The cost of painting a car bumper doesn't have to be high.
Car repairs are a nuisance, but with a little research, they don't have to be costly. The cost to paint a car bumper depends upon the hourly labor rate, cost of supplies and the number of coats of paint needed to cover the bumper. Damaged car bumpers that are also in need of repair can drastically increase the cost of a bumper painting project.
Hourly Labor Rates
When determining how much it costs to paint a bumper, one of the most influential factors is the cost of labor. Most car painting shops charge between $50 and $75 per hour for auto painting projects. If the bumper does not need cosmetic or structural repair, then painting the bumper will take approximately three to five hours. This time frame includes taping off the area, prepping the surface, applying primer, color matching, painting, and applying a final clear coat. If the bumper requires sanding or filler, the amount of time needed to paint the bumper could double or even triple depending upon the severity of the damage.
Supplies
The cost of supplies to paint a bumper often depends upon the quality of the paint itself. Paint that comes directly from an auto manufacturer tends to be more expensive than generic detailing paint. If it is important to you that the bumper paint is original paint from the car maker, then you will pay a premium price. Otherwise, supplies including paint, tint, primer, clear topcoat and painting tools will run in the $100 to $200 price range. Since the bumper is not a large portion of the entire car, the cost of supplies for painting the bumper will not be exceedingly high.
Vehicle Preparation
If the car bumper has rust damage, hail damage or surface flaws, then an auto detailer will have to spend time buffing out the troublesome areas. Once again, this will increase the labor costs. If the car has been in an accident, additional vehicle preparation may be necessary. If you want to change the color of the current bumper, then the car will have to be prepped for the color change. This often requires sanding and additional primer to ensure that the new coat of paint adheres to the bumper. The time invested in vehicle preparation will also increase labor and supply costs. That total amount will need to be discussed with the car detailer in advance.
Number of Coats of Paint
Another important factor in determining the cost of painting a bumper is the number of coats that will be required to sufficiently cover the surface of the bumper. If you are changing the color of the bumper from a dark to a light shade of paint, the project will probably require two or more coats. As a result, this will increase the labor rates and supply costs. If the color of the bumper is staying the same or changing from a light to a dark shade, then you can expect to pay the prices as listed in Section 1 since painting the bumper will only require one coat. According to Cost Helper, the average middle-of-the-road price to paint an entire car is somewhere between $1000 and $2000. The cost to paint the bumper only would be approximately 20 percent to 35 percent of the price of painting the entire car depending upon the labor, supplies, preparation and number of coats needed.
