How much time for each service?

[NightOwlNails]

Hi all, I have been licensed for 4 years, but have only worked part time (evenings and Saturdays) since I have had a full time office job. But, I am getting laid off after 22 yrs at this job, and am jumping into doing nails FULL TIME (scary and exciting) at the salon I have been for 3 years. I work in a VERY TINY salon, with 3 hair stations and me... kind of squished into a corner, so I have very little room for storage at my table. I do pedicures at my station using a footsie pedicure spa in the same chair used for my table, and I have to move my table to get in and out. I say all that because it probably takes longer for me to set up and clean up than if I had a stationary table in a nail salon. Because I have only worked evenings and weekends (I only see one client in the evenings), I have not had to "rush" my services, and I know I take longer than I should. Currently, I generally book an hour for a pedicure or a gel manicure, and 30 min for a manicure. It takes me about 2-3 hrs for sculpted gel nails, but I can do a fill in less than 1 1/2 hrs. I know I need to speed things up, but I don't want to rush through and not give my clients the detail needed. I am looking for any advice and tips to speed up my services and the "average" time spent on:

Gel manicure (including removal of polish)
Pedicure
Manicure
Sculptured gel nails (square or almond shape is generally what I get asked for)
Gel fill with polish
How much time for nail art? I generally spend 10-30 min. depending on whether it's stamping or hand painted.

Also, if I am booking say, 3, 1 hour services back to back, do I book them on the hour and just incorporate the clean up/set up time into the services (say, finishing at 50 min), or do I book at say 1pm, 2:15, 3:30, etc..?

Thanks in advance for the feedback

 

[Dolly_Haze]

Most manicures and pedicures should take 45 minutes or an hour at the most. I cannot do acrylics but my nail therapist does a full set in 45 minutes and infills in about 35. Most clients don’t like to be hanging around in a salon for longer than an hour for a mani/pedi. Acrylics are so difficult imo. Most salons I know seem to stick to just gels. Unless it’s nails only.

 

[NightOwlNails]

Most manicures and pedicures should take 45 minutes or an hour at the most. I cannot do acrylics but my nail therapist does a full set in 45 minutes and infills in about 35. Most clients don’t like to be hanging around in a salon for longer than an hour for a mani/pedi. Acrylics are so difficult imo. Most salons I know seem to stick to just gels. Unless it’s nails only.

I don't do acrylics, it's too smelly for such a small salon, I do only hard gels. 45 minutes for a full set and 35 for a fill seems ridiculously fast! I honestly don't know how that's even possible.

 

[NZNailz]

Your services should take you as long as they take you to perform a quality, long lasting finish. I would say your current timings are fine. You know you take a little longer because currently, you can. To start, allow yourself the time you know you need, and then 15 minutes extra to allow for clients running slightly late and clean up in between.
Your timings will decrease dramatically with full time work purely through practice and repetition.... and the pressure of another client coming next
Add nail art as an extra service with it's own time frame attached so you don't get caught out and let current clients know they need to specify this in advance to ensure you have allowed enough for it.

 

[Dolly_Haze]

I do think it’s literally practice. My nail lady has been doing nails for 10 years. I can do a set of gels in about 60 minutes including soak off. But as the pp says the main thing is how long they last.

 

[HBJ]

Hi,
Yep I totally agree timing is a nightmare sometimes.

I completely agree with the previous posts regarding average treatment times etc.

One thing I would say though is the type of gel you use may change the service time. I use Calgel which has a longer cure time than most other gel systems I think...hence I need to allow extra time..just a thought.

Good luck..you won't regret the full time job..I love it ..lovely people all wanting to look lovely and feel relaxed too..what's not to like ?? xx