like you say - the stress levels are lower, the pressure is less, the ache from your body is less

happy days


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## R0B

The only advice i'll offer the op is my personal experience with regard to if its really the job for him:

I have cleaned/polished/ corrected /deteailed whatever the buzz word is atm cars for i would say 6-7 years and it was my big hobby and i loved it.
I did friends ,friends of friends,fellow car club members ,people who i didnt even know put onto me so the usual that goes on here with many other members really.

I loved it did a job or 2 a week and got to using unit space from one of the traders on here on my days off great stuff.

After some further negotiation i was offered a full time job by said trader to build up the detailing side and be there full time detailer so i gave up my quite decently paid and well prospected job and off i went.

Brilliant i've cracked it dream job ,getting paid for it,what more could i want.

Not so. i hated it with a passion and left ,luckily getting a job backat my old place in a higher position(how lucky!!!!!!).

The reason i left, thats easy i loved it as a hobby but wasnt commited enough to do it day in day out for the rest of my life and the thing is i did some really nice cars ,even that didnt make a difference as the hobby wasnt a hobby any more and that spoilt it for me
.
In short it isnt for everyone as a full time job,it maybe for you ,im just giving my experience of it to you.

one thing i will say is that all the guys that do it as a full time job ...i salute you as its a graft.Respect.


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## MidlandsCarCare

Very well said Rob!


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## glo

R0B said:


> The only advice i'll offer the op is my personal experience with regard to if its really the job for him:
> 
> I have cleaned/polished/ corrected /deteailed whatever the buzz word is atm cars for i would say 6-7 years and it was my big hobby and i loved it.
> I did friends ,friends of friends,fellow car club members ,people who i didnt even know put onto me so the usual that goes on here with many other members really.
> 
> I loved it did a job or 2 a week and got to using unit space from one of the traders on here on my days off great stuff.
> 
> After some further negotiation i was offered a full time job by said trader to build up the detailing side and be there full time detailer so i gave up my quite decently paid and well prospected job and off i went.
> 
> Brilliant i've cracked it dream job ,getting paid for it,what more could i want.
> 
> Not so. i hated it with a passion and left ,luckily getting a job backat my old place in a higher position(how lucky!!!!!!).
> 
> The reason i left, thats easy i loved it as a hobby but wasnt commited enough to do it day in day out for the rest of my life and the thing is i did some really nice cars ,even that didnt make a difference as the hobby wasnt a hobby any more and that spoilt it for me
> .
> In short it isnt for everyone as a full time job,it maybe for you ,im just giving my experience of it to you.
> 
> one thing i will say is that all the guys that do it as a full time job ...i salute you as its a graft.Respect.


nicely put. why dont you take up life coaching or business consulting :thumb:


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## Ninja59

dominic84 said:


> To the OP lots of good advice here. But if you're a Gas Safe fitter then why not get into plumbing and heating on your own? It's probably just as congested as car cleaning, but you can still command a good rate because you actually do need years or experience and recognised qualification to do it.
> 
> If you do get into car cleaning then it is good idea to have a lesson in using a machine polisher if you haven't used one before. The AutoGlym or AS Courses will tell you everything else you need to know. And off you go. Expect hardwork though.
> 
> Don't get to bogged down on the business side i.e. ltd companies etc. Get the work coming in first and sort that out if the work warrants it.


but to have a business technically speaking you need a company....so the business side is crucial. After all you dont want to get recognized under one name to change it that takes months and months of planning. so i would disagree on the last point.

And potentially when it comes to that point you have no plans or strategy for the company going forward any decent and well respected person attempting or developing a company SHOULD have a strategy and plan laid out it is also the easiest way to set goals for company. i have not even taken into account the financial side it goes on and on, but you cannot run before you can walk.

in addition to not get bogged down in the legal side is asking for trouble the biggest catch word in any of them is liability tbh.

Finally, if you neglect the business side as that appears what the OP wants is HIS OWN business/company then you have not learned or had knowledge of what is needed to make that company a (hopeful) success.


