PRICE GUIDE · VEHICLES & TRANSPORT · 2026–2027
Car Detailing cost in the UK
£100–£800 per detail. Typically £250.
Car detailing in the UK costs £100–£800 per detail, and a full inside-and-out detail typically starts around £250. How much paint correction the car needs is the biggest driver, followed by its size, its condition and any protection you add on top.
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HOW MUCH IT COSTS
How much does car detailing cost in the UK?
| Low end | £100 | a basic detail on a small car in good condition |
|---|---|---|
| Typical | £250 | what most people pay |
| High end | £800 | multi-stage paint correction on a large car |
Locufy guide prices for 2026–2027. Updated 2026. A national range, not a quote — enter your town above for real prices from the garages, mobile mechanics and valeters near you.
What moves the price
- Paint correction — removing swirls and light scratches with a machine polisher is the longest stage of a detail
- Car size — an SUV or estate has more panels to decontaminate and polish than a small hatchback
- Condition — a neglected car with tar, iron fallout and stained seats needs far more detailing time
- Protection added — a wax, sealant or ceramic coating after the detail adds products and curing time
- Interior work — leather cleaning and feeding, steam cleaning and odour removal add to a full detail
- Mobile or studio — a detailing studio with lighting and a heated unit charges more than a driveway detail
Vehicle maintenance prices in the UK are up 38% over five years (ONS Consumer Price Inflation, Maintenance and repairs, to 2026 August). Five years ago a typical car detailing would have cost about £160 — an estimate from today's guide price and that index, not a recorded price. Source: ONS MM23 D7ED →
WHAT YOU GET
What a car detailing booking includes
Takes: Half a day for a basic detail; one to three days for a full detail with paint correction. Not included: Ceramic coating, scratch repair through to the primer and dent removal are priced separately — see the related guides below.
WHAT PEOPLE BOOK
Common car detailing jobs
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Car Detailing near you, with prices shown
The garages, mobile mechanics and valeters that cover your area, nearest first, each with their price and one score from every review. No account needed to look.
Or post the job free and let them come to you.
How to pay less
- Choose an enhancement detail rather than a full paint correction when the swirls are light
- Wash the car safely at home between visits so the next detail needs less correction
- Book the detail and any coating together, as the detailer only has to prepare the paint once
Before you book
- Ask the detailer to inspect the paint under good light and say how much correction is realistic
- Check whether the detailing price covers the interior or only the exterior
- Ask how long the car will be kept, as paint correction can take two or three days
- Agree how the detailer will treat any repaired or thin paint, where heavy polishing is risky
Car Detailing cost: questions people ask
£100–£800 per detail, with a full detail usually from about £250. A basic exterior and interior detail costs the least; multi-stage paint correction on a large car costs the most.
Half a day for a basic detail and one to three days when the paint is machine polished. The car often stays overnight so any sealant can cure.
No. Cleaning, polishing and protecting the paint are not modifications. A colour change wrap or respray is different and should be declared.
Often, yes. A clean, glossy car photographs better and makes a stronger first impression on buyers, which can help the sale go through faster.
Ceramic coatings, chip and scratch repair through to the primer and dent removal are normally separate services.
They are Locufy guide prices for the UK, drawn from a published UK detailing price guide. They are a national range rather than a quote, and the amount of paint correction sets your own price.
MORE GUIDES