Whoa, how much to wash my rig again...???

[Jim]

Here in Fairview, Oregon at a nice park and often saw a local RV washing service in the park. Usually took a couple workers a couple hours to do a rig as big as mine. So called them up to get a quote to wash my 35' Winnie Class A.

I expected the price to be a little higher than the $2-$7 per foot I'm use to of course because everything RV related in this area is too darn high and it's certainly not Mexico prices. I was thinking near the high end of the scale, so $245.

The guy comes out to give me a quote and launches into a phoney, "You have oxidation!! Oh, no!", he says as he rubs his finger through the dirt on the side of the RV showing me that it comes right off with his finger.

Yeah, OK, I have some minor oxidation, big deal (and what he was showing me was just dirt). So how much, I ask? He grabs his gallon jug of liquid oxidation remover to show me, as though I'm suppose to be impressed or something. Using a liquid product is like the reverse of hard. Splash it on a brush and just brush off the oxidation. Not like you have to rub every foot of the RV by hand anymore.

He wanted $550. I laughed at him a little, told him no way.

Wow, $15.71 per foot, or $137.50/hour. For washing a RV. Not exactly skilled labor so it's hard for me to justify paying that much when I could pay a high school kid $25/hour to do it.

What do the rest of you pay these days? Does $550 seem a little high to you too?

[Mvander]

I own a mobile detailing business and although I don't do many rv's when I do them its $4 per ft measured by me for a wash and dry with no roof.

Sounds like Im a little low:)

[msmith1199]

67Cutlass wrote:
Here in north Atlanta I was quoted $1200 for just a wash on our 40 foot motor home. His business card also had pics of exotic European cars. I told him to go find a Lamborghini, your not going to touch my motor home.

I'll fly to Atlanta and wash your motorhome for $1100! Saved you a hundred bucks and I get a paid for trip to Atlanta out of the deal.

[67Cutlass]

Here in north Atlanta I was quoted $1200 for just a wash on our 40 foot motor home. His business card also had pics of exotic European cars. I told him to go find a Lamborghini, your not going to touch my motor home.

[William_B]

Jim@HiTek wrote:
Here in Fairview, Oregon at a nice park and often saw a local RV washing service in the park. Usually took a couple workers a couple hours to do a rig as big as mine. So called them up to get a quote to wash my 35' Winnie Class A.


What do the rest of you pay these days? Does $550 seem a little high to you too?

Just had my 45' motorhome washed in Gresham at Sandy River Front by Juan for $150. They did an excellent job, no roof as agreed, one of the nicest washes I've had??

[msmith1199]

Walaby wrote:

Bill.Satellite wrote:

I don't see a problem here. Do you think folks who wash RVs should not make $18.75/hour? The homeless begging at the corner average over $14/hour and they don't pay a dime in taxes or insurance or license fees and they collect all of the monies provided by other social programs. The homeless are likely making a better hourly wage than the majority of our youth but that's OK? I would be happy to pay 4 guys doing 4 hours of work $300 if they did the job I hired them for. I am sure you can do much better if you hire those guys that hang out at Home Depot.

I don't think for just washing the RV, that they should be paid $18.75 an hour. Now, wash, wax, buff, perhaps.

As far as the homeless averaging $14 an hour, that a symptom of the american people paying it, and supporting it. If people would quit giving money to panhandlers, they wouldn't be hopping in their Cadillacs at the end of the day.

That's exactly why Im for a federal sales tax. If the hookers, drug dealers or panhandlers buy a soda, they will pay the same tax I do. But, I digress...

Bottom line, back on topic, $550 is an incredibly outrageous price to pay to have your RV washed.

Mike

Bill got his math wrong. The figures were $18.75 an hour total. If their employer was paying all the proper taxes, license fees, and insurance, then he could not have afforded $8 an hour for his employees at $300 for half a day work for four people.

[msmith1199]

Bill.Satellite wrote:

msmith1199 wrote:

aslakson wrote:
We get our 32' MH detailed - wash, wax, polish - for $300 in Southern California. They include the wheel simulators and for another $20 even do the toad. And it's good work - crew of 4 guys takes about half a day. The result usually lasts a whole year until we get back there.

al

Four guys a half day work for $300? If half day is four hours that is $18.75 and hour per person. I'm going to guess they're working for cash and not paying any taxes on that money, or insurance, or business license fees, etc.

