A chipped bath is one of the most common DIY repair projects attempted by UK homeowners — and one of the most frequently done badly. Here is an honest guide to what DIY and professional repair each achieve.

DIY Bath Repair Kits

Bath repair kits are widely available for £10–£25. They typically include a filler paste, a selection of white shades, a spatula and sandpaper. Some include a basic colour chart.

What they can achieve: a serviceable repair on a small chip in a plain white bath. Not invisible, but better than the raw chip. Suitable if you are prepared for an imperfect result and the bath is white or near-white.
What they cannot achieve: an invisible result. Colour matching to non-white baths, matching the gloss level of the surrounding surface, or repairing enamel baths (which require specialist materials).
Risks: filler that is proud of the surface catches the light and makes the repair more visible. Staining around the repair can occur if the edges are not properly sealed. Once a DIY repair is in place, subsequent professional repair requires removing the DIY material first.

Professional Bath Chip Repair

A professional technician attends, colour-matches precisely to your bath finish (including gloss level), fills the chip in layers, shapes it flush and polishes to match the surrounding surface.

Result: invisible under normal viewing conditions in most cases.
Cost: £85–£175 for a single chip. Significantly less than bath replacement.

Our Recommendation

For any non-white bath, any enamel bath, or any chip larger than about 5mm — professional repair gives a significantly better result and is worth the additional cost.