This is ONLY a plan

[JethroJay]

Okay so means I can't find a job for the life of me, I'm gonna go into valeting cars, have my own company, it's something I've been wanting to do for a LONG time, I'm in the process of getting people to bring there cars to me to be cleaned and whatever else, I'm wanting to know how many people will bring them to me before doing anything about it, so I know how many people I got and work out the gains and stuff from there, I WILL offer a discount for the club and offer a discount on how far you've come something like £1 for 10 miles and £2 for 20 miles, just something I'm thinking of at the moment, let me know what you guys think, I'll put pics up of the 106 and Focus I've cleaned in the past (Both personal cars) so you can see what I can do :-)

106 Before!







106 After!








That was everything I could do to that, wash, clay bar, color restore, color seal, wax and a trim wax!

Focus pics will be coming up later!

[WiNgNuTz]

Good luck with it mate, just don't be stepping on Jenkosowls toes, ya hear?

Seriously though, looks like you know what you're doing, as long as you know what products to use for what, and you're confident enough to work on other people's cars with said products, seems to me like a perfectly viable career choice!

[JethroJay]

Good luck with it mate, just don't be stepping on Jenkosowls toes, ya hear?

Seriously though, looks like you know what you're doing, as long as you know what products to use for what, and you're confident enough to work on other people's cars with said products, seems to me like a perfectly viable career choice!

Yeah I got the confidence and stuff like that, I know what's what and all the rest of the jazz, lol, only thing I can do properly, lol, and I ain't here to step on anyone's toes, I'm here to crush 'em, ya dig that? LOL, joke!

---

Okay so pics of the Focus like I said (you will see I changed the bumper to one with front fogs)

Before:









and after:












and the day the Focus went bye bye's as it was pure crap, it was replaced with yep, the 306


I tried cutting compound with a buffer and done it myself and this is as good as I could get it!

[Tom]

Looks like your doing a good job

[JethroJay]

Looks like your doing a good job

Thanks man, Focus was FADED to high hell with it been red and sitting out in the sun as well, I sorted it though

[Tom]

By hand or got a machine?

[C2K]

Valeting or detailing? Valeting to me is basically a car wash..

Not being funny, but you need to understand there is an awful lot more to it that you seem to have inferred in your early posts. For instance, you've made no mention of decontamination anywhere which is an important step.

Suggest spending quite a bit of time on detailing world if you're serious about this. I've spent a lot of money on products since Xmas just setting myself up to take care of our cars, let alone anyone elses.

I wouldn't discourage you from it, but it really is a huge field.

[JethroJay]

By hand or got a machine?

Investing in a machine but I'd rather do it by hand, just takes too much time!

---

Valeting or detailing? Valeting to me is basically a car wash..

Not being funny, but you need to understand there is an awful lot more to it that you seem to have inferred in your early posts. For instance, you've made no mention of decontamination anywhere which is an important step.

Suggest spending quite a bit of time on detailing world if you're serious about this. I've spent a lot of money on products since Xmas just setting myself up to take care of our cars, let alone anyone elses.

I wouldn't discourage you from it, but it really is a huge field.

It's for both, depending on what the customer wants done to there car!

I understand your point of view on this and I'm thinking of everything before doing it, but so far I've got the funds to back it up, if it goes bust it's a fail, if it gets places then awesome, if not back to looking for a job I guess!

[Jenkosowls]

I'v been keeping an eye in this thread to see what is said as information given isn't enough to comment on. But there is few areas I can help and advise on.

Firstly this isn't a quick solution to solving money problems it takes time to build upon develop and keep a strong client base. I'v been doing this for 4 years now professionally and can just about say I'm in a comfortable position but still not ideal!

I personally expanded rapidly due to contract cuts at a weekday job I had so it was either look for another job or go balls out by that point I had enough clients to keep a float but those clients i had built up over 2 years.

You need to know which route you want to go down and stick to it you can't just wait for the customer to pick and choose for you. It's no good building a client based on cheap jobs as those clients won't want to spend on the high end detailing work.