I don't see a problem here. Do you think folks who wash RVs should not make $18.75/hour? The homeless begging at the corner average over $14/hour and they don't pay a dime in taxes or insurance or license fees and they collect all of the monies provided by other social programs. The homeless are likely making a better hourly wage than the majority of our youth but that's OK? I would be happy to pay 4 guys doing 4 hours of work $300 if they did the job I hired them for. I am sure you can do much better if you hire those guys that hang out at Home Depot.

You got all that out of what I wrote? Active imagination. But yes, I do think people running a business should be licensed and insured and pay workers comp insurance on their employees and social security like the rest of us. This company is not doing that at those rates. I have no idea where you got to homeless people out of this.

On Edit: After reading my reply again, I think you are complaining that I thought $18.75 was too much? Did you read my post where I paid a guy $525 for two guy to wash and wax my motorhome and they did it in five hours? That's over $50 per hour each, and I even said I thought that was a fair price! You couldn't have missed it, it was right in with this one. At $525 the guy I hired is insured, licensed, and I assume is paying all his taxes.

[irishtom29]

People value hard work...until they have to pay for it.

[Walaby]

Bill.Satellite wrote:

I don't see a problem here. Do you think folks who wash RVs should not make $18.75/hour? The homeless begging at the corner average over $14/hour and they don't pay a dime in taxes or insurance or license fees and they collect all of the monies provided by other social programs. The homeless are likely making a better hourly wage than the majority of our youth but that's OK? I would be happy to pay 4 guys doing 4 hours of work $300 if they did the job I hired them for. I am sure you can do much better if you hire those guys that hang out at Home Depot.

I don't think for just washing the RV, that they should be paid $18.75 an hour. Now, wash, wax, buff, perhaps.

As far as the homeless averaging $14 an hour, that a symptom of the american people paying it, and supporting it. If people would quit giving money to panhandlers, they wouldn't be hopping in their Cadillacs at the end of the day.

That's exactly why Im for a federal sales tax. If the hookers, drug dealers or panhandlers buy a soda, they will pay the same tax I do. But, I digress...

Bottom line, back on topic, $550 is an incredibly outrageous price to pay to have your RV washed.

Mike

[donkeydew]

washman/happy hippo large vehicle on se mlk & se stark in portland can wash your rig for about $40.00 it does a great job

[Jayco-noslide]

Well, I'm tight and wouldn't pay more that $20 or so because I can do it myself at the truck wash for $6 to $10. No, it's far from perfect but a motor home is just too big to go getting all compulsive about the appearance, especially when a few wet miles can quickly undo it.

[Bill_Satellite]

msmith1199 wrote:

aslakson wrote:
We get our 32' MH detailed - wash, wax, polish - for $300 in Southern California. They include the wheel simulators and for another $20 even do the toad. And it's good work - crew of 4 guys takes about half a day. The result usually lasts a whole year until we get back there.

al

Four guys a half day work for $300? If half day is four hours that is $18.75 and hour per person. I'm going to guess they're working for cash and not paying any taxes on that money, or insurance, or business license fees, etc.

I don't see a problem here. Do you think folks who wash RVs should not make $18.75/hour? The homeless begging at the corner average over $14/hour and they don't pay a dime in taxes or insurance or license fees and they collect all of the monies provided by other social programs. The homeless are likely making a better hourly wage than the majority of our youth but that's OK? I would be happy to pay 4 guys doing 4 hours of work $300 if they did the job I hired them for. I am sure you can do much better if you hire those guys that hang out at Home Depot.

[msmith1199]

For people who like to self wash here's a tip for how to dry it and not get spots too bad: Use a leaf blower. Or a shop vac in blower mode can work too.

[mvpmich]

In north Tampa area I get my 40' dp washed (including roof) and waxed for $150.

[Mr_Mark1]

I just washed mine today. I enjoy doing it and I consider it good exercise. It takes me 2.5 hrs. to wash, dry and dress the tires.

While in Las Vegas, I pay a guy about $350 plus tip to wash and hand wax the motorhome.

In Indio, CA, where I store my coach, I pay a guy $80 to just wash and dry it (no roof)... don't want anybody on the roof.

I try and do it myself as much as I can while I'm young and able enough to do as I know time will change that. 🙂

Safe travels,
MM.

[msmith1199]

aslakson wrote:
We get our 32' MH detailed - wash, wax, polish - for $300 in Southern California. They include the wheel simulators and for another $20 even do the toad. And it's good work - crew of 4 guys takes about half a day. The result usually lasts a whole year until we get back there.

al

Four guys a half day work for $300? If half day is four hours that is $18.75 and hour per person. I'm going to guess they're working for cash and not paying any taxes on that money, or insurance, or business license fees, etc.