Bodywork repair and painting: how to get honest offers
First decide the scope: spot repair or a full respray
The price of bodywork repair has two parts: preparation and painting. Panel beating, filler, priming and sanding take most of the time, and the paint itself is just the last stage. So “paint the wing” can mean 2 hours or several days, depending on the condition of the metal.
There are usually three options: painting a single panel, a spot repair of one area, and a full respray of the body. Accident work stands apart: restoring the body geometry, welding, replacing sills and chassis rails.
What to put in your request
- which parts — front wing, door, bumper, roof or the whole body;
- type of work — panel beating, painting, spot repair, welding, rust removal, geometry;
- make, model and year — for example Hyundai Creta, 2018;
- nature of the damage — a dent with a crease, scratches, rust, after an accident;
- colour — factory colour (by the code on the sticker), metallic or pearl, or a colour change;
- spare parts — whether the new part is yours or the body shop's, or whether the old one is to be repaired;
- city, timing and budget.
Example: “Hyundai Creta, 2018, I need the front wing and door repaired and painted after a minor accident, a dent with a crease. Factory colour, metallic. The wing is new and mine. Vancouver, within a week, budget up to $250. I will add photos.”
How to compare offers
The cheapest-looking price is not always the best in substance. Look at how many coats of lacquer are promised, whether primer is used, whether the car is painted in a booth, and whether the colour is matched by code and adjusted on the spot. The difference between “painted it quickly” and a full preparation cycle shows only after a year or two.
On BlaBlaPrice you post your request with photos, and body shops reply in the chat: what exactly they will do, for how much and in what time, and whether the paint job carries a warranty. The site puts the best offer by substance first, with reviews next to it. Body shops compete for your request because they can see their place among the others. Your phone number stays hidden until you choose a provider.
What affects the price
- the condition of the metal: rust and deep deformations need more work;
- how complex the colour is: metallic and pearl cost more than a plain one;
- the number of parts and whether glass, mouldings or lights need to be removed and refitted;
- whose parts: new original, aftermarket, used;
- urgency.
Common mistakes
The most frequent slips: choosing the colour only by code, without matching it on the car (on an old car the paint has faded and the difference will show); not agreeing whether neighbouring panels will be painted for a smooth blend; not mentioning that the wing had rust, and then being asked to pay extra. If the dent is small and the paint is intact, it is sometimes better to go for paintless dent removal.
Ask the mechanic to write down which parts will be removed during painting and whether polishing after drying is included in the price. If the car has been in an accident, ask about a geometry check and whether you will get a summary of the work on paper. Other services are in the section “Car & motorcycle servicing”.
