Repair guides
Straight answers on body repair costs and methods
Twenty five guides covering what repairs cost, how they are carried out and where you stand on an insurance claim.
How repairs work
10 guides
9 min read
Can my dent be fixed without repainting?
Paintless dent removal (PDR) uses specialist rods and tools to massage a dent back into shape from behind the panel, without any filler or repainting, provided the paint surface is not broken.
Read guide8 min read
What is a SMART repair and is it right for my car?
SMART repair stands for Small to Medium Area Repair Technology, a localised repair method used to fix minor cosmetic damage such as scuffs, chips and small scratches without refinishing the whole panel.
Read guide10 min read
Car respray: full, multi-panel or single panel?
A car respray can mean anything from refinishing part of one panel to a full colour change across the entire vehicle, and the process, time and cost scale up with how much preparation and masking is required.
Read guide10 min read
What actually happens at an accident repair centre?
An accident repair centre is a specialist body shop set up to assess, repair and refinish collision damage from first contact and estimate through parts ordering, structural and panel work, paint and a final quality check before handover.
Read guide9 min read
What is involved in fixing my car's bodywork?
Bodywork damage ranges from a single stone chip to collision damage that reaches the structure, and each type needs its own repair. Car bodywork repair covers a wide range of damage, from stone chips and scratches through to dents, cracked bumpers, rust and collision damage, with a different repair method suited to each type.
Read guide9 min read
Why is it so hard to match my car's paint colour?
Professional colour matching starts with your car's paint code, but a good match also accounts for variants within that code, the age and fading of your existing paint, and careful blending into the adjacent panel.
Read guide9 min read
Panel beating: what does a panel beater actually do?
Panel beating is the skilled process of reshaping damaged metal bodywork back to its original form by hand, using hammers, dollies and techniques for shrinking and stretching metal, so that a dented panel can often be saved rather than cut out and replaced.
Read guide7 min read
Can the scratches on my car just be buffed out
The cost depends on scratch depth, length, panel count, paint finish and whether polishing, a local repair or panel refinishing is required. A free, no-obligation estimate confirms the cost for your vehicle.
Read guide7 min read
How to get a car scratch, dent or bumper repair estimate
The quickest way to get a repair estimate is to send clear photos of the damage on WhatsApp with your vehicle make, model and location, and we will reply with an estimate and a likely turnaround. Estimates are free with no obligation, and for larger damage we may ask to see the car at our workshop in Harlington, near Heathrow, before confirming the price.
Read guide6 min read
Has bird mess damaged my car's paint?
Yes, it can. Bird droppings and tree sap are acidic and sticky, and when they sit on a car in warm weather they soften the clear lacquer and leave a dull, rough or cratered mark known as etching. Removing the mess quickly and gently usually prevents lasting harm. Light etching can often be machine polished out, but if the mark has gone through the lacquer or the lacquer has cracked, the panel needs to be refinished.
Read guide
What it costs
19 guides
10 min read
How much will it cost to sort out that scratch on my car
The cost depends on scratch depth, length, panel count, paint finish and whether polishing, a local repair or panel refinishing is required. A free, no-obligation estimate confirms the cost for your vehicle.
Read guide9 min read
What does it cost to fix a scuffed bumper
The cost depends on the damaged area, whether the plastic needs repair, the paint finish, replacement parts and any sensor work. A free, no-obligation estimate confirms the cost for your vehicle.
Read guide10 min read
What is the cost of fixing a car bumper?
The cost depends on the damaged area, whether the plastic needs repair, the paint finish, replacement parts and any sensor work. A free, no-obligation estimate confirms the cost for your vehicle.
Read guide10 min read
What does it actually cost to get a dent taken out
The cost depends on the dent size and depth, its position, access behind the panel, paint condition and whether refinishing is needed. A free, no-obligation estimate confirms the cost for your vehicle.
Read guide9 min read
How much does a dented car door cost to repair?
The cost depends on the dent size and depth, its position, access behind the panel, paint condition and whether refinishing is needed. A free, no-obligation estimate confirms the cost for your vehicle.
Read guide9 min read
How much does it cost to fix my car's paintwork
The cost depends on preparation, panel count, existing paint condition, colour-matching work and the finish required. A free, no-obligation estimate confirms the cost for your vehicle.
