A spray booth for automotive refinishing typically costs between £15,000 and £80,000 in the UK, depending on size, specification, and the type of heating system. A standard car-sized booth from an established UK manufacturer — correctly specified, properly installed, and built to last — sits in the £35,000 to £60,000 range. Budget imports and basic single-skin units can be found for less. Bespoke large-vehicle installations cost more.
The purchase price is only part of the picture. Running costs, maintenance, compliance, and operational lifespan all affect what a booth actually costs to operate over its working life.
Spray booth prices in the UK range from around £15,000 for a basic imported unit to well over £80,000 for a fully specified, bespoke installation from a premium UK manufacturer. The majority of booths sold for standard automotive body shop use fall between £30,000 and £65,000.
Within that range, the key variables are size, heating system, panel specification, lighting, filtration, and the control system. A well-specified double-skinned booth with LED lighting, a PLC control system, and high-efficiency heating costs more to buy than a basic single-skin unit with manual controls. The difference in operational performance and lifespan, however, is significant.
Entry-level and imported booths typically range from £10,000 to £20,000. These are basic single-skin units, often from Eastern European or Asian manufacturers, with standard filtration and manual controls. The lower capital cost generally comes with higher maintenance overhead and a shorter service life. Mid-range booths from established UK suppliers run from £20,000 to £40,000, with improved insulation, controls, and specifications. Premium UK-manufactured booths — double-skinned, rockwool-insulated, LED-lit, PLC-controlled, with high-efficiency heating — typically fall between £40,000 and £80,000. Commercial vehicle booths sized for trucks, vans, or agricultural equipment start at £60,000 and can exceed £150,000 for large bespoke installations.
These are supply-only price indications. Installation, electrical supply connection, site preparation, and commissioning are typically additional.
Booth prices quoted by manufacturers typically cover the booth structure itself — panels, frame, doors, lighting, heating system, filtration units, and controls. They do not usually include installation labour, electrical connection, groundworks, or commissioning.
Installation adds £3,000 to £10,000 to most projects. All spray booths require a three-phase electrical supply — if your site does not have adequate capacity, a DNO supply upgrade adds further cost that varies significantly by site. Spray booths are installed on a solid, level concrete base; if groundworks are required, these should be included in the project budget. Planning permission may also be required depending on your site and local planning conditions — fees and professional costs should be factored in accordingly.
Yes — an all-electric FIR spray booth typically carries a higher initial capital cost than a gas-heated booth of equivalent size and construction quality. The FIR heating system and associated electrical installation represent a meaningful difference in upfront price.
However, the total cost of ownership over the working life of the booth tells a different story. An all-electric FIR booth running at typical UK body shop usage costs approximately £422 per year in energy. An equivalent gas-heated booth costs approximately £1,716 per year — a difference of over £1,200 annually. Over a 10-to-15-year operating life, that energy saving is substantial. It also excludes the cost of gas maintenance obligations — burner servicing, gas safety certification, combustion system replacement — which add further cost to gas operation over time. The question is not which booth costs less to buy, but which costs less to own and operate.
Yes — significantly. Spray booths are categorised broadly by their internal working length. A standard car booth typically runs 6 to 7 metres internally, for passenger vehicles. Van or SUV booths run 7.5 to 9 metres to accommodate larger vehicles. Commercial vehicle booths are typically 9 to 12 metres or longer, for trucks, vans, buses, and agricultural equipment. Each step up in size increases material costs, foundation requirements, electrical supply capacity, and installation complexity.
A spray booth is typically a 10-to-15-year capital asset. When evaluating purchase options, the full cost of ownership should cover: purchase price; installation and commissioning; electrical supply infrastructure (if upgrade required); planning fees (if applicable); annual energy costs; routine maintenance including filters, lighting, and fan bearings; gas safety inspection and burner servicing for gas booths; and eventual replacement.
A booth that costs £10,000 less to buy but consumes significantly more energy, requires more frequent maintenance, or fails prematurely is not the cheaper option. The energy cost differential between a well-specified electric FIR booth and an equivalent gas booth exceeds £1,200 per year at typical throughput — a figure that compounds substantially over a 15-year asset life.
Yes. Leasing and hire purchase arrangements are widely used in the body shop industry for equipment at this price point. Finance allows operators to spread the capital cost over the expected working life of the equipment, matching repayments to the revenue the booth generates. If you are evaluating a lease arrangement, the energy cost projections for the booth you are financing matter — a more efficient booth costs less to run each year, and those savings continue for the full term of the lease and beyond.
When comparing quotations, check what is included and what is not. A lower headline price that excludes installation, commissioning, and first-year service is not directly comparable to a higher price that includes them. Key questions to ask any supplier: Is installation included? Is electrical connection to the supply included? What is the warranty period and what does it cover? Where is the manufacturer based, and who carries out service and warranty work in the UK? What is the expected filter replacement frequency and cost? What is the rated service life of the heating system?
How much does it cost to run an electric spray booth?
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What is FIR heating in a spray booth — and does it actually work?
Can you convert a gas spray booth to electric?
Do spray booths need planning permission in the UK?
Prices shown are indicative market ranges and do not represent Todd Engineering's pricing. For an accurate quotation based on your site and specification requirements, contact Todd Engineering directly.