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## dominic84

> but to have a business technically speaking you need a company....so the business side is crucial. After all you dont want to get recognized under one name to change it that takes months and months of planning. so i would disagree on the last point.
> 
> And potentially when it comes to that point you have no plans or strategy for the company going forward any decent and well respected person attempting or developing a company SHOULD have a strategy and plan laid out it is also the easiest way to set goals for company. i have not even taken into account the financial side it goes on and on, but you cannot run before you can walk.
> 
> in addition to not get bogged down in the legal side is asking for trouble the biggest catch word in any of them is liability tbh.
> 
> Finally, if you neglect the business side as that appears what the OP wants is HIS OWN business/company then you have not learned or had knowledge of what is needed to make that company a (hopeful) success.


I agree, I don't think I said what I really meant because I typed that response to quick as I was in a rush to go out for KFC 

What I meant was if you start out just as a sole trader it's a lot easier, less paperwork, and then if you do get enough work to justify setting up a ltd company then go for it. But I personally beleive in starting any business in the smallest, cheapest and simplest way possible.

And he can still use say Bright Shine Detailing as his sole trader company name and then either use that as trading name of a future limited company of a different name, or register Bright Shine Detailing Ltd.

Of course if you're taking out big business loans from the start, you want to protect a really good name etc then setting up a ltd can be a good idea.


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## carlblakemore

well i'nm in the north yorkshire area and if you wanted to meet up and have a chat and perhaps share a detail then the offer is there. I'm no expert but sometimes two heads better than one!


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## cleaningfreak

Ill put my writings and personal opinion as well because im trying to start my own valeting/detailing/mechanical/other cleaning/steel/clothing/and other cool stuff business 
1. To start business such as valeter/detailer u must have a passion for work, cars,cleaning and willing to do hours and hours of hard work ! if u have such a thing , u will get payback not by money, but by LOVE OF THE FINISH result when u cumming into your trousers from result which u made by your own hands ! ( when i was working for dream job (cars,loads of cars, i was staying overtimes (i just calling them Afterhours) and didnt get paid for that, but i was working long hours because i was passionate about my work/cars and i didnt needed any kind of money reward i was getting reward of my work and finished result. (good job - customers satisfaction is like a drug as well  ) 
2. U need business plan and money loads of money !
3. U need to look for customers ( if u shy,aint gonna happen , because u will wait till someone will tell to other people about you ) u must prepare to make miles of driving and sometimes is for nothing ( out from your pocket )sometimes u will get paid 45pound, but its will cost u more to fuel the tank to do the driving, plus food , plus your own personal time ... sometimes u must prepare yourself for a big loss, loads of nerves ect.ect  
4. U need a confidence of what u are doing ! but u need to know your confidence and level of that and do not try put yourself higher when you actually are.
5. U need tons of Headache pills and prepare to use them (sometimes on a daily basis)
6. U need to know what are u doing and WHY you are doing this , this or this
7. Prepare yourself for some real business talk with customers/suppliers ON THE GO ! because everybody can sit down on the cheer with pen,paper and think hours and hours what they could say tomorrow or day after tomorrow for their new customer/supplier.
7. Dont forget, that u need wash engines , so u must know basics whear is ECU (if they are under the bonnet) , what to do with plugs ect. ect.
I was working 2 years with cars (cleaning,valeting, polishing) and i got confidence of valeting,cleaning ( some people was absolutely happy what i done with their cars, they could not hide a big smile on their faces) ... why i dont mention POLISHING? because i was polishing with different stuff , but because i started do polishing with rotary, i know how it works, burns paint ( burnt few times, thank god it was mirror ,and not very visible for me and my boss , even after 1year of using rotary on daily basis ( brand new rental cars, some JDM performance cars, and loads of old sales cars (some of them 8 yo some of them 5yo, i remmember when i nearly put some load in my pants when i was washing DB9, because water was leaking trough passenger window  )) i didnt kept my self very good at that,i keep myself reasonable , but this is judgment of myself ! but with BRAINS ! and still, i will go to do some detailing courses (probably Parc ferme, because i cant find anything else  , dont want AG, dont know why, but this company does not attract me for some kind of reason ) do some mechanical courses and spray/sanding courses ( i have a bit of experience of that as well , i resprayed my whole car ( ill put myself on a CHEEKY step) people was saying it was very good job , even they knew that i donned this for first time !  )... i know how to do that, but still i want to go do some training, to prof myself that i can do this for real , make living out of that.

