How Much Does Paint Correction Cost?

Skylab's paint correction prices

Single-step starts at $700, takes up to eight hours and removes roughly 30 to 60 percent of defects. Two-step starts at $1,450, takes up to two days and removes roughly 80 to 90 percent. Multi-step starts at $3,500, takes four to six days and is the level Skylab recommends for black paint.

Signature show-car packages go further. Gold starts at $3,000 and takes about two weeks. Platinum starts at $6,000 and takes about four weeks. These are built for concours-level preparation, where every panel is refined to the same standard. Platinum also includes dry ice cleaning of the engine bay, wheel wells and undercarriage.

Why the price is mostly labor

Correction is machine polishing that removes a thin layer of clear coat to level out swirls, scratches and haze. Each panel is polished in sections, wiped and checked under light. More steps mean more passes with different pads and compounds, each one refining the last. The hours, not the products, drive the price.

Products matter, but they are a small share of the bill. Good pads, compounds and lighting help a skilled detailer work faster and finish cleaner. Skill decides whether the result looks crisp under direct sun or shows haze and buffer marks once the car leaves the shop.

What raises or lowers the cost

Vehicle size changes the surface area. Paint condition changes how much work each panel needs. Black and other dark colors show every mark, so they usually need more refinement to look right. Previous poor polishing or heavy scratching adds time. Clean, newer paint may need only a single step.

If you plan to coat the car, the correction and coating are planned together. At Skylab, GYEON Infinite ceramic coating starts at $1,000. Correcting first means the coating locks in a clean finish rather than swirls. Skylar can price both together after one inspection.

Measuring before polishing

Clear coat is thin. AutoGeek puts typical factory clear coat at about 1.5 mils, or about 40 microns. Polishing removes some of it every time, so a careful detailer measures first. Skylab inspects with a digital paint thickness gauge, a digital microscope and studio lighting before choosing a level.

Readings also reveal past work. AutoGeek notes that thinner readings can point to earlier correction, which leaves less margin. On a car with thin paint, the right answer may be a lighter correction that leaves enough clear coat to protect the paint for years.

What correction does not fix

Correction removes defects in the clear coat. It does not fix chips, scratches deep enough to reach color or primer, or peeling clear coat. Motor1 notes that once clear coat peels, polishing will not fix it and the panel usually needs refinishing. A good inspection tells you this before you pay for work that cannot succeed.

Deep scratches can sometimes be reduced so they are less visible, even if they cannot be fully removed. Skylar will tell you what to expect for each mark before work begins, so the price matches a realistic result rather than a hopeful one.