GregP
05-21-2010, 02:03 PM
I was getting ready to schedule for the boats spring waxing when my daughter and her friend asked how much I'd pay them if they did it. I pointed out that it is a little like waxing a semi trailer and if they started they had to finish it. They were still interested so I said I'd pay them the same as the detailers. They waxed the boat over the last two weekends (I had warned them it would take a while) and it came out as well as the last time I had the detailers do it.
A couple of "details" did come up. First, I had to buy the compound, wax, rags etc which are normally in the detailiers price. I had to help with some of the buffing with the compound as they were a bit intimidated by the buffer (I made the final polish pass to even out any streaks, and my body reminded me why I pay someone else to do this). And to top it off, my buffer died. It started making bad sounds on the last pass down the hull sides, and started smoking as I did the last couple inches at the stern. Now I have to buy a new buffer, which is also not in the normal detailers price. I bought the old buffer when I was in high school working on my first street rod about 40 years ago, so I did probably get my moneys worth out of it.
Would I do it again? Probably, but I'll have to remember to figure in the extras when negotiating the rate. They did a good job, I would likely have given my daughter at least some of the cost in clothes and other things that she now has to buy herself since she has the money to, and I figure it was a good lesson just how much work it is to make a buck with manual labor so she had better keep on her grades to get into a good college.
-Greg
A couple of "details" did come up. First, I had to buy the compound, wax, rags etc which are normally in the detailiers price. I had to help with some of the buffing with the compound as they were a bit intimidated by the buffer (I made the final polish pass to even out any streaks, and my body reminded me why I pay someone else to do this). And to top it off, my buffer died. It started making bad sounds on the last pass down the hull sides, and started smoking as I did the last couple inches at the stern. Now I have to buy a new buffer, which is also not in the normal detailers price. I bought the old buffer when I was in high school working on my first street rod about 40 years ago, so I did probably get my moneys worth out of it.
Would I do it again? Probably, but I'll have to remember to figure in the extras when negotiating the rate. They did a good job, I would likely have given my daughter at least some of the cost in clothes and other things that she now has to buy herself since she has the money to, and I figure it was a good lesson just how much work it is to make a buck with manual labor so she had better keep on her grades to get into a good college.
-Greg