One thing, which is very important : if u still dont know this is your dream job ( u must b 110% confident) ... dont waste your pressures time , money and effort ... u will regret later on 

P.s This is my opinion ! and i would love to hear some answers from people outta hear 
P.p.s All the time accept other people opinion and think about it very good, even if this opinion sounds like a load of bull**** and people trying to smack you  ... they dont want to smack u off, they want to HELP u, if they wouldn't want it, u would probably would not writing and reading and asking question in hear 

Sorry for grammar mistakes and other mistakes in my words


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## HeavenlyDetail

This is my main kit , including no.5


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## R0B

Heavenly said:


> This is my main kit , including no.5


Yep,that'll do it Marc:thumb:


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## J3ayy

Thanks for some great advice guys :thumb: as said only looking into it aint 100% sure yet but  Might even sod off to Australia yet :lol:


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## Grizzle

There is no money in detailing its pointless, Everyone undercuts everyone or bad mouths the other, also you will find most are working fulltime during the week and detail at the weekend (without declaring extra earnings).


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## Beau Technique

You will either make it or not. Ive been in the car valeting trade near 17 years now. Many find im at the top of my game. Me, I feel im still learning every day. I could work on prestige cars day in, day out but where would the fun be in that? This job is not about the poncey new age ladee da stuff. This is a real trade, real grafters trade at that. Vast majority that get into this trade are usually sat in an office all day, staring out the window wishing they were waxing a car. They feel there car looks the best and then next thing, "Im going to start detailing for a living" Simple as that. It isnt easy. You can get traing from the best detailer, fact! or an average Joe that knows how to work a DA / Rotary to great effect etc but the real learning is out there in the open on your todd. There is money to be made in teh trade but you have to want it, want to be the best you can be and then push it further and be the best that clients want you to be. I started out thinking valeting was going to be my predominant market. Detailing is my main source of income and my full time job. As said before. If your good at what you do, chances are you will be a success story.


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## TelTel

Showshine said:


> Like Steve.
> 
> My business plan from the start was all about low cost, high volume quality valeting. USP? hard one in valeting but quality was the biggest USP.
> Anyone who starts a business in this game thinking they will print off a few flyers and earn good money is an idiot.
> 
> It takes months to start even getting anywhere and times can be bloody hard especially as everyone thinks they are a pro.


My personal view on your comment is absolutely with you. The best thing to do is not be over confident, just enjoy and do the best you can and ask people to put the word about, especially to peoples vehicles you have done to which their personal opinion wouldn't be a lie to others.

Having a 10month old daughter like myself is hardwork at times as many will understand, but if its extra bit of money that helps you out as a family then its got to be done. Also keeps you away from the missus!! ha ha.

Starting a business i'm sure is hard work, what with the leaflet thing, its good and if you don't try you'll never know, maybe people within the half hour drive may want their cars doing twice a month especially if they are company cars to which leaflets are read and sometimes kept by customers and not chucked in the bin, if your service is convenient to them then they may try ya,………..just like they did their window cleaner who 15 years later is still doing them! ………. its highly likely! don't knock it.

Im hoping for more work to come my way. I do enjoy detailing cars and i take what comes to me.


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## Kelly @ KDS

As there are some very well put examples of what the trade is really like ,

i am giving it a free bump and adding a tiny amount of my thoughts to the detailing trade .

I am 40 years old .

Worked in world wide company , worked my way up the ladder and still would be now (if i did not leave). 
Had some many good points and not many bad . 
working on and building one off cars and engines speading months each time

Worked for tiny company building race car engines ,

Worked for medium size car repair company

worked for engineering medium size company

while working for all of the above, i worked evening and weekends yet again working on cars but for extra money . 
This was at my fathers own large garage / acident repair shop .

I then joined my fathers garage to help runnthe company and work on the trick more expensive cars .

I lived 24/7 cars .

I had it bad my life was cars and cars only ,

One thing and another me and my dad though it was best if I "did it on my own" after a few full time years together.

The thing is i did not realise until i started up on my own with my money how hard it was going to be (and still is) in comparision to any of my old jobs .

I used to get time to go to the GYM watch the Tv programs i wanted to, go out most weekends and basically have a good living able to get what i like , all i had to do was pput in some extra hours to get .

