There’s no worse feeling than the one in the pit of your stomach when you are involved in a car accident. Once you have checked if everyone is okay, you need to evaluate the damage. Sadly, it might not be pretty, even if you were only involved in a fender-bender. As a result, you’re fretting over the costs.
If you’re wondering how much you can expect to pay for dent repair services, there isn’t a fixed amount. The final figure depends on several factors. Here are a few things to keep in mind.
What Factors Affect the Cost of Car Dent Repairs?
The Size of the Damage
The size of the dent has an obvious impact on the cost. The bigger the damage, the more work it will take to repair it, and the more you can expect to pay as a result. Big dents require manual techniques. This adds to the price since a specialist will need to remove the dent, sand down the area, and paint it.
Usually, smaller dents are eligible for Paintless Dent Removal (PDR) which eliminates the need for sanding and painting and reduces the cost in the process. Manual repair is a higher cost.
The Number of Dents
A large volume of dents, even if they are small, can increase the price by a significant amount since the damage might rule out fixing them one-by-one. For example, multiple dinks in a side panel could result in having to replace the panel with a new one, which bumps up the costs of repairs to anywhere between $2000 and $2,500. It’s almost the same as repairing a medium-sized dent.
The Location
A direct knock-on effect of the size and number of dents is the location of the damage. After all, not all car body parts are created equal, and some are more expensive than others. For instance, a side panel is valued at several thousand by most repair shops. This is because of the amount of work it takes (labor) and the price of the materials.
A bumper, on the other hand, is easily accessible and made from cheaper substances, such as plastic. Therefore, you might only fork out $500 to $750, which is considerably less.
The Repair Shop
You have to pay for quality. It is possible to cut costs and lower the final bill at the end of the process, yet this method will likely increase the overall price in the long-term. Why? It’s because of the lack of quality and expertise could mean you have to pay for more repairs in the short-term. Skilled dent repair experts demand more money, but the quality is high and you can trust the end product.
How Much Will It Cost You to Repair a Dent?
The average cost of dent repair in the US is between $125–$500, but the amount depends on various factors, such as the depth, volume, and location of the damage.