It is wise to set the business plan no matter what type of business you are starting. If you buy a business plan book sometimes it is hard to find a sample business plan of a business which is similar in nature to the one you wish to start. For instance let's say you wish to run a Mobil oil change business; the chance of you finding a business plan sample that is similar will be difficult.
So then how do you build your business plan pro forma if you're going to start a Mobil oil change business and you want to put in the financials or the estimates? Here are some thought on that subject:
Most of this depends on the type of customer base. For instance most of our business is "Fleet Business" and while other competing companies generally do some fleets and some personal cars. As far as labor goes that is a major consideration for a business plan pro forma and here's some advice and thoughts on the subject:
Jiffy Lube has technicians and pays them about $8.00 per hour, Wal-Mart even less to start. A mobile service might need one or two technician helpers and one main truck manager Technician at $15.00 per hour. For fleet work, because you need more people to do a line of 10-50 trucks, buses or work vehicles.
Personal cars are tough, but corporate on-site oil changes for employees is popular, once per month in the corner of the lot, this is best done with two people, One clean cut and another worker. Wages vary by city - assume $10.00 per hour for one and $8.00 for the other, with some bonus incentives. Labor is tight and some areas that will not fly and the pay scale will go up accordingly.
Realize there is a shortage of Auto Techs in the US currently and it is about 145,000 and growing. The main truck manager will need a percentage share of the gross take if you are to keep him, otherwise someone will hire him away - sometimes customers try? Ouch.
For your Business Plan Pro Forma - Hard Costs include $3.00 filter, $4.00 oil for cars. For trucks it varies filters oil and fuel can run $30.00 sometimes, Oil $15.00. Then there are all the various size vehicles, LLVs (USPS), police cars, Bread Trucks, Street Sweepers, Buses, dump trucks, garbage trucks, 18-wheelers, Isuzu box trucks, etc. It all varies and depends on your account line up. I sincerely hope this helps you in designing your business plan.