Honest Fix Auto Start estimate

Home › Repair cost guides › Traditional dent repair

Repair cost guide

Traditional Dent Repair Cost

When a dent is too sharp, too deep, or the paint is broken, paintless repair is off the table. Traditional repair — straightening the metal, a skim of body filler, block sanding, primer, and repaint — is the correct method. It's skilled labor, and the price reflects the hours.

Quick answer: Expect $300–$800 per panel for moderate dents, and $800–$1,500+ for severe damage. If repair approaches the cost of a new panel, replacement is the smarter buy.

Typical traditional dent repair costs

JobTypical rangeNotes
Small dent, filler + spot repaint$300–$790One panel, minor damage
Moderate dent, full panel refinish$790–$800Most common per-panel job
Severe dent / stretched metal$800–$1,500+Heavy straightening labor
Panel replacement instead$790–$1,500+Sometimes cheaper than heavy repair

What affects the price

  • Labor hours. This is a labor job: metal straightening, filler application, block sanding, priming. Severe dents can eat 4–8 hours before paint even starts.
  • Paint and blending. The panel gets fully refinished, and on metallics/pearls the color is blended into adjacent panels. Refinish alone is typically $300–$600 per panel.
  • Repair vs. replace threshold. Here's the honest math techs do: if straightening + filler + paint exceeds roughly 70% of a new panel installed and painted, replace the panel. Ask the shop which side of that line you're on.
  • Filler thickness. A proper repair uses a thin skim of filler over straightened metal. Thick filler (a “Bondo brick”) cracks later. Cheap quotes that skip the metal work cost you twice.
  • Corrosion. If the dent broke paint down to bare metal and sat through weather, rust repair adds time and cost — and it's not optional if you want it to last.
Technician's take: Ask how the shop plans to fix it: “Are you straightening the metal first, or just filling it?” The answer tells you everything about the quality you're buying.

Related cost guides

Paintless Dent Repair (PDR) CostPer-dent PDR pricing and when paintless repair is the right call. Fender Replacement CostNew fender, painted and blended — when replacement beats repair. Hail Damage Repair CostHow per-dent PDR pricing turns into a four-figure bill — and when insurance pays. Why Shops Blend Paint (Cost)What blending is, when it’s required, and why cheap quotes skip it.

Frequently asked questions

Is body filler a bad repair?

No — a thin skim of quality filler over properly straightened metal is standard, correct bodywork. Thick filler smeared over an unstraightened dent is the hack version. The method isn't the problem; the shortcut is.

When should a dented panel be replaced instead of repaired?

When the metal is badly stretched, torn, or the labor to straighten it costs more than a new panel. Fenders and doors are often cheaper to replace; quarter panels usually get repaired since they're welded on.

How long does traditional dent repair take?

Typically 2–4 days: metal work, filler, sanding, primer, paint, and cure time. Blending adjacent panels adds a day.

Will the repair be visible?

A good tech with proper blending — no. That's what you're paying for: the metal work to get it straight and the paint work to make it disappear.

Need help?