Mobile nails pricing help

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JessS

Member
Joined
Jun 20, 2019
Messages
6
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6
Location
Leicester
Hi
I started doing nails at local care homes in January. I now have 5 homes I regularly visit and would like to leave another less flexible job to do this as my main job. I’d like to get more homes or private clients on board too.

To build confidence and as I didn’t know it would take off I’ve been charging homes £12 for an hour, around 2 hours a time. I do about 3 maybe 4 basic mani clients or hand massages per hour. I get paid directly by the home though it takes ages for BACs to come through but that’s another story.

I’d like to offer warm wax treatments and start using essential oils in massages. I need to earn more to pay for this and make it worth leaving my job.

I’ve got a bad feeling now I’m pretty good at this that I’m not charging enough....any thoughts on the right price please

How can I put the price up without being shown the door.
Thank you in Advance
 
Look into the costs you are charging;- One hour for 3/4 basic treatments and receiving £12 an hour. That's £3/4 per client. You provide all the equipment and products, and sundries .... it all mounts up. It looks like you are going to not even make minimum wage at that rate, In fact be at a loss more like. So you do know the answer to your question....you don't charge anywhere near enough. Tax and national insurance , that's another 25% gone, Travelling, set up time you know what I mean.
One of my clients owned a very successful care home and her advice was to steer clear from services to her clients because they were too tight to want to pay for anything apart from hair and nail file/ painting. I mean peanuts. (her words not mine)
Broaden your client base and consider setting up for yourself, still offer the care homes maybe for one day per week ,but you must do your costings and be frank with the homes. If they show you the door, so be it.

Another thing may well be for the individual clients to pay you directly that meaning you could gain a much better rate per hour.

Those are my thoughts , charge what you are worth and expand to clients willing to pay the right price.

As for the massage / waxing ... do your full paying clients, not the care homes , there will be a lot of contraindications for elderly clients that may well prevent you from expansion. Skin being very thin, medications... really think about it.
Wish you all the best , any further help just ask.
Rosie
 
Hi Rosie, what you’re saying really rings true. I realise I was unrealistic when I started about costs etc. I’ve started to build clients that will pay individually so I will replace the homes that aren’t happy when I raise the price. I invoice the homes as you’re right the care home clients just don’t want to pay themselves.
I’ll think about the wax paraffin etc treatments, contraindications is a good point too.
Thanks again it’s helped a lot
 
Hi, I just wanted to post again with an update on this: I generated a new hourly rate based on my costs etc and approached all the homes I work at. Four of five agreed to the price rise with no issue. I’m negotiating with the fifth one and feel much more positive about the future of my small business.

Thanks again for the input!
Jess
 

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