Bodywork cost guide

Dent removal cost in the UK

Car park dings, trolley dents and hail damage are the most common bodywork jobs in Britain. If the paint is unbroken, the fix can be surprisingly cheap.

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Typical UK dent repair prices

Paintless dent repair (PDR) massages the metal back from behind and leaves the original paint intact. Once the paint is cracked, the panel needs filling and refinishing, which costs considerably more.

JobTypical UK cost
Small PDR ding, up to 10p size£60 to £120
Medium PDR dent, palm size£100 to £200
Large or creased PDR dent£180 to £350
Multiple dents on one panel (PDR)£200 to £450
Dent with cracked paint, filled and resprayed£300 to £600
Dent on an aluminium panel£250 to £700
Hail damage, whole car£800 to £4,000

What affects the cost

Is the paint broken

Unbroken paint means PDR is on the table, which is quick, cheap and keeps the original factory finish. Cracked or scratched paint means filler, primer, paint and lacquer.

Where the dent is

A dent in the middle of a door is easy to reach. Dents on body lines, panel edges, roof pillars or behind bracing are harder and take much longer.

Panel material

Steel has memory and pushes back nicely. Aluminium, used on many prestige bonnets and tailgates, is stiffer and needs specialist technique, so it costs more.

Number of dents

Technicians usually discount per dent when several are done together, so it is worth having them all sorted in one visit.

When PDR will not work

  • The paint is cracked, chipped or scratched through to primer.
  • The dent has a sharp crease or the metal has stretched.
  • The damage sits right on a panel edge or a strengthening rib.
  • There is no access behind the panel without cutting or removing structure.
  • The panel has been filled and repainted before.

How to pay a fair price

PDR specialists and bodyshops price the same dent very differently, and mobile technicians can often come to your home or workplace. Describing the damage once on RepairRadar and letting local specialists quote is the quickest way to see whether you are looking at a £90 job or a £400 one.

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Frequently asked questions

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