Tag: cost to paint car

DIY vs Autobody – How Much Does Paint Repair Cost?

Posted on by ERAPaints

How Not to Spend a Fortune

Nobody likes dings and scratches in their car. In fact, they become a big pain for you. Just imagine, you parked a car. When you come back later, you saw a scratch. It is not only frustrating but also ruins the car’s look. Not to forget that you will be also paying the cost to paint a car.

You can hire some professionals for paint repair or you can carry out yourself. There are many pros and cons to both methods.

Cost to Paint A Car Yourself

If we talk about the supplies then you will be happy to know the cost to paint a car will be under $100. They are also easily available but the biggest problem is the painting job. It takes a lot of time as well as energy such as add dozens of coats of paint and many more.

That is not all, you will also require some machinery such as a paint gun. You can rent these machines but remember it is not available everywhere. You can also count on brushes and paint trays.

Another problem is ventilation. When you are painting, make sure that the area is well-ventilated. The reason is that the dust or dirt can ruin the new paint job while it is drying.

You will also require some extra things which are sandpaper, mineral spirit, and masking tape. Sandpaper is used to remove the grime or rust. To clean your car, you will require mineral spirits. Masking tape will surely protect the area from the paint.

Cost to Paint A Car by Hiring a Professional

If we compare it to the DIY method then the cost to paint the car will be higher than $100. Every painting company charges different rates for different level. You need to analysis your budget first then choose the one that fits.

If you are looking for a basic paint job then it will cost you under $1,000.

In basic paint, you can have

– Few coats of enamel paint (synthetic)

– Less attention to detail

A standard paint job will cost more than the basic paint job. Approximately, you will be spending around $1,000 to $3,000.

What you can expect from standard paint job is

– Last Longer

– Will make your car look better

– Smooth surface

– No impurities

Last but not least, if you like to show off your car then it is advisable to invest in a showroom quality job. This one is better than the above two paint jobs. It will cost you around $20,000 but on the other side, you will be getting a high-quality paint job.

This process will

– Remove the whole paint on the metal frame

– Clear out any dents

– Carefully add dozens of layers of paint

Not to forget that you will also be getting all the benefits of a standard paint job as well.

Which one to choose?

You must be thinking then which one to choose? If your car doesn’t need specialized tools and you are a very patient person then you can easily do it. Another factor might be that you don’t want to spend a lot of money so you consider doing it yourself.

If you have no idea of how to paint a car or you are looking at something which is very hard for you then consider hiring a professional for this job. These people are very good at their work and they will guarantee you that the final product will be amazing then you can expect.

We pride ourselves on quality products, competitive prices and outstanding customer satisfaction.

If you are more interested in ERA Paints and our strive for vehicle care, follow us on our social media:

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Cost to Repair a Car Bumper

Posted on by ERAPaints

BUMPER REPAIR COST

Assume that your car was crashed, has bumper damage and now it needs to be fixed. How much does it cost to repair a bumper? $200? $400? When the payment bill comes you will surely get surprised.

Subaru Bumper Paint Scratch

This happens because of the outdated understanding of a car bumper. In the past, the bumper was a piece of wood, bolted onto metal at the ends of the car. They provided protection if a car bumped into nearby objects. Furthermore, it was easily replaceable, just unscrewing the bolts allowed it to detach.

Now bumpers are more complex. Today, bumpers are integrated with components of the vehicle and have more functions than just protecting. This causes the bumper repair cost to rise. In order to know the cost, you need to understand a modern bumper’s purpose, and the process of fixing or replacing one.

Today’s system of repairing or replacing is much harder than it was in the past. Before taking out the bumper, professionals need to disconnect it from numerous vehicle systems. It does not only consumes time but it also takes trained skills. You must be wondering what kind of systems are in the bumper, below is the list of all systems:

  1. Lights
  2. Trim
  3. Warning Systems
  4. Airbag Sensors
  5. Air Intakes

Removing all the above parts takes almost 2 – 3 hours and sometimes even more. The average labor cost is $100 per hour.

