The Assessor Winter 2026 PDF - Flipbook - Page 24
JOURNAL
ABP GUIDE TO RETAIL AND
NON-CONTRACT CHARGES
2026 GUIDE TO RETAIL AND
NON-CONTRACT CHARGES
ALL VALUES EXCLUDE VAT • EFFECTIVE FROM 1ST JANUARY 2026
LABOUR RATES
PARTS (Parts supplied at manufacturer’s list price)
Bodyshop labour rate
- standard cars
- prestige cars and specialist charge e.g. aluminium repair
- vans
(light goods vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes maximum GVW)
BS 10125 compliance charge (compliant for bodyshops who hold this
industry standard) OR SEE NEXT LINE
Vehicle manufacturer approval charge - only applicable when
repairing the vehicle brand you hold the approval for
£83.28 per hr*
£103.06 per hr*
£83.28 per hr*
£41.64 per job
OR SEE NEXT LINE
£5 per hr uplift
REPAIR PLAN
Fee for compilation of assessment by repairer (excludes engineer fee)
(must include methods research and ADAS identi昀椀cation and evidenced)
Electric / hybrid vehicle
- risk assessment charge (any risk must be identi昀椀ed and evidenced)
- quarantine for vehicle with possible damage to battery (to be decided
by a high voltage technician only)
- power down and make safe before beginning repair, and then
reinstating power
- full recharge (EV / PHEV)
Environmental (EPA) charge
Environmental investment and sustainability (for bodyshops,
holding ARIES, SBTi or iso14068-1 commitment to accreditation)
Older vehicle allowance (vehicles over 10 years old)
Personal belongings - removal and storage
Pre-Repair cleaning charge
Road test and 昀椀nal quality inspection - prior to customer handover,
0.5hr for road test and 0.5hr for 昀椀nal quality inspection
Extensive road test post ADAS calibrations for veri昀椀cation purposes
(this operation will need to be completed even if the calibration has been
performed by a dealer or sub-contractor to comply with the IIR veri昀椀cation
requirements)
£176.96 per job
0.5hr per job
4.0hr per job
3.0hr (unless inc. in
repair method time)
£52.05 / £20.82
£31.23 per job
£26.02 per job
1.0hr per job
0.3hr per job
0.5hr per job
1.0hr per job
0.5hr per job
1.0hr (unless inc. in
repair method time)
System diagnostic check (system sweep) if not included in repair method
- pre-repair check
1h per job
- post repair check
1h per job
Vehicle care kit
£10.41 per job
Wash and vacuum
1.0hr per job
STANDARD CHARGES
0.3hr for 昀椀rst panel;
- labour charge for application (excludes materials)
thereafter 0.1hr per panel
£15.61 for 昀椀rst panel;
- materials only (excludes application labour)
thereafter £7.29 per panel
Machine polish
Sill dressing
Trial panel 昀椀t - 昀椀rst trial 昀椀t is included as part of standard hours. This
charge only applies when 2nd or subsequent trial 昀椀ts are required
Valet - as required after major accident damage, in addition to wash and
vacuum charge
Yard charge (for moving vehicle around yard; usually involves 2 staff
members)
0.3hr per panel
0.7hr per side
0.5hr
1.0hr
1.0hr
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ABP Club is at the heart of the UK Body Repair Industry
Established in September 2004 we now have over 2500 individual members
APPRENTICE
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AWARDS
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01455 614909
LF DA
enquiries@abpclub.com
www.abpclub.co.uk
OE price
£72.87 each
OE price
OE price
OE price
OE price
£15.61
£12.49 per panel
New welded / bonded panels (material costs)
joined
Number plate (exc 昀椀tting)
Panel bonding kit
£26.02 each
OE price
£26.02 per panel
Panel Repair Sundries (inc body 昀椀ller)
Standard vehicle shut down (internal combustion engine)
Corrosion protection
Bead sealer
Boron drills (8mm) UHSS drill bit
Brake 昀氀uid
Coolant / antifreeze
Door bonding kit
Engine oil
Glass moulding lifting tape
Screenwash
Sound deadening pad - large / small (each) (exc 昀椀tting)
Sundries / clips / 昀椀xings
Tyres
Windscreen bonding kit
repaired
£7.28 per litre
£16.65 / £13.53
3.5% of parts total
As agreed on a retail basis
OE price
ADAS CALIBRATIONS (In house)
First calibration - does not include wheel alignment
- Each subsequent calibration
Dynamic ADAS - second technician (to complete with UK law, second
technician to operate equipment whilst other technician drives the
