DIY vs professional
DIY Van Wrap vs Professional Fit, Cost and Finish
Save the labour and apply it yourself, or hand us the keys for a flawless finish. Same panels, made for your exact van. Here is how to choose.
The short answer
It comes down to time, budget and how flawless you need it
DIY saves money and takes your time. A fit saves your time and guarantees the finish.
The wrap itself is the same either way. We laser scan your van, design it, and print modular panels on Metamark high performance MD5A vinyl. The only question is who applies them. Do it yourself and you save the fitting cost. Have us fit it and you get a flawless, warranted finish with no time off the tools.
Because the panels are cut to your exact van and come in manageable pieces, DIY is much more approachable than wrapping off a big roll. And if a panel goes wrong, it is modular, so we reprint the one panel rather than the whole van.
Side by side
DIY vs professional at a glance
The honest trade offs, so you pick with your eyes open.
| DIY panel kit | Fitted by ExactWrap | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Lower, you skip the fitting labour | Higher, the labour is included |
| Your time | A weekend job with care | None, we do it here |
| Finish | Excellent on flat panels with patience | Flawless, including the tricky curves |
| Fixing a mistake | Reprint one panel, not the whole van | Handled by us, warranted |
| Best for | Hands on owners, tight budgets, UK wide | Owners who want it perfect and sorted |
Ready to do it yourself? See the DIY van wrap kits. Near Manchester and want it fitted? See vehicle wraps in Manchester.
How to choose
Pick the route that fits you
A quick steer before you order.
- Tight budget and happy to put the hours in, choose the DIY kit
- The van is your shop window and must look flawless, choose a fit
- Confident on flat panels but wary of the curves, do the easy bits and let us finish
- Customer outside our area, DIY kits ship UK wide
- Running a fleet, a professional fit keeps every van consistent and on brand
Not sure what a wrap costs either way? The van wrap cost guide explains what drives the price, and the vehicle wraps overview covers the full range.
Questions
DIY vs professional, answered
Is it cheaper to wrap a van yourself
Yes, because you are not paying for fitting labour. With our DIY kits we design, print and cut the panels to your exact van and ship them to you, so you save the workshop time. You spend your own time applying them instead.
How hard is it to fit a DIY van wrap
Flat panels like doors and lower sides are very doable with patience, a squeegee and a helper. The tricky bits are curves, recesses and bumper returns. Because our kits are cut to your van and come as manageable panels, they are far more forgiving than wrapping off a big roll.
Will a DIY wrap look as good as a fitted one
A careful DIY fit on a van with good flat panels can look excellent. A professional fit will always have the edge on tight curves and complex areas, and it comes with our workmanship behind it. If the van is your shop window and you want it flawless, let us fit it.
What if I get a panel wrong
Because the wrap is modular, a single panel can be reprinted and sent out without redoing the whole van. So a mistake on one door is a cheap fix, not a disaster. That is a big part of why the modular, panel by panel approach suits DIY.
Can I start DIY and get you to finish it
Often, yes. Some customers apply the easy flat panels themselves and bring the van in for the fiddly areas. Tell us what you want to tackle and what you want us to handle, and we will sort a plan and a price.
Get a price, either way
Tell us your van and whether you fancy fitting it yourself or having us do it, and we will come back with a clear price for the route you choose.