What you're pricing in mobile car valeting
Mobile car valeting is cleaning and detailing cars at the customer's home or workplace, from a quick wash to a full interior and exterior valet. One job means washing, cleaning and finishing a car at the customer's address. How often a customer comes back: every two to six months for regular customers, and many are one-off. That pattern decides how you should think about price.
The method is the same as for any round (see how to price a round): work out what your time has to earn, find out how long a job takes, and add what it costs you. This page shows it with numbers for mobile car valeting.
What moves the price
- Package: exterior wash, interior valet or a full detail
- Size of the vehicle: a van or large SUV takes longer than a hatchback
- Condition: pet hair, mud and stains need extra time
- Extras: polish, wax, ceramic coating and leather care
- Whether you bring your own water and power
Example: pricing one car
- 90 minutes on site + 20 minutes getting there and setting up = 110 minutes
- 110 minutes at £30 an hour = £55
- Add £8 for materials and fuel = £63
Price: £63 per car
Set a minimum
Set a minimum price per car, since setting up on a driveway takes the same effort for a quick wash as for a full valet. If a customer won't pay it, they're costing you more in time than they pay you, and the round is better without them.
How many jobs that means
With that example price, here is what earning £2,000 a month looks like once you've covered the costs of running the business.
| Monthly cost (example) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Public liability and customer-vehicle insurance | £40 |
| Van, fuel and servicing | £200 |
| Equipment and generator repayments | £100 |
| Rounds software | £35 |
| Advertising | £60 |
| Total running costs | £435 |
- Income wanted: £2,000 + running costs £435 = £2,435 a month
- At £63 a job: 39 jobs a month
If a regular customer comes 3 times a year, that's about 156 customers on the books
Customers return a few times a year, so each one is worth several visits, and the diary needs steady new customers as well as regulars.
Raising your prices
Review your prices at least once a year. Tell customers in writing, give them a few weeks' notice and name the new price and the date it starts. The message to copy is in how to price a round.
Run your mobile car valeting in WorkWise
Services with their own prices: Each customer's visit has its own services and price, so a full valet and a quick wash are set up once and repeat.