Read guide10 min read
What is body repair going to cost me overall
The cost depends on damage severity, panel access, parts, preparation, paintwork and how many panels are involved. A free, no-obligation estimate confirms the cost for your vehicle.
Read guide8 min read
Someone has keyed my car, what will it cost to put right
The cost depends on scratch depth, length, panel count, paint finish and whether polishing, a local repair or panel refinishing is required. A free, no-obligation estimate confirms the cost for your vehicle.
Read guide8 min read
How much does it cost to fix a cracked bumper
The cost depends on the damaged area, whether the plastic needs repair, the paint finish, replacement parts and any sensor work. A free, no-obligation estimate confirms the cost for your vehicle.
Read guide7 min read
What does it cost to repair stone chips in my car paint
The cost depends on preparation, panel count, existing paint condition, colour-matching work and the finish required. A free, no-obligation estimate confirms the cost for your vehicle.
Read guide7 min read
How do I get a scratch on my car door repaired
The cost depends on scratch depth, length, panel count, paint finish and whether polishing, a local repair or panel refinishing is required. A free, no-obligation estimate confirms the cost for your vehicle.
Read guide7 min read
What will it cost to fix scratches on my back bumper
The cost depends on the damaged area, whether the plastic needs repair, the paint finish, replacement parts and any sensor work. A free, no-obligation estimate confirms the cost for your vehicle.
Read guide7 min read
How much does a deep scratch on a car cost to repair
The cost depends on scratch depth, length, panel count, paint finish and whether polishing, a local repair or panel refinishing is required. A free, no-obligation estimate confirms the cost for your vehicle.
Read guide7 min read
What does it cost to fix a dent and a scratch together
The cost depends on the dent size and depth, its position, access behind the panel, paint condition and whether refinishing is needed. A free, no-obligation estimate confirms the cost for your vehicle.
Read guide6 min read
What does it cost to repair a scrape on my car
A scrape on a bumper can usually be flatted and refinished locally, so the price mostly depends on how wide the scrape is. A scrape on a metal panel is priced by how deep the worst part goes: polishing if it stays in the lacquer, fresh colour if it reaches the paint, and filling and priming as well once primer or metal shows.
Read guide6 min read
How much to fix a scratch on the front bumper
Most front bumper scratches and scrapes are local refinishing jobs, with a light corner scuff at the simpler end and a wider refinish across the face taking more work. A deeper scored scuff needs more filling and flatting, and if a crack has formed underneath, the plastic needs welding before paint, which adds to the job.
Read guide6 min read
Can a SMART repair fix my bumper and what does it cost
A bumper corner scuff repaired with SMART methods is priced on the size of the damaged area. SMART works on the damaged area only, so it uses less material and time than painting the whole bumper. If the scuff is wide, spreads across the face, or has cracked the plastic, a full bumper refinish or plastic welding is the better repair.
Read guide6 min read
How much does it cost to fix a small dent in my car
A small dent with the paint still intact can usually be fixed with paintless dent removal. The price depends mostly on the size of the dent and how easy it is to reach from behind. If the paint has cracked or the dent is sharp, it needs filling and refinishing, which is a bigger job.
Read guide7 min read
Car door replacement cost: what you are paying for
The cost of replacing a car door depends mainly on whether the whole door shell has to be replaced or only its outer skin, how many parts have to be moved across from the old door, and how much painting and blending is needed so the new door matches the car. Many damaged doors do not need replacing at all, because panel beating can reshape the original. A free estimate confirms which applies to your car.
Read guide
Repair or replace
9 guides
10 min read
What do Cat N and Cat S actually mean for my car
Cat S means the car had structural damage but can, in principle, be repaired and put back on the road, while Cat N means the damage was non structural, such as bumpers or panels, and again the car can usually be repaired.
Read guide9 min read
What is body filler, and when is it the right fix?
Body filler is a repair paste spread in a thin layer over metal that has already been reshaped, then sanded and primed so the panel is perfectly smooth before paint. Used that way it is a legitimate, long lasting repair, but it is the wrong fix when used to hide rust, bridge a gap or build up a dent that should have been worked out first.
Read guide9 min read
Do I need a smart repair or a full bodyshop job
A smart repair suits small, localised cosmetic damage such as minor scuffs, stone chips and small dents, while a full body shop repair is the better choice for larger areas, structural damage, or anywhere the paint needs to be blended across more than one panel.
