Paint Correction
Paint Correction Cost in 2026: $550–$825
Paint correction is where scope creep eats detailers alive. The service is priced per step, not per car, and the only way to stay profitable is to define exactly how much defect removal the client is buying before you plug in the polisher. A one-step removes roughly 60–80% of light swirling; a two-step gets you to 90%+ but nearly doubles the labor.
Get the Course — $39Typical price
$550–$825
Time on site
6–10 hours for a one-step, 12–20 for a two-step
Gross margin
80–88% (pads and compound are the only consumables)
Paint Correction Pricing by City (2026)
| Metro | Low | High | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austin, TX | $580 | $865 | Austin |
| Dallas, TX | $560 | $840 | Dallas |
| Houston, TX | $550 | $825 | Houston |
| Phoenix, AZ | $550 | $825 | Phoenix |
| Las Vegas, NV | $580 | $865 | Las Vegas |
| Los Angeles, CA | $745 | $1,115 | Los Angeles |
| San Diego, CA | $690 | $1,030 | San Diego |
| San Francisco Bay Area, CA | $770 | $1,155 | San Francisco Bay Area |
| Seattle, WA | $635 | $950 | Seattle |
| Portland, OR | $605 | $910 | Portland |
| Denver, CO | $605 | $910 | Denver |
| Chicago, IL | $605 | $910 | Chicago |
| Minneapolis–St. Paul, MN | $580 | $865 | Minneapolis–St. Paul |
| Boston, MA | $690 | $1,030 | Boston |
| New York, NY | $770 | $1,155 | New York |
| Atlanta, GA | $580 | $865 | Atlanta |
| Miami, FL | $635 | $950 | Miami |
| Orlando, FL | $550 | $825 | Orlando |
| Charlotte, NC | $550 | $825 | Charlotte |
| Nashville, TN | $580 | $865 | Nashville |
| San Antonio, TX | $535 | $800 | San Antonio |
| Philadelphia, PA | $580 | $865 | Philadelphia |
| Washington, DC | $635 | $950 | Washington |
| Tampa, FL | $550 | $825 | Tampa |
| Jacksonville, FL | $525 | $785 | Jacksonville |
| San Jose, CA | $715 | $1,075 | San Jose |
| Sacramento, CA | $580 | $865 | Sacramento |
| Riverside, CA | $525 | $785 | Riverside |
| Columbus, OH | $525 | $785 | Columbus |
| Indianapolis, IN | $505 | $760 | Indianapolis |
| Cleveland, OH | $505 | $760 | Cleveland |
| Cincinnati, OH | $525 | $785 | Cincinnati |
| Kansas City, MO | $525 | $785 | Kansas City |
| St. Louis, MO | $510 | $765 | St. Louis |
| Detroit, MI | $525 | $785 | Detroit |
| Milwaukee, WI | $505 | $760 | Milwaukee |
| Baltimore, MD | $550 | $825 | Baltimore |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $510 | $765 | Pittsburgh |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $550 | $825 | Salt Lake City |
| Tucson, AZ | $505 | $760 | Tucson |
| Albuquerque, NM | $495 | $745 | Albuquerque |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $495 | $745 | Oklahoma City |
| Memphis, TN | $495 | $745 | Memphis |
| New Orleans, LA | $525 | $785 | New Orleans |
| Birmingham, AL | $495 | $745 | Birmingham |
| Louisville, KY | $505 | $760 | Louisville |
| Raleigh, NC | $550 | $825 | Raleigh |
| Virginia Beach, VA | $535 | $800 | Virginia Beach |
| Richmond, VA | $525 | $785 | Richmond |
| Boise, ID | $535 | $800 | Boise |
What the Job Actually Involves
- 1Wash, decontaminate, and clay so the paint is chemically clean
- 2Take paint-depth readings on every panel; flag any panel under 90 microns as no-correct
- 3Test-spot on the hood to dial in pad, compound, speed, and pass count
- 4Compound stage — work 2ft × 2ft sections, wipe with IPA to verify true correction
- 5Polish stage to remove compounding haze and restore gloss
- 6Protect immediately — bare corrected paint oxidizes fast
What's Included
- Decontamination wash and clay treatment
- Paint-depth measurement on all panels
- Machine compounding and finishing polish
- Trim and badge taping
- Six-month sealant to protect the correction
Profitable Add-Ons
- Upgrade one-step → two-step+$300–$550
- Ceramic coating instead of sealant+$600–$1,100
- Headlight restoration+$80–$150
- Wet-sanding single panel+$150–$300
Margin Killers to Avoid
- ✕Selling 'perfect paint' instead of a defined percentage of defect removal
- ✕Skipping paint-depth readings on a repainted panel and burning through
- ✕Not photographing before/after under the same lighting
- ✕Correcting without protecting — the finish dulls in weeks
- ✕Under-quoting black paint; it takes 30–50% longer to finish
Sell Paint Correction at the top of the range
The complete Mobile Detailing Academy course covers pricing menus, intake forms, and the scripts that hold your number. $39 one-time.
Get the Course — $39