What a detailing price really depends on

Every price on this site is written as a starting price for a small car. That phrasing annoys some people, and it is worth explaining why it is there rather than leaving it as small print.

Size is the obvious half

A three row SUV has roughly twice the glass, twice the carpet and considerably more painted surface than a compact sedan. Shampooing the carpets in a large family vehicle with a third row is not the same job as doing a two seat coupe, and pretending otherwise would only mean quoting everyone the higher number.

So the published figure is the small car figure, and it goes up from there with the size of the vehicle. You are quoted the real number before anything starts.

Condition is the half people forget

Two identical vehicles can be completely different jobs. One has been vacuumed every couple of weeks and needs a tidy. The other has done two years of school runs, a house move and a beach trip. The second one is not twice the work, it can be four times the work.

That is why interior detailing exists at two depths rather than one. Interior Only covers a car that needs a proper clean. The Super Interior exists for cars that need stain removal, pet hair removal and odour removal, with the carpets and the leather done twice rather than once.

The surcharge, stated plainly

There are four things that can add between 20 and 50 percent to a package price:

• Excessive pet hair worked into carpet and upholstery
• Mold or mildew
• Human or animal biological waste
• Excessive general soiling

None of these are judgement calls made after the fact. The technician looks at the vehicle, tells you the figure, and you decide before any work begins. Nobody starts a four hour interior and then negotiates.

How to get an accurate number first time

Describe the car honestly when you call. Say it has a dog in it every weekend. Say the toddler was sick in the back in July. Say the trunk has had bags of compost in it. None of that is unusual and none of it is a problem, but it is the difference between a quote that holds and a quote that moves.

A photograph or two of the worst areas sent over before the appointment is even better. It takes a minute and it removes the surprise entirely.

And what does not change the price

Coming to you does not cost extra within the normal service area. The travel is built into how this business works rather than added at the end. The only travel related rule is that headlight restoration and engine compartment wipe downs need to be booked alongside a detailing package or a regular wash when the address is more than ten miles out, because a short add on does not justify the trip on its own.

Beyond that, what you were quoted is what you pay, and payment is due on completion by cash, check, Venmo, Zelle, Cash App or card.