Dent Repair Cost UK: Paintless Dent Removal vs Conventional Repair

Dent repair prices swing widely because there are two completely different methods, and which one your dent needs decides the cost. Paintless dent removal is cheaper and faster but only works on undamaged paint. Conventional repair costs more because it involves filling, priming and refinishing.

The figures below are indicative UK guide ranges for 2026 and vary with panel, access, paint type and how many dents there are.

Indicative UK dent repair prices

• Paintless dent removal, single small dent or door ding — around £75-£150
• Paintless dent removal, multiple dents or a larger dent — around £150-£400
• Car park dent or door dent with paint damage, SMART repair — around £150-£300
• Dent repaired and panel refinished conventionally — around £250-£500
• Larger or creased dent needing extensive reshaping and a full panel respray — around £450-£900
• Panel replacement, painted and fitted, where the dent cannot be repaired — from around £600

Paintless dent removal — when it works

PDR works the metal back to shape from behind, or from the front with glue-pulling tabs, using purpose-made rods and gradual pressure. Nothing is filled and nothing is painted, so the factory finish stays intact — which is why it is the preferred method whenever it is possible.

• The paint is unbroken — no cracks, no scratches through the lacquer
• The metal is stretched but not creased or torn
• There is access behind the panel, or the surface suits glue-pulling
• The dent is not on a sharp body line or a panel edge, which is far harder to correct
• The panel is steel or conventional aluminium, not a bonded or plastic panel

When conventional repair is needed

If the paint is cracked or scratched, if the metal is creased, or if the dent is very deep or sits over a structural section, the panel is pulled and reshaped, skimmed with a thin layer of filler where needed, primed, sprayed and lacquered, then blended into adjacent panels.

It is more work and costs more, but it is the durable answer when paint has already been broken — because pushing a dent out from behind will not repair a cracked clear coat, and any break in the paint will eventually corrode.

Car park dents and door dings

Door edge dings from the next bay are the most common damage we see. If the other car's paint has transferred but yours is unbroken, PDR is often all that is needed and it can be a same-day job.

If the ding is on the very edge of the door, expect it to cost more than a dent in the middle of the panel — edges are folded, doubled metal and far less willing to move.

Should you claim?

Most dent repairs cost less than a typical insurance excess, so paying privately is usually the sensible route and keeps your no-claims discount intact. It is worth a claim when a dent comes with wider accident damage across several panels.

Find out which method yours needs

Photograph the dent with light raking across it at an angle — that shows the shape far better than a straight-on shot. WhatsApp it with the make, model and year and we will tell you whether it is a paintless job or needs refinishing, and what it will cost. Estimates are free.