Three Indispensable Tips for Planning for Panel Beating Costs
Restoring the body of your vehicle after an accident can be challenging. Therefore, it is important to choose a good panel beater to handle the smash repairs. A qualified specialist will eliminate dents and other forms of damage from your automobile through techniques like shrinking, stretching, planishing and paintless dent removal. In an ideal situation, the insurer will handle the costs of the repair. However, this is not always the case. Therefore, you must understand the expenses for planning. Here are some guidelines to help you understand your panel beating costs.
Check the Service Rates
You should inquire about the cost of the panel beating services. In simple terms, consider the amount of money that the technicians will need to be paid for their skilled labour. Some of these specialists will charge you depending on the time which they will spend working on the vehicle. Others will calculate costs by taking into account the extent of vehicle damage. It is advisable to discuss the service fees with your chosen auto body shop before the smash repair work begins.
Consider Replacement Parts
The cost of auto body replacement parts can be significant. If you are fortunate, the panel beater will be able to restore the automobile without the need for removing the affected parts of the structure. However, if your vehicle is heavily damaged, you will need to buy new components for the smash repairs. It is prudent to discuss all your options for acquiring replacement parts with your panel beater. A good specialist will help you find affordable used parts for quick repairs. However, if you have enough funds, it is advisable to look for quality original components.
Plan for Surface Painting
The repaired auto body might require paint to restore the surfaces. Keep in mind that the process of panel beating will cause some damage such as scratches to the external surfaces. If the road incident was minor, your smash repair expert might be able to conduct paintless dent removal. This technique will protect the paint coating from deterioration. Unfortunately, this is rarely applicable after most accidents. Still, you should ask your panel beater to avoid making modifications to other parts of your auto body, except for the damaged area. This way, you will only need to paint a small section of your vehicle. If the damage is extensive, you might need to repaint your entire car, and the costs could be higher.
Other factors influencing panel beating costs include warranty, timeline and additional services like a rental vehicle. Contact a panel beaters service for more information.