I hate it when people associate my work with those of mini valet and full valets and 90% of people who contact you will not even care or know about what detailing is or what it involves most people just care about it looking "shiney" and "smelling nice" to make a name in this business you have to stand out there's allot of cowboys out there who think just using a piece of clay they can then call the seleves a detailer. There is allot of competition out there in the detailing world let alone these quick hand washes.

If your going down the detailing route you need equipment and good reliable equipment at that. Stuff that can take abuse day in day out. There's allot of hobby detailer equipment that's out there which in no way would stand upto this kind of work so don't by cheap invest. Last week alone i spent £350 on equipment and consumables some of which il only use once as thats how I maintain quality. Currently I have around £3000 invested in equipment and that's not chemical cost etc etc

Development this is what can make or break you it also helps out on what makes you unique I put guarantees to my work it's no good trusting what a manufacture says you have to test you have to see what works and you have to see what works for you.

I'm by far not the best detailer in the world and I don't go saying I am it took me years before I called my self a professional and still don't like to to this day but my clients see me as a professional and so call me that.

Given your discount regarding people coming to you just on that basis alone tells me youl be charging not allot to attract custom I will tell you now it won't work £2 saving on some one traveling 20miles you'd be very lucky someone traveling that far in the first place as most won't want to wait for it to be done.

As for stepping on toes I'v never been classed as an official oc detailer nor claimed to be I simply just show my work. I don't but prices to work or give quotes to work on here to do that you have to pay to be a trader on here which is something I'v discussed with Scott.

[tigerstyle]

Not to throw more trouble into the thread, but what about insurance? A mistake is made and my car gets scratched to **** when it's in your care? I'm not gonna be happy and want compensation... Thinking worst case and all.

[daniel909]

Looks like your Doing a good job there mate if im ever up your way i will be sure to give you a shout

[JethroJay]

Not to throw more trouble into the thread, but what about insurance? A mistake is made and my car gets scratched to **** when it's in your care? I'm not gonna be happy and want compensation... Thinking worst case and all.

I know about that, looking into it mate but thanks for the heads up anyway!

---

Looks like your Doing a good job there mate if im ever up your way i will be sure to give you a shout

Thanks man!

[Jenkosowls]

Anyone else notice the snow?

[1616six]

I'm going to be brutally honest and will probably get shafted for it but f*ck it

The cars yes look clean but they look very amateur, bottle of t-cut & an hours work look.

It's not as simple as that, and the cheap 'valets' are sorted by the foreign hand car washes because they're so cheap..

Just my 2p & meant it as constructive critism rather than being horrible!

[rocker8742]

Did wonder about that Jenks, always going to look worse with winter muck on it

[kentiiboii]

Anyone else notice the snow?

I noticed snow. :-) I ain't seen any yet this year :-(



This is something I was considering (still am). I've spoke to Jenks for advice a while ago.
Listen to what he says he knows what he's doing.
Detailing your car and detailing a customers is different, you can't just think because you can do your own you can do it as a business.
Get plenty of practice in om families car's, I'm always getting family members asking me to do there car.
Also as said you need to learn what each product does, like said decontamination is different to just a polish.
I'd highly recommend buying a machine polish and learning on old panels how to use it as it does a much better job than by hand, and it's quicker.
I'm going to finally get practice with mine on the gti6 I'm breaking ready for my new one. But I won't be going anywhere near it till I'm confident.

But with a bit of guidance anyone can detail a car, I taught my ex to detail her corsa here's the results.
[attachment=13911]
[attachment=13912]

I could of made her go even further into it but it was her first time! She only wanted a quick go of the snow foam!

But what ever you choose good luck, I love cleaning cars when it's a nice day!

[rocker8742]

Also might be and idea to show some close ups before and after to show removal of swirl marks etc

[Jenkosowls]

The point I'm making regarding the snow is down to before and after shots

[kentiiboii]

The point I'm making regarding the snow is down to before and after shots

Do you mean cos the snow, you got grit on road which obviously gets on the cars and makes the look even shittier?