Read guide9 min read
Does a cracked bumper need to be replaced, or can it be repaired?
A cracked bumper does not always need replacing. A small, isolated crack away from the mounting points can often be plastic welded and refinished, while long or multiple cracks, splits near the mounting tabs or badly deformed plastic usually make a new bumper the sounder choice. Scuffs, scratches and dents are normally repairable.
Read guide8 min read
Will a scratch or dent fail my MOT
A purely cosmetic scratch or dent will not fail an MOT, but the test does check for sharp edges, insecure or dangerously protruding bodywork, damage obstructing the driver's view, damaged lights, and any sign the structure itself has been compromised.
Read guide7 min read
How much does it cost to replace a car bumper
Replacing a bumper is priced on the new bumper itself, preparation, paint and fitting. Where parking sensors or radar have to be transferred and calibrated, which is common on newer front bumpers, there is more work involved and the price rises. Many bumpers can still be repaired for less, so it is worth checking that first.
Read guide6 min read
Can a hole in my bumper be repaired and what will it cost
A small hole or puncture in a plastic bumper can often be plastic welded, reinforced from behind and refinished. That is priced like a crack repair, on the size of the hole and the refinishing needed. If the hole is large, a piece is missing or the mounting points around it are broken, replacement may be the better option, with extra work where sensors or radar are fitted.
Read guide6 min read
My bumper is hanging off: what does a clip or tab repair cost
If a bumper has simply popped off its clips or brackets, reseating it or fitting new clips is usually a small job that we price in your free estimate. If the plastic mounting tabs on the bumper itself have snapped, the tabs are repaired or reinforced and the area refinished, which is more work than reseating. Badly broken mountings can mean a new bumper.
Read guide7 min read
Faded or peeling car paint: why it happens and how it is fixed
Car paint fades when sunlight slowly breaks down the clear coat and the colour beneath it, and it peels once that clear coat loses its grip and lifts away in flakes. Light fading in a healthy lacquer can sometimes be improved with machine polishing, but once the clear coat is peeling the panel has to be sanded back, prepared and refinished, with the new colour matched to the rest of the car.
Read guide
Insurance claims
8 guides
9 min read
What actually happens when my insurance company sorts my accident repair
An insurance accident repair generally moves through reporting, choosing a repairer, estimating, authorisation, the physical repair, excess payment and handover, with the insurer or their engineer checking in at a few key points along the way.
Read guide8 min read
Can I really choose my own body shop for an insurance claim
Yes, in the UK you are generally entitled to choose which repairer carries out your insurance work, and insurers usually only vary things like excess or claim handling rather than refuse outright.
Read guide9 min read
What is an approved repairer under car insurance?
An approved repairer is a body shop that has a commercial arrangement with your insurer, usually covering labour rates and performance targets. It is not, on its own, an independent measure of how well a car is repaired, which is why it is worth knowing what else to check before you agree to where your car goes.
Read guide10 min read
What am I entitled to after a non fault accident
After a non fault accident you can generally claim through your own insurer or seek to recover costs directly from the at fault driver's insurer, and in many cases you are not required to pay your excess if liability is accepted.
Read guide9 min read
Should I claim on insurance or just pay for the repair myself
It depends on the numbers, you generally need to weigh your excess plus any likely premium increase and lost no claims discount against the cost of paying for the repair privately.
Read guide8 min read
Will I get a courtesy car while my car is being repaired
It depends on your policy and the specifics of your claim, a courtesy car is not automatic, and it is worth asking both your insurer and the repairer what can realistically be arranged for your particular repair.
Read guide7 min read
What to do when your parked car has been hit
If you come back to find your parked car has been hit, start by recording everything: photos of the damage and the scene, the time, the exact location and anyone who saw it. Check for a note, ask nearby businesses about CCTV quickly, then report it to the police and tell your insurer as your policy requires. Once you have an estimate, you can decide whether to claim or pay privately for the repair.
Read guide7 min read
What is an accident management company?
An accident management company handles a non-fault accident claim on your behalf. It typically arranges the repair, a replacement vehicle and the recovery of costs from the at-fault driver's insurer, so you may not need to go through your own policy. It is an alternative to claiming through your own insurer, and you can still have a say in who repairs your car.
Read guide
Not sure which applies to your car?
Send a couple of photos and we will tell you what the repair needs and what it will cost, with no obligation.