Limited Budget -- Absolute Necessities

Hello I am wanting to start a detailing business, however I am on a limited budget to start, can you give me some ideas on my absolute necessities to start, also some good products.

Thank you

Hi MorganAndre,

A few questions for you so we can guide you in the right direction.

Is it mobile or from a detail workshop?

How limited is your budget?

Do you have experience?

What sort of clients are you going to have?

It will be from a workshop.

My budget is about $200.

My experience is detailing my own vehicles and friends vehicles.

The shop that I will be working from is a diesel shop and he works on trucks and a lot of Volkswagen Diesels.

This would be just to start, for I will have some clients already, and I will build up as I go, just starting small.

Thank you for your help

You are short about $800 for start up.
That is assuming you do not already have a quality rotary buffer, dual action, supply of various pads, wet/dry vac, various brushes, lots of towels, safety equipment, products, buckets, hoses, etc.

You will only be able to do maintenance detailing I think with that budget. You will need to start small and keep re-investing with the first couple of cars in.

You definitely need a good vacuum cleaner and attachments. Perhaps you can get one second hand at a good price?

Chemicals - Tar remover, shampoo, APC, Polish and Sealant. A good interior carpet & fabric shampoo, Brushes, Wash Mitt, Good quality cloths and MF towels, Buckets, large drying towels and glass cleaner. I keep both water-based and solvent-based dressing. Gloves are important... I could keep going! You are on a very tight budget there so I'd better stop. Do you have any hardware? Vacuum / Extractor / DA / etc?

Ketch, do Valugard do sample-size kits that the lad here could purchase to get him going with the first few cars? Like a selection of 100ml bottles or something.... ?

I do have a vacuum and a buffer, I will have buckets and a couple of hoses and I have an electric power washer. What manufacturer should I use for the products are any better than others or are they all around the same?

Thank you for the encouragement Profile Detailer, I appreciate the help and suggestions.

Well, I'm not in the US but I have used some Valugard products in the past and really liked them. Another frequent member here is Bud from Detail Plus and they do a respected range of products as well. Then there is stuff like Chemical Guys, 3D, Meguiars, etc.

There are also many other brands though... you might find a local supplier who can do you a good deal with gallon size containers. Do some price-shopping and don't be afraid to haggle with the reps or see if they can throw in a few freebie towels or applicator sponges!

I have found that there are good brands but its hard to find one brand that will have all good products. Every company has strong products and weak products in my experience.

I forgot to mention earlier, trigger-spray bottles are very, very useful to have as well.

I don't know what they are doing now, suggest he check the website, see what he would likes, then give Beth a call at their office.
Perhaps she can take care of him.
Just tell her Grumpy said to call, guess we are still friends, LOL!

Andre (or is it Morgan?):

What do you define as "detailing?"

If you ask a "back-alley" detailer what the absolute necessities are the answer will be quite different than asking a professional in the industry.

What I consider absolute necessities are:

EQUIPMENT

Pressure Washer
Buffer
Vacuum
Soil extractor

SUPPLIES

White wool cutting pad
Poly Wool cutting pad
Foam cutting pad
Foam polishing/finishing pad

Wheel brush
Spoke brush
Nylon scrub brush
Spoke brush
Detail brush
Car wash mitts

Three colors of towels - chemical & grease; water & wax; glass (wash separately)

Scrubbie pad -
Dressing applicator pads

CHEMICALS

Car Wash shampoo
Engine degreaser
Wheel cleaner (non-acid)
All purpose cleaner
Tar & Grease remover
Extractor shampoo
Carpet & upholstery shampoo
Glass cleaner
Leather conditioner
Dressing (water-based only for engines, tires & interiors)
Fragrance

800 Grit Heavy Compound
1200 Grit Medium Compound
2000 Grit Light Compound
xxxx Microfine Compound

Swirl Remover/Polish

Paint Sealant or Wax (paint sealant is better)

Those are the absolutely necessities if you are going to do complete restoration detailing.

If you want to wash and wax cars all you need is a hose, bucket, car wash mitt and shampoo for washing and a can of wax, applicator sponge and towels to dry car and remove wax. Maybe some glass cleaner and window towels and possibly tire dressing.

For $200 you are quite limited in what you can afford to purchase.

Send me your email and I will email you our catalog of detail products to allow you to pick and chose what you can afford.

Regards
Bud Abraham
DETAIL PLUS SYSTEMS

And if you call Detail Plus, just tell them that Martin Scorsese promised you a discount....

That is correct, " I will make them a deal they cannot refuse."

LMAO

Touché, Bud!

Iam also thinking of starting a detail business. I have most the things on the list. My question is can you really make a desent living at it. Iam looking for a good place to buy supplies also.

Jeff call me 8002840123 Ext 4 and we can discuss what it takes to make a living.

