A proper full detail on a family hatchback in 2026 sits between £150 and £350. A full detail combines interior and exterior work for a more complete reset, with typical prices in the £150 to £350 range. Go bigger, a paint correction package with ceramic coating, and you're looking at four figures. The price you pay depends on five things: your car's size, its condition, your postcode, the detailer's experience, and the products they're actually using. Below is a clear breakdown so you can budget before you ring round.
The quick price snapshot
If you just want a ballpark, here it is. Most UK detailers price by package rather than hour, and the package depends on how far you want to push the result.
- Mini valet / quick refresh: £40 to £70
- Full interior detail: £120 to £250
- Exterior detail with decontamination: £95 to £300
- Full interior + exterior detail: £150 to £350
- Enhancement detail with machine polish: £200 to £450
- Paint correction: £500 to £1,000+
- Ceramic coating: £250 to £900 depending on car size and product
Across the UK, a full interior car detail costs between £120 and £250, depending on your car's size, condition, and location, with higher rates in London or for luxury interiors with delicate materials like Alcantara or Nappa leather. If you're looking to correct swirl marks or paint issues, the cost of car detailing with paint correction can easily exceed £1,000.
What you actually get at each price point
£40 to £70: the mini valet
This is the everyday option, a tidy-up rather than a restoration. Expect a hand wash, alloys cleaned, interior vacuum, dashboard wipe, and windows done inside and out. Good for monthly upkeep, especially if you do the school run or live near tree sap and bird mess. It will not fix stains, swirls, or that biscuit your kid dropped under the seat three months ago.
£120 to £250: full interior detail
A "full interior detail" is a multi-stage process that sanitises every surface, including carpets, vents, leather, plastics, and even seatbelts. Typical jobs take 1 to 3 hours for light cleans and 4 to 8 hours or more for full restoration, and the work covers steam cleaning, fabric shampooing, leather conditioning, plastic rejuvenation, and odour neutralising. This is the level worth booking after a long winter, after the dog phase, or before a private sale.
£95 to £300: exterior detail
This goes beyond a wash and usually includes decontamination, clay treatment, polishing of some kind, tyre dressing, trim treatment and paint protection. A straightforward exterior detail on a well-kept car will sit at the lower end, while anything involving machine polishing or scratch reduction will push higher.
£200 to £450: enhancement detail
An enhancement detail will set you back anywhere from £200 to £450. On top of the wash and decon, you get a single-stage machine polish that lifts gloss and removes most light swirls, plus a sealant or wax. It is the sweet spot for a five-year-old daily driver that has seen automatic car washes and wants a reset.
£500 to £1,000+: paint correction
This is where the day rates kick in. Decent work is £200 to £400 a day, and the total depends on what you want done, what the car is, and how often. A two-stage correction on a black saloon can take two to three days, removing deeper scratches and oxidation before sealing the finish.
What pushes the price up
Two identical-looking quotes can hide very different work. Here's what moves the needle.
- Vehicle size: A larger vehicle has greater surface area to wash, polish and protect than a compact car. The same applies for interior detailing, since a seven-seater MPV has more carpet, upholstery and trim to deep-clean than a two-seater sports car.
- Condition: If the interior is heavily soiled, stained or full of pet hair, the price can climb because the work is slow and hands-on.
- Location: London and the South East typically add 20 to 30 percent due to labour and rent, while the Midlands and North tend to run £30 to £50 cheaper.
- Protection product: A spray sealant will protect your car for a few months, while a professional-grade ceramic coating can last for several years; you'll pay more for the ceramic up front but get a durable, glossy finish that is easy to maintain.
- Mobile vs workshop: Access to water, power, weather and working space can all affect what a mobile detailer can do on-site, whereas workshop-based detailing may be better for advanced correction or coating work because the environment is controlled.
Ceramic coatings: the big-ticket add-on
Ceramic is the upsell everyone asks about. Done well, it's brilliant. Done cheaply, you may as well have used a spray wax. A typical professional ceramic application starts at £250 for a small hatchback and rises to £900 or more for an SUV with a full prep. Ceramic coating forms a slick, durable layer of clear ceramic, offering resistance to swirls and making your car look newer for longer, with correct maintenance lasting up to three years on entry-tier products. Premium coatings can stretch to five years if you keep up the maintenance washes.
Worth it? If you keep cars long-term, park outside, and hate washing, yes. If you change cars every two years on PCP, a good sealant at a fraction of the price will do.
Regional price differences across the UK
Where you live changes the bill more than most people expect. You'll pay more for detailing in a major city because rents, business rates and insurance are all more expensive, while a mobile operator in a more rural area has lower overhead and can charge less for comparable services.
A rough guide based on current detailer pricing:
- London and South East: full detail typically £200 to £400
- Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds: £160 to £320
- Smaller towns and rural areas: £130 to £260
- Scotland and Wales: generally on the lower end, similar to the North of England
If you're hunting locally, browse trusted operators through Fixaroo's local services directory and compare two or three quotes before booking. Detailers near you will often price-match for a midweek slot.
How to spot a fair quote (and a duff one)
A good detailer will ask questions before quoting. The most accurate price comes from an inspection or a few clear photos, and a good detailer will want to know the make and model, your postcode, the vehicle condition, and what you want the end result to be. If someone gives you a flat £150 for any car, any condition, walk away.
Red flags to watch for:
- No photos of past work, one flat price for all cars, use of household or unlabelled chemicals, and no insurance or liability coverage.
- No fixed address or business name on invoices
- Cash only with no receipt
- Claims a ceramic coating can be done in under an hour (it can't)
Green flags:
- A portfolio of before-and-after interiors, products from brands like Koch Chemie, Auto Finesse, Gyeon or Colourlock, separate packages by vehicle size, optional protection add-ons such as fabric guard, ozone or leather coating, and clear aftercare tips.
Is detailing actually worth the money?
For most owners, a proper interior detail once or twice a year plus regular washing is the right rhythm. Clean interiors fetch £300 to £700 more in private sales. If you're selling privately, that maths is easy: £200 on a detail can return triple that at the gate.
If you want to freshen up a daily driver and keep on top of wear, a modest spend can make a noticeable difference. If you're preparing a car for sale, detailing helps it present better and supports buyer confidence. It is also worth considering as preventative care, since regular protection and interior upkeep can reduce long-term wear, especially with children, pets, work gear or constant motorway grime.
Before booking, check the basics on the car itself too. Run a quick MOT check and read more buying and selling guides over on the Fixaroo articles hub, so the paperwork side is sorted before you spend on cosmetics.
DIY vs professional: the honest cost comparison
You can absolutely do a lot at home. A basic kit of vacuum, microfibre cloths, interior cleaner, glass cleaner and fabric spray costs roughly £40 to £60 to start. After that, your only ongoing detailing costs are consumables like shampoo and polish, dropping the per-detail spend to £10 to £20.
Where DIY hits its ceiling is paint correction and proper extraction cleaning. Machine polishing without training will burn paint. Wet-vacuuming carpets without the right kit leaves mould. For those jobs, paying a pro is genuinely cheaper than fixing a mistake.