How Much Does it Cost to Paint a Fender?

The part of the car that can be found between the body of the vehicle and the wheel is called a fender. This part is made specifically to protect the vehicle body from any objects and debris that are thrown by the wheel while it is moving. Most fenders are made of either fiberglass, plastic, or metal. As they get in direct contact with debris and objects thrown by wheels, they will need periodic painting, especially if you want to keep your car in the best condition and its value high.

How Much Does it Cost to Paint a Fender?

The cost of painting a car fender is anywhere between just $400 and $1,000 or more, depending on several important factors like the difficulty of the job, whether you go for a DIY project or hire a professional, the type of paint that will be used, and the size of your car, the expertise of the painter, and the type and size of the fender.

If you want to have your car fenders painted professionally, you can spend less than $400, but for this price, the quality of the paint job and the paint itself might not be as high as you want. If, on the other hand, you’re looking for a high-quality job and a glossy finish, then you should be prepared to spend $1,000 or even more.

It will be more expensive to replace a fender that is damaged beyond repair with a new one than to paint the old one. Also, fenders made of metal will be more expensive to paint than those made of plastic, as the process of painting metal is more complex than painting plastic.

DIY Cost for Fender Painting Work

If you want to save on the costs associated with labor, you can go for a DIY job for painting your fender. If you have the necessary materials and time to spare and if you feel that you are ready for this type of project, then you can surely give it a try.

Depending on the quality of material you go for and whether you already have the necessary tools or you have to buy them, it can cost you between $100 and $700 to paint your own fender. As you’d expect, high-quality paint and primer usually cost more than lower-quality materials.

You might also like our articles about the cost of car hood painting, bumper painting, or car paint corrections.

Keep in mind that you should only take on this type of job if you’re confident enough that you can do it and you have the time and patience required for good results. If not, you should leave the work to the professionals.

Fender Painting Labor Cost

If you don’t feel prepared for a fender painting job and you don’t want to compromise on the look of your car, then you should consider hiring a professional painter. Most expert painters will charge somewhere between $50 and $300 per hour for this type of job. Expect this job to take anywhere from 4 to 6 hours to complete.

Although less experienced painters might charge on the lower end, somewhere between $50 and $150, they might also need more hours to complete the job, which, in the end, will end up costing the same or more than working with an experienced professional.

Labor costs in general will vary based on location. As each shop targets its own profit margins and has its own way of doing the job, the price charged per hour of labor will also differ from one place to the other.

Factors That Increase the Fender Painting Cost

It will be easier to figure out the price you will have to pay and the best ways to save money on the job if you know the most important factors to raise or lower the final cost.

So here are the most important factors to raise the cost of the job

• Going to a professional without preparing the surface beforehand. If the professional will have to wash the parts before starting to paint, this might raise the final cost of the job and increase the time it takes.
• Wasting paint and primer. If you go for a DIY job and don’t know how to reduce the waste of materials, you might end up spending more on paint, primer, or others.
• The complexity of the job. If you also have to paint other parts like a bumper or a door or if the fender is particularly big in size, the cost of completing the job will be higher.
• Replacing the part instead of painting it. If your fender is damaged beyond repair, then instead of repainting it you might need to replace it with a new fender.
• Working with a professional body shop or a high-end paint shop. Whenever professionals with a reputation are involved, the price will reflect this, although the final result will also look accordingly.

How to Save on Car Fender Painting Expenses

Below, you will find some very helpful tips if you want to spend less when painting the fender.

• Using car insurance or other types of insurance to cover some of the costs. Check whether there is room for insurance when it comes to covering the cost of body damage or fender damage either in full or at least partially to save some of the money.
• Avoid periodic painting of the fender by wrapping it in vinyl. It will be cheaper to just wrap the fender in vinyl than give it a coat of paint over and over again.
• Buy a second-hand or aftermarket fender. If your fender is damaged beyond repair, then instead of buying a new one, look for an aftermarket part or a used fender to replace it with.
• Go to a less-known body shop. Avoid the big names in the business and just go to the average body shop to get a cheaper labor cost. Don’t go for the cheapest option either to avoid bad jobs and future need to paint fender flares.
• If you’ve done this job before, you can use some of the paint and primer that’s left from the previous jobs. As long as the old color matches your fender, you can always use old paint to cut down on the cost of materials.
• Go for a DIY project. As long as you feel up to it, you will save a considerable amount of money if you just do the job yourself. Experts say that you can decrease the final bill by up to 60% if you DIY.

How Long Does It Take to Repaint a Fender

The average fender paint job shouldn’t last more than 4 to 6 hours. This time can increase for jobs that require a higher level of skill or fenders that are more complicated in nature. You should also consider the drying time of the paint, as it will also take its toll on the amount of time the job takes.

A fender can also be repaired in some situations. This will depend on the extent of the damage and the existing dents, but overall a fender can usually be repaired with special techniques and the appropriate tools. The fender might need to be replaced only if the damage is too severe. Usually, you will spend more on repairing a fender than replacing it.

Conclusion

The overall price of painting a fender will vary depending on several important factors like the expertise of the painter, the difficulty of the job, the paint that will be used, and the type of fender you have.

As a general rule, the average cost of painting a fender will be between $400 and $1,000. These costs can be higher if you have a particularly expensive car,  a very complicated fender, or the job requires a particular level of skill.