How to price mobile detailing services (a method, not a price list)

To price a mobile detailing service, start from three of your own numbers: how long the job really takes, from setup to packed van, plus the drive; what an hour of your working time has to earn; and what the products for one job cost. Multiply the hours by your hourly figure, add the products, then compare the result with what detailers near you charge and adjust.

Why can't you just copy local prices?

Prices depend on your town, your competition, your vehicle and what each package includes, so a number copied from someone else's area tells you very little about whether a job pays for you. Looking at what others charge is a useful check, and we come back to it below. As a starting point it has two problems. You don't know what their price includes: a "full detail" can mean an hour of work or most of a day. And you don't know whether their price works for them. A detailer charging less than you might be busy and losing money on every job.

Your own numbers give you the lowest price that still pays you, and the market shows how far above it you can go.

Step 1: How long does each job really take?

Time the next few jobs of each kind from the moment you start setting up to the moment the van is packed again. Write down the vehicle type and its condition as well. The real time can be longer than the time you'd quote, because setup, a chat with the customer, packing up and the last check all add up.

Then add the drive. A job that takes two hours on site can take most of three once you count getting there and back, or getting to the next customer.

Step 2: What does an hour of your time need to earn?

Add up what the business costs you in a year or a month: van, insurance, equipment, phone, software, the parts of your fuel and repairs that aren't tied to one job, and what you want to pay yourself. Divide that by the hours you can actually bill.

Billable hours are fewer than working hours. Quoting, answering messages, buying supplies, cleaning equipment and days lost to rain are all work, but nobody pays for them directly. If you divide by every hour you work, your hourly figure comes out too low. The drive to each job is different: you add it to that job's price in step 4, so count it as billable time here.

Ask an accountant how tax and, where it applies, sales tax or VAT fit into this, so you know whether the price you show customers includes them.

Step 3: What do the products for one job cost?

Work out the products per job: shampoo, chemicals, pads, towels you replace, water if you carry it, and anything you buy specially for one customer. An estimate is fine, and a fixed amount per job for supplies is easier to work with than counting each bottle.

Step 4: Put it together

The basic sum for each service is:

(time on site, including setup and packing + drive time) × your hourly figure + products for one job

Say a full interior takes three and a half hours from setup to packed van, and the drive adds 40 minutes. The price then has to cover about 4 hours 10 minutes of your hourly figure, plus the products. If it doesn't, you're paying for part of that job yourself.

Round the result to a price that's easy to read, and do the same for each service you offer.

Step 5: Check against your local market

Now look at what detailers in your area charge for similar work: their websites, booking pages and profiles on Google or Instagram. Compare what each package includes, since names vary.

• If your number is well below theirs, you may have room to charge more, especially if you're often fully booked.
• If your number is well above theirs, look at why. Maybe your jobs take longer, your area is wide, or your costs are higher. You can make a package smaller, tighten your service area, or explain what makes your work worth more.
• If it's close, your price is probably fine, and you can compete on what you include and the quality of your work.

How do you handle vehicle size and condition?

A large SUV takes longer than a small hatchback, and a car full of pet hair takes longer than one cleaned last month. Two ways to deal with that:

• Separate prices by vehicle size, for example car, SUV and van. Customers pick their size when they book, so the time and price match the job.
• A condition charge, set in advance. Say clearly what counts (heavy pet hair, sand, mould, smoke) and what it costs, so nobody gets a surprise on the day. Ask for photos by message or email when you're unsure.

Keep your packages few and clear. Two or three packages, each with a list of what it includes, are easier to time and price accurately than a long menu. Add-ons such as engine bay cleaning or headlight restoration can sit next to them.

When should you raise your prices?

Look at your prices at least once a year, and sooner if:

• you're fully booked weeks ahead most of the time;
• products, fuel or insurance cost noticeably more than when you set them;
• your jobs regularly run longer than the time you quoted.

Tell regular customers before the new prices start, and keep the old price for bookings they've already made.

Setting your prices up in Okayset

In Okayset each service has its own duration, buffer after and price, so the calendar blocks the real time a job takes and customers see the price before they book. Use the buffer for the drive to your next customer: see services, buffers and prices.

For vehicle sizes, make one service per size, for example "Full detail, car" and "Full detail, SUV or van", each with its own length and price. If you chose Mobile services when you set up your account, Okayset suggested two example services with example prices; replace them with your own numbers (see getting started). If you'd rather keep setup out of the service's duration, put it in buffer before instead, which blocks time before each appointment.

Prices show on your booking page in your business currency. Payment happens outside Okayset, in whatever way you already use. With booking questions you can ask for the car model or its condition when someone books; they're free during the private beta and part of the paid plans after it. For a full detailing setup, from service area to rain days, see Okayset for mobile detailing.