Introduction
It’s the first thing everyone wants to know — how much will it cost to fix my dent?
I understand. You want a straight answer before committing to anything. The challenge is that no two dents are identical, so I can’t publish a single price list that covers every situation. But I can give you a clear framework for understanding how PDR pricing works, what the typical ranges are, and what makes one repair more expensive than another.
By the end of this article, you’ll know roughly what to expect — and how to get an exact price for your specific dent in minutes.
Typical PDR Prices in the UK
Here are realistic starting prices based on the repairs I carry out most often:
| Repair Type | Starting From |
|---|---|
| Small door ding (coin-sized, shallow) | £30 |
| Medium panel dent (palm-sized) | £60 |
| Large dent or crease | £80 |
| Multiple dings on one vehicle (3+) | £30 per dent |
| Full vehicle hail repair | £800+ |
These are starting points, not fixed rates. The actual price depends on the specific characteristics of your dent — which I’ll explain below.
One thing I guarantee: after seeing photos of your damage, I provide a fixed quote. Not a range, not an estimate. A firm price that won’t change once we’ve agreed.
What Affects the Price?
Six factors determine the final cost of a PDR repair. Understanding these helps explain why a seemingly similar dent on two different cars can have different prices.
1. Size of the Dent
This is the most obvious factor. A 2 cm door ding is a quicker repair than a 15 cm panel dent. Larger dents require more passes with the tools, more time checking under LED lighting, and more precision to achieve a smooth finish.
2. Depth and Shape
A shallow, round dent is simpler to repair than a deep one. When the metal has been pushed further from its original position, it takes more controlled pressure — and more patience — to bring it back without overworking the surface.
Sharp creases are the most labour-intensive. The metal along a crease has been folded rather than just pushed, which means working millimetre by millimetre along the line. This is skilled, time-consuming work.
3. Whether There’s a Crease
A round dent without a crease might take 30 minutes. The same sized dent with a sharp crease running through it could take two hours. Creases dramatically increase repair time because the metal needs to be reshaped along the fold line without creating high spots on either side.
4. Panel Location and Access
Some panels are straightforward to reach from behind — doors, bonnets and boot lids typically have good access points. Others are more challenging.
Panels that may cost more:
- Rear quarter panels — welded to the body, limited access
- Roof edges near the windscreen — tight space for tools
- Panels near structural bracing — restricted movement
- Areas behind double-skinned metal
More difficult access means more time spent finding the right tool angle and working in tighter spaces.
5. Number of Dents
If your vehicle has multiple dents — whether from hail, a car park incident, or accumulated damage over time — I price each dent individually. However, there’s usually a discount when repairing several dents in one visit because the setup and access time is shared.
Three door dings on the same vehicle will cost less per dent than a single isolated repair.
6. Your Location
As a mobile specialist covering Northamptonshire and surrounding counties, travel distance is factored into the quote. If you’re in Kettering, Peterborough or Bedford, travel is minimal. For locations further out — Leicester, Milton Keynes, Huntingdon — a small travel element may apply.
I’m always transparent about this. You’ll see the full price upfront before agreeing to anything.
How PDR Compares to Body Shop Prices
This is where the value of PDR becomes clear. Body shops have higher overheads — workshop rent, paint materials, spray booths, curing equipment — and those costs are reflected in their prices.
| Repair Type | Body Shop | PDR | You Save |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single door ding | £200–£400 | from £30 | up to 85% |
| Medium panel dent | £350–£600 | from £60 | up to 83% |
| Large dent / crease | £500–£900+ | from £80 | up to 84% |
| Multiple dings (per vehicle) | £600–£1,200 | from £30/dent | up to 75% |
| Full vehicle hail repair | £2,000–£5,000+ | from £800 | up to 60% |
Beyond the price difference, PDR preserves your factory paint — a body shop respray never matches the original perfectly and shows up on paint depth gauges when you sell the vehicle.
→ Full comparison: PDR vs Body Shop Repair
Real Examples From Recent Repairs
To give you a better sense of actual pricing, here are some real repairs I’ve completed recently:
Example 1: Supermarket Door Ding
Vehicle: VW Golf, passenger door Damage: Small round dent, 2 cm, no crease, paint perfect Location: Kettering Time: 35 minutes Cost: £50
Example 2: Trolley Dent on Wing
Vehicle: BMW 3 Series, front wing Damage: Medium dent, 6 cm, shallow with slight crease Location: Peterborough Time: 1.5 hours Cost: £90
Example 3: Car Park Crease
Vehicle: Audi A4, rear door Damage: 12 cm crease along body line, no paint damage Location: Bedford Time: 2.5 hours Cost: £150
Example 4: Multiple Dings — Dealership Stock
Vehicle: Ford Focus, 4 small dents across 2 panels Damage: Door dings from auction transport Location: Northampton Time: 2 hours Cost: £120 (£30 per dent)
Every repair is different, but these examples give you a realistic picture of what to expect.
Why I Don’t Publish a Fixed Price List
Some PDR companies publish exact prices online. I’ve chosen not to, and here’s why.
A price list suggests every small dent costs the same — but a shallow ding on a flat door panel is a very different repair to the same sized dent on a curved quarter panel with limited access. Publishing a single price would mean either overcharging simple repairs or undercharging complex ones.
Instead, I assess every dent individually and quote a fair price based on what’s actually involved. This approach means:
- You never overpay for a straightforward repair
- I never underquote and then surprise you with extras
- The price is honest and reflects the actual work required
How to Get Your Quote
The process is simple and takes less than five minutes:
- Take photos of the dent — clean the panel, use good light, include a coin for scale
- Send via WhatsApp or the contact form — include your vehicle make/model and location
- I respond with a fixed quote — usually within a couple of hours
- We book a time — I come to you and complete the repair
No inspection fees. No call-out charges for quotes. No obligation.
→ Send photos for a free quote → How to take the best photos for an accurate quote
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you charge for inspections?
No. I provide quotes based on photos at no charge. If I need to see the dent in person before confirming (rare, usually for complex damage), there’s no fee for that either.
Can the price change after you see the dent?
If the damage is significantly different from what the photos showed — deeper, larger, or with paint damage not visible in the images — I’ll discuss this with you before starting. You’ll always know the final price before any work begins.
Do you offer discounts for multiple dents?
Yes. When repairing several dents in one visit, the per-dent cost is typically lower because setup and access time is shared across the repairs.
Is PDR worth it for a small dent?
Absolutely. Small dents are the quickest and most affordable repairs. A £30–£50 fix can prevent a much larger cost later — dents can lead to paint cracking over time if left untreated, especially in winter.
Do you offer trade pricing?
Yes. I work with dealerships, body shops and fleet operators across the region. Trade pricing, regular scheduling and monthly invoicing are available.
Key Takeaways
- Small door dings start from £30, medium dents from £60, large dents from £80
- Six factors affect the price: size, depth, crease, location, number of dents and travel
- PDR is typically 50–85% cheaper than equivalent body shop repair
- I provide a fixed quote after seeing photos — no surprises, no hidden fees
- Multiple dents on one vehicle get a per-dent discount
- Send photos via WhatsApp for a free quote, usually within hours
