Would you consider adding mobile?

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PostPosted: Sun Mar 18, 2012 12:42 pm
Greetings!

I notice some here spell things differently so I guess there is a world wide audience on this forum which is a good thing. This is my first post and I'm hoping it makes it to the board.

I have been in the mobile paint business for ten years now as an owner and as an employee. I worked for a business that grossed approximately 4 million a year doing mobile paint, dents, and interiors. I personally know a few guys who do just mobile paint who have grossed about 1 million a year. These guys all have about a 20-30% gross profit margin depending on how you define profit margin. I have been self employed in the business for 7 of those 10 years. I've seen a lot and I feel I've got to be one of the most knowledgeable guys in the business. I'm a painter with a degree in business management so I have always looked at things from a business point of view but I enjoy the trade.

So, I'm wondering if there are shop owners out there who would be interested in learning how to expand their businesses by doing moble paint for car dealers, rental agencies, reconditioning centers, etc.? I don't have a product for sale and I haven't thought through this at all. I'm just here to try to guage interest. I know very few shop owners and car dealer body shops who have done this. And I'm wondering why??? I'm doing further research and if I feel there is an interest I may move forward with something.

In the meantime please feel free to comment or ask questions. I hope this is okay to post here. I'll be glad to contribute in anyway I can.

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PostPosted: Sun Mar 18, 2012 9:35 pm
In most places you can't do any sort of commercial refinishing without meeting EPA requirements and local ordinances. Between prep room and paint booth the last two guys I've talked to in my town who set up for paint had receipts for over $100K just to get the show started.

So before you franchise your business model, how would you overcome that problem? I know a couple of mobile guys who got shut down just for this reason.



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PostPosted: Mon Mar 19, 2012 12:41 pm
Hey Chris!

I’m definitely not looking to franchise. And anyone who already has a shop knows enough that they can expand into mobile without the need for a franchise or a large investment. If there is an interest in any aspect of what we discuss here or I find otherwise, I might be interested in filling the need somehow. I don’t claim to know everything but I know a lot about doing this business outside of the shop.

The regulations to spray outdoors are getting more complicated. I can’t advise on the subject obviously but I can tell you there are places to get training so as to fully comply. Your local paint jobber should be advised on the matter but probably isn’t. In a nutshell you need to get an “exemption” from the EPA 6H rule and use a 3oz cup when spraying. If you use a cup larger than 3oz you need a 3 sided enclosure to spray parts off the car. If the part is on the car you would need a four sided enclosure. You are only supposed to spray so much square area. Some states require or will require waterbourne paint to be used. These are issues that each owner needs to address locally.

I can tell you I don’t know anyone using an enclosure to do their work. I can also tell you this is not something that has inhibited competition. There is still plenty of competition and people are not being run out of the business by the feds. Maybe some! If you aren’t compliant with EPA or OSHA and you don’t carry MSDS sheets with you and such you probably should be shut down and I’m sure your competition who is compliant will be glad to see you go.

I’m approaching this from the standpoint of someone interested in expanding into mobile which means you already have a fixed location, paint, and some supplies. Even if you went the way of a franchise I don’t see how anyone could spend near $100k to get started. There are different ways to run this business. Depending on the customer’s needs and profit potential you may choose to set up a fixed location onsite. Or you may want a van or trailer set up. I prefer used vans but a fixed location can be well worth the expense and effort. And there is a place for trailers in the business also.

As far as cost goes, if you have paint and some supplies you are left with the cost of a van and some equipment. I’ve seen vans with 60k miles on them sell for $5k. After that you need a nice interior setup, paint, supplies, equipment, and some logos. I know a guy who buys his vans at insurance auctions which have a salvage title. I think the last one he bought he had $3k into it. So for a fully stocked van you might pay around $8k. Every van you have on the road should produce at least $8k per month. I know guys who average $10k and I know guys who average maybe $5k. It depends on you! A van can produce on average a maximum of $10k per month.

Like anything else this is not an easy business and there’s a lot to know. I’m at the age where I’ve about come to the conclusion that nothing is easy or maybe I’m just getting tired. But for the right guy this can be a profitable business and having a shop makes it all that much better. You can handle anything that is thrown your way. And all the while you have these vans out scouring the planet making money and looking for new business rather than waiting for the business to come to you. Something that attracted me to the business originally was the fact that I could go out and get business rather than wait for it to come to me.

