Kinda New to the Biz

January 20, 2006

Hello all,

I have done auto tinting off and on unprofessionally for the past ten years. I just started my own "part-time" Residential tinting business (Home-Based Biz for now). I created a website www.LindsayTint.com, and I am about to start a local media blitz (door hangers, word of mouth, etc...) and I guess what I am interested in knowing from all you veteran pros out there in tint land is what would be the best advice for me just starting out. I pretty much have the whole tinting application process down with great results in the past. I also have the whole customer service thing down too, I have been a Registered Nurse for the past 11 years so I am use to handling the public. By the way I am a male nurse so get the visions of a hot female in a white skirt and low cut top out of ur mind. I got my first call for an estimate this week. I quoted the customer $610 for 113 windows and a 6ft sliding door. 7 of the windows are average sized casement windows, 3 are fixed pane 3ftx3ft approx 12 feet off the floor and 3 are 2x2 fixed pain approx 7ft off the floor. I live in ohio and the competition up here close to non existant. Is this a pretty fair qoute? This customer is in the local real estate business and pretty much already stated she would refer quite a few people. The cost of tint I ordered from Solar gard, to do the job is around $200. Sorry for the lengthy read. Anyways, all replies are welcome. -Jim :thumb

January 20, 2006

welcome and good luck :thumb

oh yeah and we dont talk prices on the board

January 20, 2006

welcome and good luck
oh yeah and we dont talk prices on the board

[*]362827

I know you all dont talk prices, just wanted to know if it was "fair" quote. A simple yes or no would do, I wasnt expecting specific pricing. But if that is crossing the line, I apologize. Thanks for the "welcome". Jim :thumb

January 20, 2006

get your posts up and pm some of us -we will be glad to help on prices

that may be a fair price in your market but the point was all markets are different and if a customer

see this sprice from another market they might think there getting gouged.

as far as yes or no -I dont know Im in Texas and that would be considered very low

unless the 113 windows was a typo

again good luck

January 20, 2006

get your posts up and pm some of us -we will be glad to help on prices
that may be a fair price in your market but the point was all markets are different and if a customer

see this sprice from another market they might think there getting gouged.

as far as yes or no -I dont know Im in Texas and that would be considered very low

unless the 113 windows was a typo

again good luck

[*]362834

OOOPs! yes that 113 windows was a TYPO , I meant 13 Thanks for picking up on that

January 20, 2006

:thumb :thumb

now you see why another paying customer on here might see that and think there getting gouged

that sounds fair for you on 13 and the rest

January 20, 2006

First I'll assume you meant 13 not 113 windows. IMHO that is too low. How can you recover all your overhead costs? They may not be high now but they will increase. Last time I checked, you have to pay for door hangers. How about insurance? Liability? You also deserve health insurance too. Your vehicle. I will breakdown and or need maintenance. And so on. When you are self employed. You MUST bank money for later. Bla bla bla. Quality work will always get you more. We could all write a book on this subject. Good luck and welcome.

PS. last time I check, college educations are free. Don't you think your (ours) kids deserve one.

January 20, 2006

First I'll assume you meant 13 not 113 windows. IMHO that is too low. How can you recover all your overhead costs? They may not be high now but they will increase. Last time I checked, you have to pay for door hangers. How about insurance? Liability? You also deserve health insurance too. Your vehicle. I will breakdown and or need maintenance. And so on. When you are self employed. You MUST bank money for later. Bla bla bla. Quality work will always get you more. We could all write a book on this subject. Good luck and welcome.
PS. last time I check, college educations are free. Don't you think your (ours) kids deserve one.

[*]362841

Good point and they are well taken. As far as overhead costs, I am covered on my wife's health insurance, And at the moment my only employee is me. I never thought about liability insurance. How much does that usually cost and would I just contact my insurance guy? Is that the same as being bonded? Also like I said I currently work three 12 hour shifts per week as a nurse and pull in around $75,000 a year and am starting out tinting as a part-time business with hopes of making it a full-time biz in the future so I dont have to deal with the daily stresses of having someones life in my hands as a nurse in critical care. Thanks for the comments and keep em coming Jim :thumb

January 20, 2006

Generally speaking, bonding is for protecting you pertaining to employees that work for you. So, you would not need to be bonded. Now I have no expertise on this subject. If anyone has additional info on that subject, I would like to see it.

Self employment is not for everyone. I would never encourage anyone making 75K to quit and go self employed. Unless you h@te your job.

12 hour shifts are 1/2 days for most of us.

Here is how I look at it. Being Self -employed is way of life. I figure at this point I am probably unemployable to the respect that I can't/won't work for anyone. Unless you are willing to leave your gonads exposed, be careful. Too many sledgehammers swinging about.

OK, I have reached my metaphor limit.

January 20, 2006

Generally speaking, bonding is for protecting you pertaining to employees that work for you. So, you would not need to be bonded. Now I have no expertise on this subject. If anyone has additional info on that subject, I would like to see it.
Self employment is not for everyone. I would never encourage anyone making 75K to quit and go self employed. Unless you h@te your job.

12 hour shifts are 1/2 days for most of us.

Here is how I look at it. Being Self -employed is way of life. I figure at this point I am probably unemployable to the respect that I can't/won't work for anyone. Unless you are willing to leave your gonads exposed, be careful. Too many sledgehammers swinging about.

OK, I have reached my metaphor limit.

[*]362855

Thanks for the info, I'm not ready to quit my full-time job yet. I will only do the tinting thig as a second income or possibly go full-time with it if business realy picks up. Jim