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Brad G

Brad G

Punto Power!
Parked in the garage Written a guide
Joined
Nov 29, 2009
Messages
767
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Location
Edinburgh
As some of you guys know i am a Automotive Spray painter. At the end of my college course I am wanting to set up myself. Ive been thinking long and hard about it over the last 2 years. Wanted to get some thoughts and ask a few questions. I would either buy a lock up and start from there. Or would a mobile service be better.

Would you feel comfortable for someone to carry out a repair at your home or workplace?

Services
. Detailing
. Body Work
. Paint Work
. Touch Ups
. Audio & Visual
. Alloy Refurbishment
. Reverse Parking Sensors
. Paint less Dent Removal
. Hands Free Kits

Logo idea i came up with for Mobile Service
ProTouch-Logo.jpg


I would buy a VW caddy van similar to this and sticker it up.

BTW let me know if you like the logo
 
So long as I knew the person coming out to do the work, I would feel comfortable with it.
I think doing it Mobile, yes it will cost you more getting to & from customers, but think of the return you would get.
Say you did paint touch up's for £25 & a main dealership did it for say £45, with being mobile, people don't have to think about transport.
So they don't gave to think about Busses/ Trains/ Taxis.
Coming out to them would mean they could save money & get the word about for your buisness.

Now I knew a guy who signed up on FS when we were fiat-scotland, I'd seen his van at my work's carpark, a company called Smart ABC (Auto Body Coat) & I got chatting & asked about Alloy refurb when I had the Sei.
He gave me a price & said that if I drove down to his house (about 45mins drive), he could then drop me back in Ayr if I was working & pick me up at the end of my shift.
Sadly the company he had the franchise with, went under & I've lost touch with him.

When I can afford it I'd give you some buisness on Dubster.... Alloy Wheel refurb, Plastic Welding & Paint Touch up.
 
I'd say mobile service to start up then moving to a residence once you become bigger. I'd love the idea of someone coming to my house to do it; but then again I don't know about the difference in finish from being in a paint booth / weather restrictions etc. Unless you had a pop up gazebo to go around the car while you worked?

The hands free kits / ICE will definitely work as I know from experience driving to a shop to get a simple stereo fitting and it taking 20 mins to get there - then a HOUR wait when it's like a 15 minute max job, as well as People are more comfortable in their own home - but they'd probably 'trust' a garage more - but when they see the quality of your work mate they wont be put off. If I've still got my dents / scratches on the car by the time you start up I'll definitely get you to sort em.

Logo looks brilliant. Good luck mate.
 
First off, the logo looks fine. Presume you'll probably get a URL under it perhaps to go into further detail about what services are on offer?

Think the mobile vs static argument is one of overheads. If you're mobile, it'd be logical to work in a distance charge I'd guess for fuel costs and such. Obviously there's the van itself too with the costs that'd incur though I'm not sure what the status is of start-up grants and such and whether the whole tax-deductible expenses for things like that come into play here either. If you're static, you'd just have worry about paying the lease and getting the word out but you wouldn't be able to chase the business as much.

Personally I'd be perfectly comfortable with a home service for the stuff you've mentioned, so long as the service provided is decent :p

Best of luck with whatever you decide to do though :)
 
logo looks good :)

yeah, i'd definitely be comfortable with a mobile repairer for your offered services, i wouldn't be too worried about how people feel on that anyway, because A) people like the convenience of folk going to them to do the work in the place that's easiest for them and B) because of that, when they see the quality of your work, any misconceptions they may have once had will be gone and you'll build an excellent reputation :) getting your own premises eventually would be good but building up your own personal reputation/customer bases in your own right via the mobile way first is a good way of making sure any overheads of a premises are well and truly covered, and even then you could still offer the mobile service on top of the static one ;)
 
Thanks for all the advice. Completly change of thought in my head for the logo. Came up with this. Less colours and hopefully looks more professional. To answer a few questions. The finish would be no different compared to a garage. Its all about how the paint is applied. Only downside it would be weather permitted and living in scotland lol does not help. I could buy a aluminum pop up tent. Attach eye lits to the sides so i could put detachable walls on. But was also thinking about going around car rental places and car lots to do touch ups also.

