A full respray is a bodywork project, not simply the price of some paint. Preparation, the areas included and the condition of the existing finish matter as much as the size of the car. First establish whether you need a full respray at all.
A published full-respray price example
Coventry Body Shop advertises full resprays from £2,880 including VAT, with the final scope agreed after inspection. This is one workshop’s starting price, checked on 8 November 2026. It is a useful example of a real quote basis, not a UK average or a fixed price for your car.
Small touch-up products and professional resprays solve different problems. A £11.99 paint bottle can suit a few isolated chips; it cannot provide the preparation, equipment and consistent finish of a whole-car refinish.
Full respray, one panel or a local repair?
| Condition | Route to discuss |
|---|---|
| A few small chips in otherwise sound paint | A local touch-up may be enough; see stone-chip repairs. |
| Damage limited to a bumper corner or one panel | Ask whether a local repair or panel refinish will meet your expectations. |
| Widespread failing lacquer or old paint defects | Have the full coating condition assessed before a repaint is priced. |
| A complete colour change | Specify door shuts, openings, visible inner areas and dismantling, not just the outer panels. |
A cheap exterior-only repaint and a thorough colour-change job can leave very different results when the doors and bonnet are opened.
What changes the quote?
- Existing damage: dents, rust, cracked coatings and previous poor repairs need attention before paint.
- Finish: specialist effects, three-stage colours and matt finishes need appropriate materials and processes.
- Dismantling: removing trim, lights and fittings is different from masking around them.
- Repair area: ask whether openings, edges and adjacent panels are included.
- Outcome: a routine cosmetic repaint and a restoration finish do not have the same preparation brief.
Compare quotes on the same basis
Send each repairer clear photographs of all sides and close-ups of defects, then arrange an inspection. List the same required areas for every quote. Ask which repairs are included, what may be discovered during preparation, how extra work is authorised, whether VAT is included and what warranty applies.
Also agree transport, dismantling and refitting, the time off the road and the aftercare instructions. A written scope helps explain why one quote is higher than another.
Where aerosols fit
Colour aerosols can suit a small prepared repair when the surface, environment and coating system are appropriate. They are not a direct substitute for a professional full respray. Our aerosol full kit contains a 400ml colour basecoat aerosol, primer and clear lacquer; it does not include every preparation material or establish whole-car coverage.
If your aim is to make a few marks less obvious rather than refinish the car, start with the scratch-repair cost comparison. For a colour change, separately check GOV.UK guidance on updating vehicle details.
Products for this job
- Colour-matched touch-up bottle — small, isolated cosmetic repairs rather than a whole-car repaint.
- Colour aerosol and clear lacquer — colour and lacquer for an appropriate local spray repair.
Choose the products that suit the damage and coating system. Pack contents vary; compare the current paint packs before ordering.
Find my car paintAsk about my repairCommon questions
Can I get a firm full-respray price from the registration?
The registration may identify the vehicle, but it does not show rust, dents, previous repairs or the areas you want included. A repairer needs the scope and an inspection.
Will new paint hide peeling lacquer?
New coatings need a sound, correctly prepared base. Spraying over a failing layer does not repair the adhesion underneath.
Should a respray include door shuts?
That must be agreed in the quote. It is particularly relevant for colour changes because the original colour may otherwise remain visible.
Related guides
Sources and further reading
Updated 8 November 2026. Follow the instructions supplied with each product; coating systems and drying conditions vary.
