There's no single flat rate for hail or dent repair, and any shop that quotes one sight-unseen is guessing. The real price depends on how many dents there are, how large and sharp each one is, which panel it sits on, and how hard that panel is to reach from behind. Because paintless dent repair uses no paint, filler or replacement parts, it's usually cheaper and faster than a conventional body shop. The fastest way to a real number is a free estimate — send us a photo or bring the car by.
Why there's no flat price for dent repair
Every car and every storm is different, so pricing is worked out per vehicle, not off a menu. A single door ding is a small job; a roof and hood peppered by a Calgary hailstorm is a big one. Rather than pad a one-size quote, we look at your actual damage and price what's in front of us. That's why the estimate is free and specific to your car — not a range pulled from thin air.
What actually moves the price
A handful of factors decide where any dent repair lands. Roughly in order of impact:
- Number of dents — one ding versus dozens of hail dents is the biggest single driver. More dents, more time.
- Size and depth — a shallow, coin-sized dent works out quickly; a large or deep one takes far longer to bring back.
- Sharpness — soft, rounded hail dents are the easiest. A sharp crease from a cart or a hard knock is slower and more demanding.
- Panel and location — dents near a tight body line, a panel edge, or a brace are trickier than one in the open middle of a door.
- Access — some panels open up easily from behind; others are boxed in by liners, glass or trim, or need surface glue-pull tabs. Harder access means more labour.
You can read how each of these is worked in our repair process.
Why PDR costs less than a body shop
Paintless dent repair is usually a fraction of body-shop rates, and the reason is simple: there's no paint, no filler and no parts. A body shop sands, fills, primes, repaints and colour-matches — materials and hours that add up fast. PDR works the metal back to shape from behind the panel (or with glue-pull tabs on the surface), so the original factory paint stays put. No respray means less labour, lower material cost, and a car that keeps its factory finish and resale value. On hail damage especially, where the paint is usually intact, that gap is at its widest.
Simple, out-of-pocket pricing
We keep billing straightforward: a clear price, paid directly. We don't handle insurance claims at this stage, so there's no adjuster back-and-forth, no deductible math and no paperwork runaround on our end. For most everyday dents, door dings and smaller hail jobs, paying out of pocket for PDR is the quickest and most affordable route to a car that looks right again.
Same-day work keeps costs down
Most repairs are done same-day, which is part of why PDR stays affordable — less time in the shop, no courtesy-car juggling, no multi-day teardown. A large or heavily hit vehicle can take a little longer, but you'll get an honest timeline with your estimate so there are no surprises at pickup.
When a repair costs more — and honest limits
We'll always tell you the truth before we start. Larger, deeper or sharp-creased dents take more time and cost more than soft hail dents, and while they usually improve dramatically, some may not come back to a perfect 100%. If the paint is cracked or chipped, that's beyond what PDR alone can fix — it needs paintwork. We flag any of this up front, in writing with your estimate, so you can decide with the full picture instead of finding out after the job.
How to get a real number
The only accurate quote is one based on your actual car. Two easy ways to get one, both free and no-obligation:
- Send a photo — a couple of clear shots of the damage are usually enough for a quick estimate. Get in touch.
- Drop by the shop — we're in Calgary's NE auto hub and can look at the car in person, map the damage panel by panel, and give you a written price.
We serve Calgary NE, NW, SE and SW plus Airdrie, Okotoks, Cochrane and Chestermere. See more on our FAQ or service areas.