A neutral, service-by-service pricing guide for UK car detailing businesses, covering washes, valets, paint correction, and ceramic coating.
Quick answer: UK car detailing prices typically range from £15 to £30 for a basic exterior wash, £60 to £150 for a full valet, £150 to £400 for paint correction, and £300 to £800 for ceramic coating, depending on vehicle size and condition.
Why detailing pricing guides are hard to trust
Search for car detailing prices and most results come from detailing product suppliers, whose guides tend to steer you towards their own kit and chemicals rather than giving a neutral view of what to actually charge. This guide sets out realistic UK pricing by service, with no product recommendations attached.
Basic exterior wash
A basic exterior wash, covering a snow foam pre-wash, two-bucket hand wash, and a quick dry, typically costs £15 to £25 for a standard car, rising towards £30 for larger vehicles such as SUVs and estates.
This service suits regular maintenance clients who want their car kept clean between more thorough details, and it is usually the fastest job in your schedule, often 30 to 45 minutes.
Full valet
A full valet adds interior cleaning to the exterior wash: vacuuming, dashboard and door panel wiping, window cleaning inside and out, and often a light interior deodorising. UK prices typically run £60 to £100 for a standard car and up to £150 for larger vehicles or particularly dirty interiors.
Full valets take considerably longer than a basic wash, usually one and a half to two and a half hours, so price them to reflect the real time on the vehicle rather than a flat markup on the basic wash.
Paint correction
Paint correction removes swirl marks, light scratches, and oxidation using machine polishing, restoring gloss and clarity to the paintwork. UK prices vary significantly by how many stages of correction the paint needs, typically £150 for a light single-stage polish up to £400 or more for a full multi-stage correction on heavily marked paint.
This service requires genuine skill and the right equipment, so undercutting the market here is particularly risky, since a rushed job on paint correction can leave visible defects that damage your reputation more than a rushed wash ever would.
Ceramic coating
Ceramic coating applies a semi-permanent protective layer to the paintwork, typically lasting one to five years depending on the product tier used. UK prices commonly range from £300 for an entry-level coating up to £800 or more for premium multi-year coatings, often bundled with a paint correction beforehand to ensure the paint is properly prepped.
Always price paint correction separately from the coating itself, even when bundled, so clients understand what they are paying for at each stage and you are not absorbing correction time into a flat coating price.
Interior deep clean and specialist services
Interior deep cleans, including carpet shampooing, leather conditioning, and odour removal, typically cost £50 to £120 on top of a standard valet, depending on how much specialist work the interior needs.
Specialist add-ons such as engine bay cleaning, headlight restoration, or pet hair removal are usually priced separately, commonly £15 to £40 each, since they take dedicated time and sometimes specific products.
Mobile versus fixed-location pricing
Mobile detailers, who travel to the customer’s home or workplace, typically price at the higher end of these ranges to cover travel time and the practical limitations of working outdoors or in a driveway rather than a covered unit.
Fixed-location detailers with a unit or covered bay can sometimes price slightly lower on standard services, since there is no travel time built into each job, though a premium location or specialist reputation can support higher prices regardless of format.
How to set your own prices from these ranges
Use these figures as a market reference, not a fixed price list. Calculate your true cost per job first, including product cost, your time, travel, and a share of your insurance and equipment costs, then check where that lands within the market range for your area.
Areas with higher average vehicle values and higher living costs, particularly London and the South East, typically support pricing at the top of these ranges or above.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I charge for a basic car wash in the UK?
Most UK mobile and fixed-location detailers charge £15 to £25 for a basic exterior wash on a standard car, rising to around £30 for larger vehicles.
Is ceramic coating worth offering as a new detailer?
It commands a strong price, typically £300 to £800, but requires real skill and the right paint preparation. Build confidence with paint correction first before offering ceramic coating as a standalone service.
Should mobile detailers charge more than fixed-location ones?
Generally yes, since mobile detailers absorb travel time and work in less controlled conditions. This is usually reflected by pricing towards the higher end of the typical UK range.
How do I price a job with an unusually dirty interior?
Quote based on an in-person or photo assessment rather than your standard valet price, and treat heavily soiled interiors as a deep clean with a separate, higher price rather than absorbing the extra time into a standard valet rate.