vehicle)
Extensive road test post ADAS calibrations for veri昀椀cation purposes
(this operation will need to be completed even if the calibration has been
performed by a dealer or sub-contractor to comply with the IIR veri昀椀cation
requirements)
£312.30
£156.15
0.5hrs for second
technician (per calibration
process)
0.5hr
SPECIALIST & MISCELLANEOUS CHARGES
Air conditioning recharge - all types
£271.70
Alloy wheel refurbishment (inc. remove / re昀椀t tyre, replace valve and balance)
- standard alloy
£110.35 per wheel
- diamond cut
£196.74 per wheel
Congestion / ULEZ charge
As per cost incurred
Mobility solution charge (excludes insurance)
- car
£46.84 per day
- electric vehicle (EV)
£62.46 per day
- car derived van
£47.88 per day
- panel van
£57.25 per day
£135.33 for 昀椀rst panel;
Paint protection reinstatement (excludes ceramics and non ceramics)
thereafter £33.31 per panel
Recovery
£182.17 includes 昀椀rst
- standard (vehicle on road, upright, not substantially damaged
20 miles then £4.68 per
and able to be moved - low loader or 2 person movement)
mile thereafter (per return
journey)
- specialist and inherited charges
contractors rate +20% admin
- vehicle movement (driven) - to OR from dealer / to OR from owner
£78.07 (per journey)
Salvage / total loss - administration charge (excludes assessment
£98.89
compilation fee)
£41.64 per 24hrs*
Storage charge - secure compound per bay
(or part thereof)
Swap wheel with spare wheel
0.5hr
Wheel alignment - 4-wheel (includes tyre pressure check and adjustment)
- check only
£112.42
- check and adjust toe (additional charge for camber and castor
£174.88
adjustment)
Steering angle reset (prior to ADAS calibrations)
0.5hr
Xirallic (or special toner uplift as per manufacturer guidance, advanced
with formulation)
*The charges are subject to an uplift of 15% to re昀氀ect regional cost variations
such as London and the home counties.
GUIDE SPONSORED BY
The values are provided for guide purposes only and may require adjustment to suit
a repairer’s individual requirements, geographical location and market conditions.
Learn more today.
Complex paint processes, simpli昀椀ed.
Navigating new and existing paint challenges to help achieve streamlined success.
© Auto Body Professionals Club 2025
IS THE ABP RETAIL
GUIDE STILL
RELEVANT?
A BALANCED LOOK AT
ITS FUTURE
For many years, the ABP Guide to Retail and Non-Contract Charges has served as a key
reference point across our industry – providing consistency, setting expectations, and
bringing a degree of structure to pricing. It has been relied upon by work providers,
bodyshops, and insurers alike, and is embedded in case law through Coles v Hetherton,
forming the basis of many subrogation models. Phil Briggs, IAEA, President, reports.
ut with the claims
landscape changing
rapidly – rising total loss
declarations, declining
repair volumes, and
increasing pressure on repair capacity
– it is worth asking what needs to
evolve to ensure we continue repairing
as many vehicles as possible.
B
I recently took part in a panel debate
that asked an important question:
Is the Guide still 昀椀t for purpose in
its current form, or is it time for an
update? What follows is a balanced,
constructive look at that conversation.
24
THE PRESTIGE PRICING
CHALLENGE: IS £99/HR
APPROPRIATE FOR A
10-YEAR-OLD BMW?
Consider a simple scenario: a
10-year-old BMW requires repairs.
Would most owners choose to pay
dealership-level labour rates? In
practice, many owners of older vehicles
turn to independent garages for more
cost-effective solutions. Yet in our
industry, legacy retail rates are often
applied regardless of a vehicle’s age or
market value.
Many manufacturers already offer
reduced or menu-priced servicing
for older vehicles, recognising that
price must re昀氀ect value. This raises
the question: should the repair sector
rethink its approach too?
Similarly, long-standing uplift models
– such as the 15% Home Counties
increase – may warrant review where
local operating costs no longer align
with the assumptions built into the
Guide.
During the discussion, several ideas
were raised, including rate structures
THE ASSESSORS JOURNAL | WINTER 2026 | www.iaea-online.org/news/the-assessor
