How Much Does Panel Beating Cost?

Last updated: 22^nd Aug 2019

Last updated: (automatically updated)

Panel beating is a necessity if you want to restore your car to how it originally looked before a major or minor accident. However, you can’t expect it to be cheap. Only simple scratch repairs cost below $1,000; typical panel beating jobs start from approximately $1,000 and could go beyond $6,000.

Where do these prices come from?

All prices stated in this article are based on FY 2016 pricing data compiled by ServiceSeeking.com.au. The figures resulted from a comprehensive analysis of quotes submitted by Panel Beaters on the site from July 2015 to July 2016.

How Much Does It Cost to Replace Car Panels?

When browsing panel beaters on Service Seeking, you will see that the average cost of panel beating is $35/hr. This is the price without the price of the parts that are needed for replacement.

This price is the average cost of panel beating that range from simple replacements to complex panel beating quotes that include painting. It is difficult to compare the cost of panel beating car door and the cost of replacing the entire back of the car with the entire bodywork included.

To replace car panels, you need to think about two things: the cost of work and the cost of parts.

The cost of the automotive parts varies too much for an estimate to be made without knowing the car model and year. Besides that, you also need to decide whether you want a new, original part or if you are OK with buying a second-hand part or even the non-genuine part.

While non-genuine parts can look appealing at first because their price is lower, they are not created by your car manufacturer, so sometimes they are not a 100% perfect fit. While it may not be visible at first, it can cause issues with the car’s aerodynamics and driving experience.

How Much Does it Cost to Repair a Deep Scratch on a Car?

A deep scratch on your car will cost you at least $1,000. If you only have a small scratch, you will probably just Google “panel beater near me” and call the first person on the list for the estimate. However, a deep scratch is something completely different.

You can tell whether something is a deep or a shallow scratch by the way it affects your car. Shallow scratches are those that simply affect the paint coat.

They are visible markings, but they don’t cause any more issues to your car. However, even a slightly scratched car can lose on its value. You may deal with those little scratches yourself.

If you can feel the scratch of your car underneath your fingers and it catches your nail, it means that the scratch has reached the metal and it needs to be dealt with by a professional.

Every scratch that exposes the underneath the paint coat makes your car vulnerable to rust. The rusting process is almost impossible to stop once it has started. So, it is better to pay $1,000 now than to be forced to replace entire parts of your car body later.

How Much Does It Cost to Fix a Dent and a Scratch on a Car?

The extent and the nature of the damage can set you back anywhere from as little as $80 to up to over $5,000. When repairing a dent, sometimes, it is not necessary to remove the part. In that case, the repair is quick and cheap.

Here is a rough estimate of car dent repair cost.

How much does it cost for a panel beater?
Small hail dent on the side of the car	$80 – $200
Deep scratch on the car bonnet	$450 – $700
Significant dent on the car door	$200 – $400
Dented rear, trunk door included	$500 – $800
Entire side damaged	$600 – $1200
One front side guard and front bumper smashed	$1000 – $2000
Entire front damaged, including bumper, bonnet and side guards	$2000 – $5000

Removing an entire part will raise the car dent repair cost. What makes it even more expensive is if the part is very big, difficult to remove and the dent is extensive. So, as you can see, there is no easy answer to the question “How much does dent repair cost?”

How to Calculate Panel Beater Quotes?

Panel beating businesses are real life-savers. Imagine how impossible the expenses would be if every time your car gets damaged you’d need to replace it with a brand new one!

Professional panel beaters make sure that your car is returned to its tip-top condition. Although the job costs a lot, the price will definitely be way less than what you’ll need to buy a new car.

It’s difficult to give an exact amount as panel beating costs vary — no two cars are damaged exactly in the same parts and to the same degree. Here are some of the things that businesses take into account when computing the cost of panel beating.

The extent of the damage
Completion time
Equipment and materials needed
Car parts that need replacement
Labour cost – panel beater and painter

Your car can be a factor too. Car bumpers of various models and brands differ in how they are made, and this affects their resistance to impact. This also explains why some can successfully protect other parts of the car while others get damaged easily.

A professional panel beater will give you a precise estimate based on your own car.

What Does a Panel Beater Do?

Panel beaters carry out several tasks involving car exterior restorations including the following:

✓ Removing damaged parts and repairing them
✓ Fixing dents
✓ Creating new panels as replacement
✓ Grinding and sanding damaged parts to smoothen them
✓ Replacing broken car components and hardware
✓ Re-adjusting misaligned parts

Panel beaters are specialists in car restoration after an accident, as well. They can guarantee that after the job is done, you can show your car off again around the city.

To get the most of your money and for a superb work, trust only the experts. ServiceSeeking.com.au has panel beating businesses that are ready to give you a quote. Feel free to post your job on the site.

Pricing information correct as at August 2016.

Disclaimer: Our cost estimates are based on quotes for professional panel beating services and are useful as a guide only.