Use the mileage rate as a cost line and log every mile from day one. Set aside roughly 25–30% of every payment the day it lands: 15.3% self-employment tax plus income tax. Market context: national average mobile detail $144–$254; typical-band digest $115–$215.
2. Menu Builder (exact numbers, by package and vehicle size)
Package
Contents
Sedan / coupe band
Your sedan price
SUV / truck band
Your SUV price
Maintenance wash
Rinseless or rinse wash, wheels, tire dressing, vacuum, glass
$60–$85
$75–$110
Full detail
Above plus interior deep clean, jambs, trim dressing, spray protectant
$150–$200
$190–$275
Premium detail
Full detail plus clay decontamination, one-step machine polish or premium sealant
$250–$350
$300–$450
Add-on: spray protectant
Fifteen minutes of work, about $10 of product
$25–$40
Add-on: dedicated sealant / hybrid coating
About an hour of application
$99–$175
Ceramic coating (only when trained)
Professional jobs typically $500–$2,000+; by durability tier roughly $750–$1,000 (2–3 yr) and $1,350–$1,800 (5–7 yr)
Condition multipliers published on the menu page: heavy pet hair $40–$100; extreme interior $75–$200; heavy contamination $30–$75; biohazard quote only, never on the spot. Structural rules: job minimum $75–$100; service radius about 15 miles with a small travel fee beyond; $25 deposit to book, non-refundable inside 48 hours; 25–50% down on protection work over $300.
3. Competitor Secret-Shop Grid (call as a customer; map the ceiling and floor, do not match)
Competitor
2019 sedan, standard detail
Same car, dog-hair situation
Three-row SUV
What's included
4. Your Cost Floor (per job)
Line
Your number
Supply cost per car (often under $10 in chemicals and consumables)
Miles round trip × IRS rate
Tax set-aside (25–30% of the ticket)
Speed check: hours for a full detail × target wage (e.g., 4 hr × $35/hr = $140 floor before supplies)