What an auto detailing proposal is for
Detailing customers often do not know the difference between a wash, a polish and a coating, and price alone does not explain it. Three packages on their own vehicle, each saying what the paint will look like and how long it lasts, let them choose with their eyes open.
What to put on an auto detailing proposal
- The same vehicle in each package.
- What each package does to the paint and interior.
- How long the results last.
- Products for the coating option.
- One acceptance line.
A worked example
The same SUV. Price each package from your own menu.
Option 1: Good: full detail. Clean inside and out.
| Line | Qty | Unit | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full detail, SUV | 1 | each | Your price |
| Pet hair removal | 1 | each | Your price |
Option 2: Better: detail and polish. Adds clay and a one-step polish for gloss and light swirl removal.
| Line | Qty | Unit | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full detail, SUV | 1 | each | Your price |
| Pet hair removal | 1 | each | Your price |
| Clay bar decontamination | 1 | each | Your price |
| One-step polish | 1 | each | Your price |
Option 3: Best: correction and coating. Multi-step correction and a ceramic coating for long-lasting protection.
| Line | Qty | Unit | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full detail, SUV | 1 | each | Your price |
| Pet hair removal | 1 | each | Your price |
| Clay bar decontamination | 1 | each | Your price |
| Paint correction, multi-step | 6 | hour | Your price |
| Ceramic coating | 1 | each | Your price |
Describe the result in each note: clean, glossy, or corrected and protected. That is how customers choose.
Line items detailers use
| Line item | Unit | How to write it |
|---|---|---|
| Exterior hand wash and dry | each | Wheels, tires and door jambs. |
| Interior vacuum and wipe-down | each | Seats, carpets, dash and console. |
| Full detail, sedan | each | Inside and out. |
| Full detail, SUV or truck | each | Larger vehicles take longer. |
| Clay bar decontamination | each | Before polish or protection. |
| One-step polish | each | Light swirl removal and gloss. |
| Paint correction, multi-step | hour | Priced by time after inspection. |
| Ceramic coating | each | Name the product and the durability it claims. |
| Carpet and seat shampoo | each | Hot water extraction of fabric. |
| Leather clean and condition | each | Seats and trim. |
| Pet hair removal | each | Surcharge for heavy hair. |
| Headlight restoration | set | Both headlights. |
| Engine bay cleaning | each | Low pressure with covered electrics. |
| Mobile service fee | each | If you charge to come to the customer. |
Terms and deposit language for auto detailing
- Deposit. Coatings and paint correction often take a deposit to hold the day. Washes and standard details usually do not.
- Payment. Due when the vehicle is handed back, after the customer has looked it over.
- Warranty. Coating durability claims come from the maker and depend on upkeep; say what you stand behind and what voids it.
- Some scratches, stains and odors cannot be fully removed; say so before you start.
- Remove valuables from the vehicle; you are not responsible for items left inside.
- Mobile jobs need water and power access or a fee for bringing your own.
How to fill it in
- Fill in the customer and the job.
- Check each option's name, its one-line difference and its lines.
- Add your prices; each option totals on its own.
- Set tax, the deposit and the good-until date.
- Print it, download it, or send it from Koira so the customer can pick and sign on the phone.
Free tools for auto detailing
The same proposal for other trades: appliance repair, carpet cleaning, chimney, house cleaning, commercial cleaning, concrete, drywall, electrical, fence, flooring, garage door, general contractor, gutter, handyman, hvac, irrigation, junk removal, landscaping, lawn care, locksmith, moving, painting, pest control, plumbing, pool service, pressure washing, remodeling, roofing, septic, snow removal, solar, tree service, waterproofing, window cleaning.
More for detailers: how detailers run on Koira.