Auto body shops write an estimate before any repair starts, either for the customer paying out of pocket or as the first step in an insurance claim. Customers often collect two or three estimates and compare the bottom line, so it helps to show what is included, which parts you plan to use, and where the price could change after teardown.
When to use estimates: Use estimates to provide project quotes and get client approval before starting work. Once approved, convert your estimate to an invoice with one click to collect payment.
Create an invoice for payment collection
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Invoice_1001_Client_2026-10-14.pdf
Shows how the total was built and makes it easy to compare against other shops or an insurer's estimate.
Part choice can swing the price by hundreds of dollars and affects fit, warranty, and insurer approval.
Blending adjacent panels for a color match adds labor and materials, and customers often assume only the damaged panel gets paint.
Sets expectations that the estimate is based on visible damage, so a revised price after teardown is not a surprise.
Backordered parts can add weeks, and a customer without a rental car needs to plan around that.
Prevents arguments over whether alignment, glass, or calibration of driver assistance sensors is included.
Parts prices and labor rates change, so the quote should expire, and a deposit protects you on special-order parts.
| Service | Priced | Typical range |
|---|---|---|
| Body labor | per hour | $55-100 |
| Refinish (paint) labor | per hour | $55-100 |
| Paint and materials | per refinish hour | $30-45 |
| Frame and structural labor | per hour | $80-150 |
| Paintless dent repair | per dent or panel | $75-450 |
| Bumper cover repair and refinish | flat fee | $350-900 |
| Full panel repaint (door, fender, quarter panel) | per panel | $300-700 |
| Mechanical labor (suspension, cooling, A/C after collision) | per hour | $90-160 |
Typical US ranges. Rates vary by region, experience, and job size.
A visual estimate misses damage behind bumper covers and panels. For anything beyond cosmetic damage, charge a small teardown fee or offer to credit it toward the repair so the quote is based on what is actually damaged.
Many newer vehicles need radar or camera calibration after bumper, windshield, or structural repairs. Add it as a line item, either done in-house or sublet, so you are not absorbing the cost.
Presenting an aftermarket option, an OEM option, and a used option with different prices lets out-of-pocket customers choose their budget and shows you are not padding the quote.
Posting your rates by labor type and applying them the same way on every estimate keeps you defensible with insurers who ask for rate surveys.
Most shops give free estimates for visible damage. Charging a teardown or diagnostic fee is reasonable for complex jobs, and it is common to credit it toward the repair if the customer books with you.
Usually 14 to 30 days, since parts prices and paint costs shift. Write the expiration date on the estimate.
Contact the customer or adjuster with photos and an updated figure before doing additional work, and get approval. Many states require shops to get authorization when the final cost will exceed the estimate by a set amount or percentage, so check your local rules.
You can, but you are not required to. If their estimate is missing operations or uses lower labor rates, send a supplement with documentation. Customers generally have the right to choose their repair shop.
Use the Auto Body Repair invoice template to bill the client, or convert this estimate once it's approved.
Auto Body Repair invoice template