First buy the book by Michael Gerber "The E Myth Revisited". You can get it used on Amazon.com

Ok thanks i ordered the book will read it then give you a call thanks i appreciate it.

OK, take the time to digest the message of the book and call me. I can help you set up your business and make it profitiable.

You will need to have sufficient operating capital to support yourself and the business before the business is strong enough to support you and itself.

Bud Abraham

buda Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Andre (or is it Morgan?):
>
> What do you define as "detailing?"
>
> If you ask a "back-alley" detailer what the
> absolute necessities are the answer will be quite
> different than asking a professional in the
> industry.
>
> What I consider absolute necessities are:
>
> EQUIPMENT
>
> Pressure Washer
> Buffer
> Vacuum
> Soil extractor
>
> SUPPLIES
>
> White wool cutting pad
> Poly Wool cutting pad
> Foam cutting pad
> Foam polishing/finishing pad
>
> Wheel brush
> Spoke brush
> Nylon scrub brush
> Spoke brush
> Detail brush
> Car wash mitts
>
> Three colors of towels - chemical & grease; water
> & wax; glass (wash separately)
>
> Scrubbie pad -
> Dressing applicator pads
>
> CHEMICALS
>
> Car Wash shampoo
> Engine degreaser
> Wheel cleaner (non-acid)
> All purpose cleaner
> Tar & Grease remover
> Extractor shampoo
> Carpet & upholstery shampoo
> Glass cleaner
> Leather conditioner
> Dressing (water-based only for engines, tires &
> interiors)
> Fragrance
>
> 800 Grit Heavy Compound
> 1200 Grit Medium Compound
> 2000 Grit Light Compound
> xxxx Microfine Compound
>
> Swirl Remover/Polish
>
> Paint Sealant or Wax (paint sealant is better)
>
> Those are the absolutely necessities if you are
> going to do complete restoration detailing.
>
> If you want to wash and wax cars all you need is a
> hose, bucket, car wash mitt and shampoo for
> washing and a can of wax, applicator sponge and
> towels to dry car and remove wax. Maybe some
> glass cleaner and window towels and possibly tire
> dressing.
>
> For $200 you are quite limited in what you can
> afford to purchase.
>
> Send me your email and I will email you our
> catalog of detail products to allow you to pick
> and chose what you can afford.
>
> Regards
> Bud Abraham
> DETAIL PLUS SYSTEM



THIS WHAT I MEAN ABOUT BUD AND RON KNOWING NOTHING ABOUT PAINT PROTECTION. THE ONLY THING HE FORGOT TO MENTION HERE WAS SAND PAPER.

BUD IS JUST TROLLING FOR NEW BUSINESS HERE. LOOKING TO ADD ANOTHER HACK DETAILER TO THE DETAILING COMMUNITY..

A REAL PRO KNOWS THERE IS NO REAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WAX AND A POLY SEALANT EXCEPT A SEALANT WILL HOLD UP TO MORE WASHES WITHOUT BREAKING DOWN.

I HAVE DONE MOBILE DETAILING FOR MANY YEARS,AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT DOING CORRECTION UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO KEEP SOMEONE'S VEHICLE FOR DAYS .
IT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE REAL WORLD BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE JOBS AND THINGS TO DO.


YOU CAN MAKE MONEY IN DETAILING, BUT NOT THIS WAY IMO. THERE IS A LOT MORE TO IT THAN SLAPPING A FAST COAT OF WAX ON A VEHICLE THAT WILL CAUSE SWIRL MARKS BECAUSE THE OWNER
DID NOT KNOW THE CORRECT WAY TO WASH IT.

detailer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> I HAVE DONE MOBILE DETAILING FOR MANY YEARS,AND I
> CAN TELL YOU THAT DOING CORRECTION UNDER THESE
> CIRCUMSTANCES WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO KEEP SOMEONE'S
> VEHICLE FOR DAYS .
> IT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE REAL WORLD
> BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE JOBS AND THINGS TO DO.
>
>

There are 100's if not 1000's of professional detailers doing multi-day details/corrections in the "real world".

Pro-Techt Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> detailer Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> >
> > I HAVE DONE MOBILE DETAILING FOR MANY YEARS,AND
> I
> > CAN TELL YOU THAT DOING CORRECTION UNDER THESE
> > CIRCUMSTANCES WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO KEEP
> SOMEONE'S
> > VEHICLE FOR DAYS .
> > IT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE REAL WORLD
> > BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE JOBS AND THINGS TO DO.
> >
> >
>
> There are 100's if not 1000's of professional
> detailers doing multi-day details/corrections in
> the "real world".


David

Maybe in cars you do, but not with normal people. Example: Mother with a mini van. Do you think she can go without her car for several days, and will allow you to spend days in her garage doing corrections. If you did mobile detailing you would know that.

Do'nt you have a job on that other forum controlling speech?