Chris this is your site so I hope I helped answer your questions.

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PostPosted: Mon Mar 19, 2012 3:39 pm
Thanks for the feedback...and I don't know if the local guys here that got bounced were using 3oz cups or even filed for a waiver...or maybe someone complained about them that their kid sneezed two days after they painted a mile from the house -- you know that's the usual drill.

My only point was that to set expectations correctly it's very difficult to make mobile work a successful business. Now, I love barriers to market -- that means you need to be tougher, smarter and get up an hour earlier than the other guy. If it were easy, then it's not worth doing ;-)



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PostPosted: Mon Mar 19, 2012 4:25 pm
Thanks for the good questions Chris and for allowing me to post this.

I feel like I should add something. This is a wholesale business. I have never known anyone to make any money doing this for retail customers. You are right in that this is not a business that should be done in the neighbors driveway. Think car dealers...the bigger the better, auctions, rental companies, etc. These are the customers we serve. The business is fairly consistent and the work is not as difficult as collision work. Mostly bumpers, trim, and mirrors. The really fun part is negotiating with owners and managers in the wholesale market :happy:



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PostPosted: Mon Jul 16, 2012 2:25 pm
I would definitely not buy into a mobile franchise. I did and regret it. I made good money but a lot went back to franchise fees and the franchise agreemant caused unnecessary work and headaches. I made great money until I expanded and the employee nightmare destroyed me. If anyone wants to get into mobile paint I would suggest staying small. Three people on one well equipped vehicle worked the best for me, as long as I was one of the three. On our best day we grossed almost $2500 at our biggest dealership and I would say netted 30% to 35% profit, as previously stated. That was an exception to the rule but $1000 to $1500 per day can easily done if you have the right accounts. As for retail business that is the most profitable so I wouldn't ignore them. You can get by doing most of them right there at the dealership and you can pick and choose what jobs that you want to drive to, damaged motor homes are great for example.

The bottom line for me is that I grew too big too fast and stopped working in the field with my employees and when the economy slowed down everything went to pieces. If anyone would like any advice on mobile painting as well as other mobile services fell free to give me a call. If anyone is interested in equipment and vehicles, I have two that are fully equipped with, spray guns, a compressor, water tank, glass weld repair kit etc. etc. my phone number is 352-613-2630 and my email is [email protected]



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PostPosted: Sat Dec 08, 2012 12:28 pm
Edupainter.... How can I get ahold of you? I'd like to chat.



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PostPosted: Sun Nov 08, 2015 9:57 pm
Hey guys I am also in the mobile bumper repair business and at the moment working for a company. They paid me to train with no prior experience with a paint gun and hardly any body work either besides sanding my brothers Miata project car he built. I've always had an eye for detail though and am a quick learner. Within 3 months of training 5 days a week out in the field they got me my own van and supplies and I am always getting compliments on my work, many people have told me it's amazing the results I get outside and say it's better than work they see from many body shops. I picked up on the painting very quick and I believe I have surpassed my trainer in at least the aspect of job cleanliness and paint finish and even many times the color match. I have actually been told by my boss and my manager that I have a smoother cleaner trigger hand and my manager specifically asked me to work on his car and not my trainer who has been doing this for over 25 years.
Anyway, the main reason why I am here though is to learn more. In just over a year I have learned a lot but I feel I cannot learn much more with what I have. I only have experience with certain products and obviously the body work experience is something that is an art that can take a long time to truely master.
What this is coming down to is I am looking to different options as to how to go about doing this job. First off, we use a turbine system to power our hvlp spray guns that the system puts out about 7 psi. The problem is it is hard to get a consistent result on the finish of the clear and spray patterns are effected so easily. What sort of setups do you guys use in your mobile setups if you don't mind me asking? How big of a compressor or other specs on that and how do you go about power? Generators, battery power, extension cords to building power supplies?? Any help would be awesome I really want to further my education in this field and hopefully someday soon start my own thing. Thanks in advanced for any help!

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