Identify the vehicle and panel
Confirm the vehicle, panel, material and relevant repair history. Establish the cosmetic scope and distinguish unrelated defects.
ASSESSMENT / QUALITY
Clarity at inspection.
Confidence at handover.
Repair quality begins with identifying what is being repaired, what is achievable and who authorises the work.
A SHARED STANDARD
Agree the outcome
before the method.
Record the starting condition
Use appropriate images and lighting to make the damage understandable. Additional defects found during inspection require a scope discussion.
Define repair or improvement
A complete cosmetic correction and a best-achievable improvement are not interchangeable. Expectations should be stated before work starts.
Review under useful lighting
Check the repaired area and its surrounding reflections. The review should match the agreed scope and conditions.
Close the loop
Explain the result, any agreed limitations and any items requiring another repair route.
THE ESTIMATING PRINCIPLE
The seventh visible dent
may not be the seventh dent.
Photographs and an initial count can miss damage. Additional defects outside the original estimate are discussed separately; they are not silently added to the agreed repair scope.
LET’S SEE THE BIGGER PICTURE