who does mobile valeting as an income?

for peeps who do does business tail off in the winter compared to the summer? and what sort of running costs do you incur?

does it cost alot to start up?

 

Have a chat with Nath, im pretty sure he runs his own mobile valeting company.

 

there are others on here that do, but i dare mention names

 

anyone else give me any info

 

Start up costs around a fiver............ i.e. bucket, sponge, shampoo, chamois leather

Running costs.......... not a lot

Bad buisness in the winter as your hands will be frozen too fook

 

im a car dealer mate and the valetors that i use have a small unit to work in (over the winter anyway ) the only thing i can suggest is do your sums and see if its viable you need more than a bucket and sponge just a good hoover to do the job is Ł200 + sorry if its not what you wanna hear but its not cheap to start up

 

I've done mobile valeting for the last year but I'm giving it up as soon as I find a decent job. Mobile valeting isn't what its all cracked up to be if your seriously thinking about doing it I recommend getting a unit and working from there.

Being mobile you can never win with the weather. Its either pissing it down or baking hot sunshine meaning you can't polish that easily.

I also recommend trying to get work from dealers because they can provide lots of cars. i.e. 10-20 per week Ł30 - Ł40 each. You can charge the public more but they will never supply enough business for you to survive.

Its really hard to make a successful valeting business because its so easy to start up everyone is doing it. Even if you get contracts with dealerships you are always worring about other people undercutting you. I've taken contracts from people and I've lost one since I've started.

An other thing thats annoying is you spend 4 hours on a car just for some c**t to find fault with it. Once I finished a car and the bloke popped the bonnet wiped his finger across the back of the bulkhead and said "look at that" I just said "Its an engine bay what do you expect?" But i felt like telling him to f**k off.

Finally its a very physically demanding job. Could you do 10 full valets per week, every week? Sorry if i'm putting you off but I wish I'd thought it through a bit more before I started. However if you can cope with the workload and can get in with the dealerships the you can make lots of money.

If you have any questions feel free to ask.

Si

 

Im also thinking of doing this put as a part time job, ie weekends and during the week if i can fit it in.
Just need some extra cash and this is the only job i know i can do well lol

been looking into it and seems ok, but as said the only thing is the weather

 

proper set up with van is about Ł1000. I have a van with 1 oil drum secured in the middle by a kitchen worktop!! Generator with pressure washer! Just fillup with water at petrol station lol

 

thanks Si for the info

was wondering how mobile valeters get alone in the winter months with it getting dark early and the wet weather?

 

spotlight!

 

Its just as busy in the winter as it is any other time of year. If you dont earn at least Ł500 your not trying hard enough! Each van I had could earn a Ł1000 a week and I wouldn't take on any trade work ...why do a trade job for Ł40-50 when you could charge Jo public Ł80-150?

Its money for old rope! Have a look in the for sale section as I've got a van and everything you need to start (apart from customers )

I dont own it any more due to staffing issues ... If you want to know any more then I'll PM you my mobile

 

how did ya go about advertising and getting the custom nath?

seen the van in for sale section will be bearing it in mind

 

I didnt advertise as in such. I had 5000 flyers printed up with prices and delivered them to local business parks, etc, etc by hand. All the work was done during normal working hours, so none of this working till night time shit ... I've still got more than half the flyers left after nearly 2 years!

I basically targeted any size business and put in for tenders on the larger ones, some of which I wouldn't compete (I'm not working for nothing). The prices started off from Ł17.50 for basic inside and outside job (and went up to over Ł200 on a few occasions!) I could do 13 of these a day on my own! I got on well with all the receptionists and bought them a bottle of some sort for Christmas ....not to buy them, but to show them my appreciation Some companies were adamant they were going to use their current company and I still kept in contact with them and when the current ones fecked up, folded up or couldn't be arsed, I was in there to take over.

On quite a few occasions I had confrontations with competitors, but those that know me, know I dont take any shit and they use to disappear .... could of been down to a claw hammer been thrown about

As some of the guys from here know, I never ever claimed to be the best or to be good, but I did turn up on time and get them to check over whatever they wanted before I left. I've done work for a few people on here who always seemed happy with the end result. I always treated people with courtesy and spoke to them how I like been spoke to (not dirty ) and that certainly helped even when they tried getting something done for free ....

I had 1 complaint in the 18 months or so and that was some bitch trying it on as she didnt want to admit to her other half she banged the door on another car and theres was brand new ...dizzy bint!

I've worked in the pouring rain, snow and when its been in the minus's and the blistering heat. You get out of it whatever you put into it!

Ł1300 was my best ever week and that was me working on my own! Thats not bad considering I'm earning a 1/3 of that now

I must be fecking mad

 

thanks for the info nath

 

Nath thought you has sold all the gaer that you had advertised