[Jenkosowls]

Nope the before shots are in the snow

After shots are in glorious sunshine not a drop of snow

[kentiiboii]

Nope the before shots are in the snow

After shots are in glorious sunshine not a drop of snow

Arghhh I get you, before shots are not before shot's they're like 6 months prior shots :-)

[Jenkosowls]

May seem like I'm being bit of a twat here by mentioning that fact but you just can't do things like that youl soon just lose all faith from customers. It's not hard to show how dirty a car is a good detailer can do that very easily

[Stephen]

I'v been keeping an eye in this thread to see what is said as information given isn't enough to comment on. But there is few areas I can help and advise on.

Firstly this isn't a quick solution to solving money problems it takes time to build upon develop and keep a strong client base. I'v been doing this for 4 years now professionally and can just about say I'm in a comfortable position but still not ideal!

I personally expanded rapidly due to contract cuts at a weekday job I had so it was either look for another job or go balls out by that point I had enough clients to keep a float but those clients i had built up over 2 years.

You need to know which route you want to go down and stick to it you can't just wait for the customer to pick and choose for you. It's no good building a client based on cheap jobs as those clients won't want to spend on the high end detailing work.

I hate it when people associate my work with those of mini valet and full valets and 90% of people who contact you will not even care or know about what detailing is or what it involves most people just care about it looking "shiney" and "smelling nice" to make a name in this business you have to stand out there's allot of cowboys out there who think just using a piece of clay they can then call the seleves a detailer. There is allot of competition out there in the detailing world let alone these quick hand washes.

If your going down the detailing route you need equipment and good reliable equipment at that. Stuff that can take abuse day in day out. There's allot of hobby detailer equipment that's out there which in no way would stand upto this kind of work so don't by cheap invest. Last week alone i spent £350 on equipment and consumables some of which il only use once as thats how I maintain quality. Currently I have around £3000 invested in equipment and that's not chemical cost etc etc

Development this is what can make or break you it also helps out on what makes you unique I put guarantees to my work it's no good trusting what a manufacture says you have to test you have to see what works and you have to see what works for you.

I'm by far not the best detailer in the world and I don't go saying I am it took me years before I called my self a professional and still don't like to to this day but my clients see me as a professional and so call me that.

Given your discount regarding people coming to you just on that basis alone tells me youl be charging not allot to attract custom I will tell you now it won't work £2 saving on some one traveling 20miles you'd be very lucky someone traveling that far in the first place as most won't want to wait for it to be done.

As for stepping on toes I'v never been classed as an official oc detailer nor claimed to be I simply just show my work. I don't but prices to work or give quotes to work on here to do that you have to pay to be a trader on here which is something I'v discussed with Scott.

This is a really helpful post that jenks clearly put some thought and time into and you havent even acknowledged it? Da faqs with that

[Curt]

I was just about to say the same thing^^. There's some great information there from a man in the know.

[Jenkosowls]

Tbh I kinda cut it short that's why it ends abruptly well that and the dog decided rabbit was on the menu!

I'm more than willing to offer further advice there is a hell of allot more to be discussed

[Stephen]

I wouldn't bother if he isn't going to say thank you

[JethroJay]

Tbh I kinda cut it short that's why it ends abruptly well that and the dog decided rabbit was on the menu!

I'm more than willing to offer further advice there is a hell of allot more to be discussed

If you wanna offer some help mate, by all means go into lenth about it, the more I know, the more it helps me

[Curt]

The point is, you didn't even acknowledge the post above that already has a lot of useful information it it. Doesn't exactly inspire more...

[JethroJay]

The point is, you didn't even acknowledge the post above that already has a lot of useful information it it. Doesn't exactly inspire more...

I've copied it and saved it to notepad on my computer so it's always there.....

---

and YES the before shots WAS in the snow but cars wasn't cleaned before hand so I thought I'd do them when we had the weather to!

[Stephen]

One word begins with T
The other begins with Y
It's not hard