Collision repair, priced after somebody has seen it
No body shop prices this from a photograph. Book the estimate first — that visit is what turns damage into a number and a date.
- Typically $1,000–$6,000 per repair
- 3 days to 3 weeks
Free to browse · No booking fee · Pay the pro directly
What collision repair usually costs
$1,000–$6,000 per repair
A guide only — panel count, structural damage and driver-assistance recalibration decide it, and the shop prices the job after the estimate visit, not before.
A typical US range to plan around, not a quote — every professional on Task Masters sets and publishes their own price, and you see it before you book.
What a collision repair job normally includes
- An estimate visit that puts the damage in writing, with photographs
- Panel repair or replacement, and structural straightening on a jig where it is needed
- Colour mixed to your vehicle paint code and blended into the adjacent panels
- Refinishing in a booth, with proper cure time
- Recalibration of cameras, radar and parking sensors disturbed by the repair
- Dealing with your insurer directly where there is a claim
About collision repair
Collision repair runs from a dented door to structural work on a car that has been hit hard. It is the one job here that genuinely cannot be priced in advance: what looks like a creased fender is often a bent mounting behind it, and the honest first step is an estimate, where the shop puts the car up, pulls the panel and writes down what is actually damaged. That document is also what your insurer works from, which is why it is worth having one even when you are not sure you will claim.
Repairs typically run $1,000 to $6,000, and the spread is real rather than cautious. One panel replaced and refinished sits near the bottom; structural work on a unibody with airbags deployed and driver-assistance cameras to recalibrate goes well past the top. Three things move it — how many panels are involved, whether the structure underneath has moved, and what electronics were built into the damaged area. In the US the choice of shop is yours: an insurer may recommend one, and you are free to use another. Ask whether the estimate is written for OEM or aftermarket panels, whether recalibration is included, and get the completion date in writing.
Auto Body & Paint pros
No auto body & paint pros in your area yet
We're opening new areas trade by trade. This one is still empty — which, depending on who you are, is either a problem we'd like to fix for you or an opening.
Do you offer auto body & paint services? Be the first.
While you're the only one listed, every customer who searches this page finds you and nobody else. Listing is free, we take no commission, and you set your own prices.
- A public booking page customers can book online, day or night
- A calendar that fills itself — no phone tag, no missed callbacks
- Verified reviews from completed jobs, which win you the next one
Takes about two minutes. No card, no contract.
Need auto body & paint services? We'll tell you the day someone joins.
Leave your email and we'll write once — the day auto body & paint services are bookable in your area. One message, nothing else, and you can book straight from it.
Questions about collision repair
Why will nobody give me a price over the phone?
Because the visible damage is rarely all of it. A dented wing can hide a bent inner structure, a cracked headlight mounting or a deformed crash beam, and none of that shows in a photograph. A shop that quotes without looking is either padding the number heavily or about to revise it upwards halfway through.
Does my insurer get to choose the shop?
No. They can recommend one from their network, and there are usually good reasons to consider it, but the choice of repairer is yours in the US. What matters more than the logo on the door is whether the shop is equipped for your car — aluminium bodies, structural jigs and ADAS recalibration are all things to ask about directly.
OEM parts or aftermarket?
Aftermarket panels are cheaper and many are perfectly good; OEM parts fit as the factory intended and matter most around safety structures and anything holding a sensor. Insurance estimates are often written for aftermarket by default. Ask which your estimate assumes — you can usually pay the difference for OEM if you want it.
How long will the car be off the road?
Days for a single panel, a week or two for multi-panel work, longer if parts are on back order or the structure needs straightening. Paint is the part that cannot be rushed: it needs booth time and cure time. Ask for a completion date at the estimate and for a call if parts hold it up.
Other jobs people book with this one
Do collision repair?
Get booked for it.
People are searching for this job in your area right now. Create a profile, set your own prices and take bookings straight from your calendar.
- Your prices, your hours, your rules
- Verified reviews that build your reputation
- Free to set up — no commission on jobs
