The short answer
Repairing a single kerbed alloy in the UK typically costs £40–£80 by mobile SMART repair (Small to Medium Area Repair Technology), which blends only the damaged area with the tyre left on. A full strip-and-refurbish of the same wheel, where the whole wheel is stripped, repainted and re-lacquered, usually costs more — around £50–£120 — but gives a uniform finish. Diamond-cut wheels cost more again, often £90–£150+, because a kerbed face usually has to be re-cut on a lathe rather than spot-repaired. The price rises with the size of the scuff, whether the rim edge is gouged or cracked, the finish type and how well the repair must match the rest of the wheel.
A kerbed alloy is the most common alloy repair, and the cost depends mainly on the method and finish. The sections below give indicative UK ranges and explain when a quick mobile repair is enough and when a full refurbishment is the better spend.
At a glance
- Mobile SMART repair (1 wheel)~£40–£80
- Full refurbish (1 wheel)~£50–£120
- Diamond-cut kerb repair~£90–£150+
- Tyre stays on (SMART)?Usually yes
- Main cost driverDamage size and finish
Kerbed alloy repair costs
A light kerb scuff on a painted wheel is the lowest-cost alloy repair, especially when done as a mobile SMART repair on your driveway. The cost climbs as the damage gets deeper, as the finish gets more complex, and where a localised blend will not match well enough and the whole wheel has to be refinished. The ranges below are indicative and vary by region, wheel size and damage.
| Repair type | Indicative cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile SMART repair (painted) | £40–£80 | Damaged area only, tyre on |
| Full strip-and-refurbish (painted) | £50–£120 | Whole wheel refinished |
| Diamond-cut kerb repair | £90–£150+ | Face usually re-cut on lathe |
| Gouged or cracked rim edge | Top of range or more | Welding/filling needed first |
Indicative figures for guidance only. Prices vary by damage, finish and region.
Mobile SMART repair vs full refurbishment
A SMART repair targets only the damaged section of the rim. The technician sands back the scuff, fills and shapes any gouging, then primes, colours and lacquers the area and blends it into the surrounding finish. Because it leaves the tyre on and is done in an hour or two, often at your home or workplace, it is the lowest-cost and quickest option for a single fresh scuff. The limitation is the blend: on a plain painted wheel a good technician can make it almost invisible, but a localised repair will never be quite as uniform as refinishing the whole wheel.
A full strip-and-refurbish takes the wheel back to a clean surface across its whole face and recoats it evenly. It costs more and usually means the wheel leaves your car for a day or so, but the finish is consistent and there is no blend line to catch the light. It is the better choice where the wheel has multiple scuffs, faded or peeling lacquer, or where an earlier patch repair now looks mismatched. The decision is really about whether a blend will satisfy you, or whether you want the whole wheel to look new.
What pushes a kerb repair price up
Damage depth is the main driver. A light surface scuff sands and fills quickly; a deep gouge that has torn metal off the rim edge needs more filling, shaping and sometimes welding before it can be refinished, which adds labour. A kerb hit hard enough to crack the rim or buckle it is no longer a cosmetic repair — it has to be assessed for safety, and a cracked alloy may not be repairable at all, which is a different and dearer job than a scuff.
Finish type matters too. A solid painted wheel is the easiest and lowest-cost to blend. A diamond-cut wheel is harder, because the bright machined face is difficult to spot-repair invisibly, so a kerbed diamond-cut wheel often has to be re-cut on a lathe — a more expensive job than a paint blend. Colour and metallic complexity add cost where the surrounding paint is a tricky shade or a multi-stage metallic that is hard to match. Finally, the number of wheels affects the per-wheel price: a single kerbed wheel carries all the setup cost alone, whereas doing several together spreads it. Getting the wheel looked at, rather than booking blind, is a reliable way to know which of these factors applies to your particular damage.
Frequently asked questions
Is a mobile kerb repair as good as a full refurbishment?
For a single fresh scuff on a painted wheel, a good mobile SMART repair can look almost invisible and costs less. A full refurbishment gives a more uniform finish across the whole wheel and is better where there are multiple scuffs, peeling lacquer or a diamond-cut face that needs re-cutting.
Can a cracked or buckled kerbed alloy be repaired?
Sometimes, but it is a structural rather than cosmetic repair and costs more. A buckled rim may be straightened and a crack may be welded if it is in a safe area, but some cracks and severe buckles cannot be safely repaired and the wheel must be replaced. It should always be assessed by a specialist.
Why does a diamond-cut kerb repair cost more?
Because the bright machined face of a diamond-cut wheel cannot usually be blended invisibly with paint. A kerbed diamond-cut wheel normally has to be skimmed and re-cut on a CNC lathe, then re-lacquered, which is more involved and more expensive than a painted spot repair.
Sources & further reading
Figures on this page are typical UK ranges drawn from published sources and depend on your specific wheels. They are guidance, not a quotation.