How to start a car valeting business – full guide

Car detailing is a process that involves cleaning and polishing the interior and exterior of a vehicle to give it a showroom-quality finish. A typical detailing job will include shampooing the carpets, cleaning the upholstery, polishing the paintwork, and cleaning the engine bay. While many car owners are happy to tackle detailing themselves, there is also a growing demand for professional detailing services. for those who want their car to look its best.

If you’re thinking of starting a detailing business in the UK, there are a few things you need to know. Due to its nature of being a low-cost startup business venture, the hand car washing, and valeting industry has seen a large growth in recent years. The following article should inform you of all you need to know about setting up your very own business.

Starting a mobile car valeting business

For anyone with a passion for cars, starting a mobile car valeting business can be a great way to turn your hobby into a lucrative career. Mobile car detailing involves cleaning and polishing the interior and exterior of a vehicle to maintain its appearance. Although it takes some time and effort to get started, with the right tools and techniques, you can quickly become an expert in mobile car detailing.

To get started, you will need to invest in some basic equipment, including a pressure washer, buffers, and polishers. You will also need to purchase detailing supplies such as cleaners, waxes, and dressings. In terms of marketing your business, word-of-mouth is often the best way to get started. Ask your friends and family if they know anyone who might be interested in your services. Once you have built up a few clients, you can start to expand your business by advertising in local newspapers or online. With hard work and dedication, you can soon turn your mobile car valeting business into a success!

Is there demand for your car valeting service?

Consider customer demand, what people want, and existing competition when planning your new company.

Estimating demand

Check to see if there is enough demand in your area for car valeting businesses. You may find that there is quite a bit of local competition if you want to start a car valeting business. The level of competition you will face in your area can be estimated by reviewing Yell.com’s relevant classifications and other similar online directories. Your local competitors might offer car valeting services such as:

• Other independent and franchised valeting businesses (from small mobile operations to ‘pop-up’ roadside operations)
• Dealers that offer valeting services to franchised motor vehicles and used cars
• Some Halfords outlets, for example, offer professional valeting services in their auto centres
• Car body repair centres
• Repair and service garages for general vehicles

Car cleaning businesses complain about unfair competition from ‘cowboy’ companies that avoid legal obligations in order to keep their costs low.

A valeting business may also lose revenue to petrol stations that have car vacuums, drive-through car washes, or jet wash machines.

Because you may target a specific market segment or offer extra services that are difficult to find elsewhere, you may only compete directly against some of these outlets.

You can establish a car valeting business in your area by looking at existing businesses:

• The prices they charge
• Service range (for example, full valet, interior only, steam cleaning)
• The knowledge and helpfulness of their staff
• Are they a mobile service or do they have a fixed location?
• If they offer to pick up and deliver customers’ vehicles
• Modernity and smartness of the premises and fittings
• Vehicles such as lorries, coaches, caravans, etc., can be valet
• In addition to small paintwork repairs, do they offer any other services?
• Detailing inside and/or outside

Check to see if your business can fill a market gap. The eastern European migrant community, which often works in supermarket car parks for relatively low wages, has been quite interested in starting up car cleaning and valeting businesses. It is common to use old disused petrol stations and other low-cost premises, which sometimes include cafes. It may be difficult to compete with these types of businesses because they offer a thorough service at very competitive prices.

You should be aware that many of your competitors will travel quite considerable distances to work on customers’ cars if you decide to specialise in detailing and paintwork correction. This is particularly true at the high end of the market (classic cars, supercars, luxury cars, etc.).

There will be a lot of potential customers in your area if there are a lot of vehicles in use – which is determined by the number of people in your area. While car ownership may be lower in inner city areas, it is likely to be higher in large towns and cities. It may be that there aren’t enough vehicles in rural areas to generate enough work. Professional valets tend to be used by owners of newer, more expensive cars. Valeting services are also commonly used by car dealers, taxi companies, and hire companies.

