Quotes and menus are priced differently
A quote adjusts for the exact car: size, condition, drive, add-ons. A menu cannot. It has to be right on average, and the average includes the minivan booked as "interior refresh" that turned out to have a toddler. So the menu is built from the same cost method as a quote, with two changes: an average drive instead of the real one, and a higher margin.
Step 1: five lines, hours and chemicals for a sedan
| Package | Labour hours | Chemicals |
|---|---|---|
| Express Wash and Vacuum | 1.0 | $4 |
| Interior Refresh | 2.0 | $7 |
| Full Interior Detail | 3.0 | $11 |
| Full Inside and Out | 4.5 | $18 |
| Premium Detail and Sealant | 6.5 | $42 |
Hours are hands-on time on a sedan in normal condition. Five lines is enough; more than that and customers stop reading.
Step 2: cost each line
The average drive is your round trip averaged across the patch you serve, 0.5 to 0.8 hours for most mobile operators. The true cost per hour is your loaded wage plus van, equipment and overhead; see the hourly rate guide.
Step 3: 40% margin, rounded up
Divide by 0.60. $192.90 ÷ 0.60 = $321.50, rounded up to $325. Forty percent is not greed; it is the buffer a fixed price needs to absorb the heavy-condition car and the far drive you could not price for.
| Package | Sedan cost | Menu price |
|---|---|---|
| Express Wash and Vacuum | $87 | $150 |
| Interior Refresh | $139 | $235 |
| Full Interior Detail | $193 | $325 |
| Full Inside and Out | $274 | $460 |
| Premium Detail and Sealant | $397 | $665 |
Step 4: size upcharges, not one price
A large SUV takes 40% more time and product than a sedan. Price every size with a multiplier on hours and chemicals, then print the difference as an upcharge next to the package. Customers accept "+$105 for large SUV." They do not accept a surprise $430 when the website said $325.
| Package | Crossover +15% | Pickup +25% | Minivan +30% | Large SUV +40% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Express | +$10 | +$20 | +$25 | +$35 |
| Interior Refresh | +$25 | +$45 | +$55 | +$70 |
| Full Interior | +$40 | +$65 | +$80 | +$105 |
| Full Inside and Out | +$60 | +$100 | +$120 | +$160 |
| Premium | +$90 | +$150 | +$180 | +$240 |
The package price calculator produces this grid for any line from your own numbers.
Step 5: condition is a quote, not a menu item
Size you can see from the driveway. Condition you cannot promise a price for. Put a line on the menu: "Prices are for vehicles in normal condition. Heavy soiling, pet hair, smoke and spills are quoted on site." Then quote those with the job calculator.
Keeping the menu honest
- Check each line against your current price. If your posted full interior is $250, that is a 23% margin on these costs, not 40%. Now you know which lines carry the business.
- No loss leaders. A cheap express wash attracts express-wash customers. Every line above your minimum margin.
- Recalculate quarterly, reprint when a line moves $10. Fuel, product and your wage all drift.