If you’ve never had a surface repair carried out, it’s natural to wonder what the process involves. Will it smell? Will it make a mess? How long will it take? What should I do to prepare? Here’s a clear, step-by-step account of what happens during a typical professional surface repair visit.
Before the Visit: The Photo Quote
At Shazam Repairs, most quotes are provided by photograph before a technician visits. You send us photos of the damage, we assess the repair complexity and provide a written quote. Once you accept the quote and a visit is booked, you receive a confirmation with your appointment time.
Step 1: Arrival and Assessment
The technician arrives at the agreed time, introduces themselves and asks to see the damage. Even if photos have been submitted, they’ll inspect the damage in person — looking at the depth of any chip, the surface texture, the current condition of the surrounding area, and any factors that might affect the repair approach.
Step 2: Surface Preparation
The area around the damage is cleaned and degreased. Any loose or friable material is removed from the chip or crack. For rust on enamel baths, the rust is treated at this stage. The surrounding area is masked off to protect it from repair materials.
Step 3: Colour Matching
This is the most technically demanding part of the repair. The technician mixes pigments into the repair resin to match the specific colour of your surface — taking into account the base colour, any ageing or yellowing, and the surface sheen level (gloss, satin, matt). For complex materials like granite composite or natural stone, the technician also accounts for the texture and particle distribution. Colour matching is done on-site and under the ambient lighting of the room — not in a workshop — which is important for accuracy.
Step 4: Application and Build-Up
The repair material is applied in thin layers — not all at once. Each layer is built up, with curing time between applications. This multi-layer approach gives a stronger, better-blended result than applying material in a single pass.
Step 5: Curing
The repair is cured using either a UV lamp or a catalyst-activated chemical cure, depending on the materials used. Curing typically takes fifteen to thirty minutes. During curing the repair hardens and achieves its final colour and surface quality.
Step 6: Finishing
Once cured, the repair is sanded and polished to blend the surface. The technician works progressively from coarser to finer abrasives, finishing with a polishing compound that restores the surface gloss. On matt surfaces, a finishing coat or abrasive pad is used to achieve the correct sheen level.
Step 7: Inspection and Sign-Off
The technician removes all masking, cleans the area and invites you to inspect the repair. Any minor touch-ups are carried out at this stage. You’ll be advised how long to leave the surface before use and given aftercare instructions.
Total Time
Most single-item repairs take between one and two hours. Multiple repairs at the same address may be batched into a longer visit for efficiency.