Find out what people want

Since there will probably be a lot of competition, you need to determine what people want and whether your services will attract customers. Find out what services potential business customers might use and what they are willing to pay for them from potential customers like car dealers.

You might ask them for their price, if they’re satisfied, and what you’d have to do to get them to switch to your business if they already use another valeting company. Make sure you’re meeting the needs of your customers once you’ve started your business. Market research should be ongoing.

Establish your customer profiles

Private motorists and local businesses are likely to be your customers.

Automobile valets are usually more popular in affluent neighbourhoods than in less affluent ones. Most likely, they will drive newer, more expensive cars and spend more on maintenance and servicing. Professional vehicle valeting saves many people more time than it costs them.

Your customers likely own expensive luxury and high-performance cars if you offer high-end services such as paintwork correction and vehicle detailing. The number of customers you need to run your business may require you to travel throughout the country, depending on your location.

In those cases, the car might be valeted on a fairly regular basis if the driver covers a lot of miles (such as sales reps) or spends a lot of time in the vehicle (such as driving instructors).

In general, less well-off drivers do not spend as much on their cars. The majority of people prefer to wash their cars themselves or use automatic car washes if they do want them cleaned regularly. Yet, they can also have their vehicles valeted before a special event, such as a wedding or when trying to sell them.

You might be able to help the following local businesses:

• Taxi and minicab companies
• Companies that provide car rental services
• Franchised motor dealers and used car dealers
• Driving schools
• Directors of funeral homes
• The hotel industry

If you are capable of valeting large vehicles, coach firms and even haulage companies might be interested in hiring you.

Business owners who offer their car valeting services at office buildings with large parking lots or even at football clubs have found this to be a lucrative source of work. A free valeting service might be offered to the owner or manager of the business to get a foot in the door.

Decide which valet services to offer

A variety of basic options are offered by most car valeting companies. Full valeting generally includes cleaning the carpets, seats, wheels and tyres, as well as trimming the paintwork and polishing the paint, as well as cleaning the exterior and interior of the vehicle. For a reduced price, a mini valet may simply consist of vacuuming the interior to save time. A drive-through exterior hand washing service is very popular among motorists who want a quick and thorough job at an affordable price. Customers are also offered the option of just cleaning the interior or exterior of their vehicle.

Steam cleaning companies sometimes offer to clean driveways, garage floors, patios, and so forth using their equipment.

A vending machine or a cafe could be installed at your premises if you have the space. You may be tempted to sell a coffee or sandwich to customers while you clean their cars. If a customer spends over a certain amount on valeting services, you might offer free hot drinks.

Consider partnering with mechanics who offer MOTs and servicing to share the costs of your premises. Additionally, you can offer your customers a one-stop shop for valeting and servicing, reducing your overheads.

The right image

Projecting the right image is crucial for your business. Make sure your premises look smart and communicate to passing trade the high level of service you provide. You might want to consider having the company name embroidered on your staff’s overalls to help create the right impression. Maintain your mobile service vehicle well and keep it clean if you operate a mobile service. It will serve as a mobile advertisement for your business if it is professionally signed.

Promoting your car valeting business

It’s important to let potential customers know about your services and who you are.

To promote your business, you can do the following:

• Use external signs to inform and attract passers-by
• Local newspapers and directories are great places to advertise
• Print leaflets with tips on basic car maintenance and care
• Place leaflets on the counters of petrol stations and accessory stores
• Inform local businesses about the valeting services you offer and your pricing structure
• Consider offering a free valet to the owner or manager of an office with a large parking lot or a local football club.
• Offer a 10% discount to members of local motor clubs
• Create a website that showcases all the features that will attract customers
• Provide discounts on certain services (for example, a free bottle of screen wash with a full valet) and advertise them

Price your car valeting services

Consider your costs, overheads, and drawings when setting your prices. Ensure that the price you intend to charge is sufficient to make the business viable by knowing how many vehicles you can valet in a day.

You may need to price your services in line with your local competitors unless you’re targeting a niche market that they don’t service.