Now i have my own business if think well established in many peoples eyes and public ,

But since , dont go out , dont watch what i want to watch , dont get what i want when i want ,

All because i did not see whats "really" involved with running a business , i had been working for FREE evenings and weekends (not having to pay for electricity , gas , water , rent , rates , insurance , even equipment) and then working a full time job (with a rest from detailing) As my longest job in world wide company progressed to behind desk most of the time.

So i would work till 1am detailing maybe later for hobby money then going to work for a rest and getting paid to do so . 
I would work all weekend detailing (inside) my dads company work till 11-12 at night (sunday night) then go to work for a rest again .

As time went on my customer base had got that large that many said advised that i should detail full time .

The rest is history i guess .

BUT

No one told me that i would work 8am -10 maybe 11pm all week , i have even slept at work many times or just not slept at all for a 2 day period 
open up sunday and wait around hours for a customer to come and collect or drop off his or her car . 
80% of the Total earnings then paid out in bill's (been used to 100% going to the kelly fund) leaving a very small amount for my wage .
And then of course have no time to rest (as i used to do at my full time work), so my back suffered , to the point of being hospital for 2 months with disc problems .

Still today the advice from doctors is to stop my trade all together .

so not only do you have to be very good to become known , and keep growing you have to put everything in if you want alot out of it .

The honest truth , If i did not have my own issues when it comes to OCD and getting a very large statisfaction out of what i do (maybe i am my own worst enermy) , i would jump at the chance to go back to any of my old jobs .

I would work half the hours for twice the pay compared to detailing .

Anyone that things machine correcting full time and getting old works then they are a bigger fool than i was to thinking it would be easy in business.

As the best thing every spoken to me was by (heavenly) marc , "you have created a KDS monster"

Is it easy = NO 
Is it really hard work = yes 
can it end up a life style = yes 
then is it still a hobby = NO

when it was for extra money there is no pressure of finding constant work and customers , if you fancy time off from the game of detailing ,, or even its getting too cold to detail in winter then you just stopped for a while and full back on your full time job .

Now thats me now trying to price my fulltime work against people like myself (in the past that enjoyed detailing more so) that detailed cheaply for extra money part time .

Having to do something is very different to wanting to do something in life .

I think the best solution for me would of been fulltime job and keep detailing to fun and extra beer tokens

HTH kelly just my evening ramblings :thumb:

www.kdsdetailing.co.uk


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## DE 1981

Personally I wouldn't recommend it as a serious career option, income is up and down from month to month, weather plays a huge part in you can and can't earn-I went down the route of a unit and easily had around £1k per month outgoings before I could pay myself a wage, even with the unit when 2 feet of snow falls and stays for a month even the most simple task becomes near impossible.

My biggest annoyance was local competition shooting their mouths off about this or that but that was always to be expected particularly in the Scottish scene, there is money to be made but for me the sacrifices needed to make good money aren't as important as family and friends etc.

As Grizzle says many will/do work weekends for cash in hand jobs I know of one guy up here who did/does this regularly but again in my situation my weekends are/were more important as I play semi pro football to a high level.

All the best in what you do, give it a go be prepared to work hard bug also don't be to proud to admit if things aren't working out the key is to reinvent yourself, I moved on from detailing into indoor vehicle storage and it's the best move i made, it allows me to work in a very good job in the oil industry while running a successful small business.

Your luck mate


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## deanchilds

Ive been doing it 4 years and enjoy every minute of it. I am mobile and have no interest in getting a unit as the reason i am doing so well is because of i can work anywhere I like! 

I could do anything else I love my job and doubt I could do anything else ever again! I have no education and have worked my ass off to get where I am today but wouldnt change it for the world! 

With time effort and money you can make it work im sure!


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## MidlandsCarCare

It's just 'part time' for me too and will remain that way - all I want to do is make enough to cover my rent and buy some nice detailing stuff, which in turn allows me to have a nice place to work on my own car and have some decent gear too.

Maybe I'm mad taking a unit on, but I too don't see it as ever being something I'll do full time, as I really like my day job. Seeing what Kelly has put in doesn't scare me, but I'd perhaps prefer a better work-life balance. I don't have a wife/kids so am doing this whilst I can, and whilst I have a passion for it.

Russ.


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