Paint Labor

After the removal of bumper, it’s time for the paint job. This job starts when the damage to the bumper is repaired. It also includes using body filler(putty), plastic repair material or other materials to repair dents and cracks. The primary objective is to create an exact copy of the original bumper.


After the repair job, sanding is done to the surface of the bumper. Before painting, trim or cutouts are removed. Now it’s time for painting and this includes laying a base coat, coats of colors and clearcoat.


The average time spends in this whole job is around 3 – 4 hours. The paint labor cost almost $100 per hour.

Paint Materials

This includes masking tape, plastic repair material, basecoat paint as well as body filler. You must be thinking that the measuring tape and paint also includes in cost? Yes, auto-body shops charge a flat rate for materials. They charge around $45 per hour on average.

Parts

In any collision, there must some part or component that was damaged. In the worst scenario, because of high damage, a replacement will be made. A replacement of bumper will cost you around $300 – $700. If sensors, lights, cameras or any other component are damaged, then you can expect an increase in overall cost. Even a low-speed collision of a new car could cost up to $1,000.

Overall Bumper Repair Cost

Car bumpers have changed from very simple to complex. Not just tools and parts cost but also time and effort the person whom you hired.


If we sum up all the expenses, you can easily see why car bumper repair costs so much.

  • Labor Time: 2 – 3 hours (rate= $100/hour) will cost= $200 – $300
  • Labor Time: 3 – 4 hours (rate= $100/hour) will cost= $300 – $400
  • Paint Materials: 3 – 4 hours (rate= $45/hour) will cost= $135 – $180
  • Parts: Average cost of parts = $300 – $700

The average bumper repair will cost between $935 and $1,580.


Does this blow your mind? Well, you are not alone. Do you know you can fix a damaged bumper yourself? If you have small scratches or dents then you can easily fix it yourself, but if the bumper is heavily damaged then consider getting it fixed by a professional.


IN THE END, WE KNOW YOU CAN DO IT YOURSELF.
 

How Much Does it Cost to Paint a Car Hood?

Posted on by ERAPaints

If you have decided to get your car hood painted, you have two choices to get this paint job done, either you can do it yourself or you can hire a professional to do it for you.  Having it done professionally can cost upwards of $500, but the do it yourself method could cost as low as $70. Read on for an in-depth view on the differences of the cost to paint car hood by yourself and professionally.


When you go in for car paint repair, you should be aware of the cost for common types of paint damage. It doesn’t matter whether you simply need to have touch-up paint for a small scratch or you need the entire body painted. Always having an idea of how much will that job cost you is valuable knowledge.

Cost to Paint a Car Hood the DIY way

Most people consider doing the paint job themselves because this method costs less. The materials you will need are primer, basecoat and clearcoat. You can get these supplies easily at ERAPaints.com and the cost to paint car hood won’t be more than $100.


Painting the car hood is an easy job, just check out our blog by clicking here. All of the instructions are written in steps and are very clear. The blog will help you paint your car hood and do a quality job.

Cost for a Professional to Paint your Car’s Hood

Hiring a professional has its own advantage, by hiring a professional for a paint job will assure you of high-quality. This means that the result will most likely be perfect. On the other side, it can cost a lot of money.
A rough estimate for a professional to paint a car hood ranges between $300-$500.  

What method should I use?

It depends upon the car as well as the damage. If your car contains high damage such as big dents, the full paint job on the hood then better go to a professional. In other words, he will repair your car hood with dedication and skill. Not only that, he will repair paint damage as well. Without compromising the quality, he will work flawless and guarantee to make the car hood as if you bought a new one.


If your car hood has little scratches then you should do it yourself. Don’t worry, we believe that you will do an amazing job while following our instructions. With little effort the DIY route will save a lot of money and time too. You can get the paint and touch up paint kit from ERA Paints. This won’t take more than a couple of hours and you will be spending about $30 to $60 for the whole job. Check out more about DIY vs Autobody by clicking here.

We pride ourselves on quality products, competitive prices and outstanding customer satisfaction.

If you are more interested in ERA Paints and our strive for vehicle care, follow us on our social media:

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