Logo V2
ProTouch-2.jpg
 
Right say you got a Van.
Attach a full length Awning to the O/S or N/S where you would have you sliding door & then you can have legs that unclip & get put in the van for transport.
Now there is still some Smart ABC Franchises, this is the Northern Ireland one, but you'll see what I mean about the Awning.
http://www.smartabcni.co.uk/about.html
 
ive had mobile sprayers out before and they work well...


but if i ever wanted larger jobs. ie, more than a touch up id never have it done at my house. id want it all done at a shop or lockup as i would want the paint to propperly be protected whilst its drying.
 
my mate jsut had his astra sprayed at an address, and a week later he drove it and it chipped like mad.... some shops have said its because its not been baked on propperly :s.


id also be worried about enviromental factors, like wind and rain affecting the finish
 
Yeh all sounds good. I do feel being mobile is the way forward. Being in the automotive trade i know the trade can have a very bad name. People dont want to spend to much money and smart repair keeps the cost down low for the customer. Some big garages have shut down in Scotland due to insurance work etc. A other reason why maybe i should go for mobile than a garage. I know guy who does sign writing and can make me t-shirts, poloshirts hoodies etc. Ive created websites for numerous compaines so design work isnt a problem for myself. Its really hoping i will get work. I dont want to do all this work spend my money on a van and have no work.

Polo-shirt idea what the logo would look like on a Polo-Shirt
Pro-Touch-Shirt.jpg


Wanting to set a very high standard of work and apperence also to attract customers and make a good name.
 
Different logo looks fine as well :)

Building a good reputation is the hard part I guess, which has been touched on, since a bad job here or there can ruin a company's rep quite easily. I do think that possibly the best advert for your business on start up's your own Punto. It shows the quality of work you can deliver on many of the points you've mentioned so people would view that as a known quantity almost. Plus of course, you've got pics of the various things you've done - something else that can be added to the site when you build it.

I think if you can make a name for yourself in the segment, the business will come. It's all about the rep and keeping the standards up, once you nail that I'd imagine that'd be half the battle.
 
I agree with what Rob's said.
You've got Elanor to show what you can achieve.
The best way to show people, would be have some pics of the Punto when she was standard, so a before & after sort of thing.
I was quoted £200 for a bumper repair on Dubster & that was if I provided the fog light.
Spoke to the dealership I bought Dubster from & explained what I was wanting & what Goudies Coachworks had quoted & told them that I could get hold of a brand new bumper.
Now Sharon (Service Manager) went & spoke to her boss & then phoned me as I was walking into Ayr town centre & said that they would spray the bumper for £150 & that they would also take it to their Accident Repair Centre to be Painted & they would also bring it back to Ayr, all I had to do was get the bumper to them.

Now I'm quite glad I bought a brand new bumper, as when I removed the damaged one, I found it had been repaired before.
And for £150 I couldn't fault Bridgend's work.
I told Sharon on the phone, that the paint code was on a sticker under the bonnet & that it was Chemical Grey, she took the details of that & passed it on to the mechanics, who were changing Dubster's Alternator.

I think go with the Polo Shirt & maybee a Jacket as well.
 
Brad Gill said:
Thanks for all the advice. Completly change of thought in my head for the logo. Came up with this. Less colours and hopefully looks more professional. To answer a few questions. The finish would be no different compared to a garage. Its all about how the paint is applied. Only downside it would be weather permitted and living in scotland lol does not help. I could buy a aluminum pop up tent. Attach eye lits to the sides so i could put detachable walls on. But was also thinking about going around car rental places and car lots to do touch ups also.

Logo V2
ProTouch-2.jpg
Click to expand...

there is something about that logo...

[attachment=1:f1zuikh6]logo whit on purple.jpg[/attachment:f1zuikh6]

lol
 
wow that image is huge lol and rally pixalated the pngs are better i hope lol
 
never said it was the same just similar type logo's with the outline
 
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