PDR(Paintless Dent Repair) as a side business

[DanB]

I'm in the middle of doing a basic business plan for a PDR business I plan on starting early next year. Its going to be a part-time gig nothing full-time for the forseable future. Although the business plan does cover expansion to a full-time venture with more than PDR as a revenue source. I'm getting a handle on the realistic costs to get this started as well as the possible earnings that can be made on a part-time basis

I looked into this back at the end of High School and wish I had jumped on it. Although the profits have subsided as well as the number of companies offering PDR has increased. I still think its a fairly easy source of income. This is after the skill is learned and can be applied with accuracy and swiftness. But it is one that can be operated at little to no overhead once the initial investment of tools and training has made.

I figure after some training and a couple of months of practice I should be ready to seek out my first paid customer.

I know there is more than a handful of members that have been down the small business route that have some valuable pointers for me. I'm all ears.

 

[FullAuto]

I figure after some training and a couple of months of practice I should be ready to seek out my first paid customer.

That's going to be an eye opener for you. Not saying there aren't people that do it, but that's not a skill developed over a few months.

Hail claims that are 100% PDR are the minority. Most will have some kind of conventional repair on specific panels. Even if 100% PDR is written, break paint on a single dent and you have to paint. So you'll need to be good at R&I everything required to paint various panels and you'll either need to paint them yourself, your subcontract your PDR work to a facility that does. It will be difficult to get in with shops since they already have specific PDR guys they use and backups to those. And the good PDR guys subcontract to shops. The bad PDR guys run their own business because real shops won't hire them.

Or you can be a hail chaser and set a tent up in a parking lot or lease an old, closed gas station. Work around everyone's deductible, leave panels looking like chicken skin, don't wash the car and be gone by the time the customer is disappointed. That's the majority of PDR businesses. I've met many of them on the east side of OKC.

 

[PUMPKIN]

Does anyone do mobile PDR?

 

[mhphoto]

You might look into windshield crack repair as well. A lot of detailers are doing that these days as an upsell and having good luck. Also headlight restoration, which I'd be more than happy to help with.

 

[DanB]

PDR is a skillset that is learned at different rates depending on the individual. Luckily this is something I am aware of and I intend build up overtime. I may be ready to go in a few weeks, few months or longer. Luckily I have a solid job that pays well so rushing into something isn't necessary. I'm very well aware of the hack jobs that are out here. I spent 8+ years working for a couple of car dealerships. I saw plenty of people coming through looking to offer us the next great deal.

As for the guys that setup tents in a parking lot and rent out gas stations. I classify them as the same roofing contractors and PDR techs that chase hail storms. Yes they are looking to make a buck, yes they could be very qualified. In the end I just don't trust them to get the job done to 100% customer satisfaction. Its a cloud that hangs over their head. As with a bunch of the small businesses that have started and taken off. Word of mouth and a reputation to do good work for a fair price lead to more sales.

As for the other revenue sources. headlight restoration and windshield repair are both on my list of items. As well as all other items associated with auto detail. Call it an interlinked matrix of sales options. All items can be upsold to the next item. The only thing I don't have included is paint. Not something I'm willing to learn. I know a couple of guys that are masters with a paint gun. I'll let them have at it.

One of the very good things about looking to learn PDR. I have just about an unlimited access to vehicles to work on. From 16 trucks at work to two family members who are Used Car Managers in the metro. They just happen to come across trades that they intend to wholesale or send to auction. One has agree to let me practice on some of these cars after I have completed some training.

Trust me, this is not something I'm taking lightly. I listed a few months as that is my goal. If I didn't set a goal to have a confidence level high enough to take on paying customers I'd just dabble on family members cars and never go past it.

 

[Dustin98SS1]

Lmao, it will take you a few years to even be good enough to start talking to shops, assuming you pick up the skill and aren't a hack at it. Hmm, I think I'll learn open heart surgery over the weekend. I ran a body shop and I'm an auto adjuster. No way you'll be ready in a few months.

 

[JxxxOxxxE]

I wish I could find a mobile PDR guy, and a mobile detailer......maybe I'm not looking hard enough...

 

[FullAuto]

I wish I could find a mobile PDR guy, and a mobile detailer......maybe I'm not looking hard enough...

Joe, there's a good PDR guy not too far from you in Nicoma Park. He does all mine and works for a few body shops but does it at his house too.

 

[DanB]

Dustin, thanks for all the good criticism.

 

[JxxxOxxxE]

Joe, there's a good PDR guy not too far from you in Nicoma Park. He does all mine and works for a few body shops but does it at his house too.

Got a name, phone number or address for him by chance?

Then I just need to find a mobile detailer who buffs a car the way I want....I took a black Corvette to a guy once and he absolutely screwed it all up. He used a rotary buffer and left hologram marks in it everywhere. You could actually see the path he used to buff it....I ended up spending a few hours fixing it all....