Cost the concentrate, not the water in the bottle
Diluted detailing products make per-vehicle cost easy to underestimate. If a bottle contains twenty-two ounces of mixed APC at a 1:10 product-to-water ratio, only a fraction of those twenty-two ounces came from paid concentrate. This planner calculates that concentrate quantity before applying product cost.
Start with the container you actually buy
Enter the supplier cost and usable container quantity in a consistent unit. The planner converts it into unit cost of concentrate. A gallon container can be entered as 128 ounces if vehicle usage is also tracked in ounces.
Use the dilution you actually prepare
Product parts divided by total product-plus-water parts gives the concentrate share of the mixed solution. The tool does not tell you which ratio to use. Follow manufacturer instructions and your safe professional process.
Measure mixed solution consumed per vehicle
Do not use bottle capacity unless the whole bottle is consumed. Track how much mixed solution is actually used on a representative vehicle or service package. Refill a measured bottle before and after several jobs if necessary to build a reliable average.
Compare product cost with package revenue carefully
Chemical share of package price is a direct-product metric. It excludes labor, travel, towels, equipment, insurance and overhead. It is useful for spotting product-heavy services, but it is not a full margin calculation.
Use monthly spend for purchasing control
Cost per vehicle multiplied by similar monthly job volume gives a simple expected chemical spend. Large variance from actual purchases can point to waste, inaccurate usage assumptions, price changes or product being consumed by other service packages.
Frequently asked questions
Does the tool recommend dilution ratios?
No. It only converts the ratio you enter into business cost.
Can different rows use different units?
Yes, because each product row is costed independently, but container size and mixed usage within one row must use compatible units.
Is chemical share of price my margin?
No. It excludes every other labor and operating cost.