Mobile Detailing Water Supply Question

[FCAD]

I have been detailing vehicles for my fater-in-law who is a Auto Wholesaler and I am doing them at my house or his house. By using his vehicles as test vehicles I feel that I am confident enough to start up a mobile detailing company in my spare time. I am going to be putting a posting in my neighborhood news letter offering my services but I'm not sure it will look good me using the customers water supply and not brining my own.

Do any of you use your customers water supply when you detail their vehicle at their residence weather it's a place of business or their house?

Thanks,
Jason.

[Tuck91]

Re: Mobile Detailing Water Supply Question

I have never had a customer tell me i couldnt use their water or power, in fact most welcome it. I could see if you were doing a fleet truck type wash or dealer lot wash then you would need your own water.

It doesnt make you look unprofessional. Hire a painter, window cleaner, pressure washer, or even a landscaper will all use the customers water. Even 90% of businesses have water hookup on hand somewhere outside the building.

Focus on having a clean professional company shirt, van with logos, biz cards, etc.

[Detailing by M]

Re: Mobile Detailing Water Supply Question

You usually can use your customers water, most of them expect you too. I have to tell people that I bring my own water and there impressed.
One thing you can do is get a DI water filter and filter there water. I hate tap water.
If you've never used DI water you don't know what your missing.
The difference is like night and day.

[jarred767]

Its not a big deal at all. I've been doing this for 7+ years and full time for 4+ (5-10 cars a week depending on the time of year) and over all those jobs I've had 1 customer who didn't want me to use his water or power (well technically he wanted me to give him a discount for using his water and power). It just hasn't been much of an issue for me at all. I used to have issues with not having water available at complexes or parking garages and lost out on a couple jobs, but with the new waterless wash stuff it's no big deal, I just have a 5-gallon drum in my work truck that I keep full and all is good.

There's a ton of other stuff to focus on when starting out (like all the stuff Nick mentioned) that's more important. If you feel like you need to add a water tank down the road once your established, then it may make more sense then.

Good luck with the new venture!!

[FCAD]

Re: Mobile Detailing Water Supply Question

Thanks for the info guys. I'll start with the essentials like business cards, Shirts, and so on. Now that I think about it you Nick you are correct when it comes to water. If you hire a pressure washer to clean your house/Driveway they use your water.

[JG_Detailing]

I never had to use someone's water to cleaner their vehicles. The reason is because I pick up there vehicle and bring it back to my place to do the job.