When setting your prices, make sure you’re working for a reasonable hourly rate considering that car valeting is time-consuming and labour-intensive. Additionally, be sure to earn a reasonable margin for your business on top of the wages you pay your staff.

Standard valeting, full valeting, and interior valeting services are usually offered at a fixed price. A vehicle’s price depends on its size and type, and unusual vehicles may need to be quoted separately. If the vehicle is particularly dirty, an extra charge may be applied.

It is usually necessary to charge separately for extras such as engine cleaning and alloy wheel refurbishment. Often, a separate charge is made for collection and return of a car to a customer’s home or workplace. It may be necessary to check what your competitors charge to determine the exact price you will charge. Customers will not be willing to pay much more than necessary for services they can easily obtain elsewhere. Consider how often you will review your prices.

Establish a pricing strategy that includes up-selling. Consider offering a very competitively priced ‘mini valet’ to your customers, but also offering other services such as paintwork polishing or engine steam cleaning. Try not to irritate customers by trying too hard to sell them services they don’t need.

It’s probably best to estimate each job as it comes in and agree a price with the customer beforehand if you offer extra services, such as small paintwork touch-ups and SMART body repairs. Estimating the extent of the work required and setting a fair price require experience. You should only take on jobs that you are confident you can complete quickly and efficiently.

When determining your prices for premium services like paintwork correction, you will need to take into account your travelling costs if you plan to travel around the country to customers’ homes. Detailed work on a high-value supercar may take several days, so you’ll need to budget for overnight accommodation as well.

Special offers and discounts

Make a decision about what discounts, promotions, and special offers you’ll offer.

Your trade customers may receive a discount as a matter of course. Your pricing policy and the level of local competition will determine how much discount you offer. You could offer further discounts for fleets of vehicles or for customers who have their vehicles valeted regularly. From time to time, you might offer special promotions and loyalty programs.

The skills you’ll need for a car valeting business

Car detailing is a process that involves cleaning and polishing the interior and exterior of a vehicle to restore it to showroom condition. It’s a popular service among car owners who want to keep their vehicles looking new, and it can be a lucrative business for those with the right skills. To be successful in the car valeting business, you’ll need to be able to clean both the inside and outside of a car quickly and thoroughly.

You’ll also need to be familiar with different detailing techniques, such as polishing and waxing. In addition, good customer service skills are essential, as you’ll be dealing directly with clients. If you have the right mix of skills and experience, then starting a car valeting business could be a great opportunity for you.

Tools and equipment that are needed

The next step in the process is deciding what tools you will need. As mentioned earlier, mobile valeting equipment has different requirements when compared to those setting up a permanent spot and here’s how essential each one can be:

• Brushes
• Chamois
• Squeegees
• Pressure washer
• Polishers Soaps
• Cleaning chemicals
• Vacuum cleaner
• Buffing machine

If you intend to start your business by carry out mobile valets, you will also need a van with enough room to transport all of your equipment.

Buy an existing car valeting business

Rather than starting your own valeting business from scratch, you might decide to buy an existing one. A going concern can include products, customers, regular sales, staff, premises, and equipment.

Consider carefully what you are actually getting for your money – would starting your own business be cheaper and just as effective? Regular and repeat customers, such as taxi fleets, and the reputation of the company are important factors to consider.

If you don’t have the right skills and experience on your team, including the right legal and financial expertise, buying a business can be a hazardous, expensive process. The price you pay for the business should be based on its true trading and financial position.

Conclusion

Starting a car valeting business can be a lucrative and rewarding venture for entrepreneurs who are passionate about cars and providing exceptional customer service. To start, one must conduct market research to identify potential customers, assess the competition, and determine pricing strategies. A well-equipped mobile van or a physical location with necessary tools and supplies is also necessary.

It is also important to establish partnerships with suppliers, create a marketing strategy, and develop a service menu that includes detailing, washing, polishing, and other services. Building a loyal customer base through excellent service and word of mouth recommendations is key to long-term success in the car valeting industry.