Review a collision estimate before missed items become supplement work.

Work through the repair plan, related parts, labor, refinishing, diagnostics, documentation, and totals before the estimate leaves the shop. Check items online or print the checklist for a file review.

Use professional judgment. Not every item applies to every repair. Confirm current OEM procedures, estimating-system guidance, vehicle equipment, insurer requirements, and the actual repair plan.

Want the checklist to run with every estimate? New Collision Lens shops start with 20+ common recommended rules already active, then add shop, insurance/DRP, vehicle, conditional, and review- question rules. Collision Lens also calculates De-Nib and Polish and Wet/Dry Sand, Rub-Out, and Buff labor hours from applicable refinish time.

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Collision estimate review checklist

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File and vehicle details

Confirm the estimate is tied to the correct repair file and vehicle configuration.

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Verify the VIN, year, make, model, trim, engine, drivetrain, and relevant option information.Confirm the repair order, claim, owner, insurer, deductible, and loss details are current.Document the impact area, unrelated damage, prior repairs, and visible pre-existing conditions.Confirm the estimate reflects the current teardown stage and supplement number.Review the estimate header, labor rates, tax settings, and shop information for accuracy.

Repair plan and procedures

Make sure the written scope follows the repair the vehicle actually requires.

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Review current OEM repair procedures for the planned repair, replacement, sectioning, and restraint work.Confirm repair-versus-replace decisions and sectioning locations are documented.Identify measuring, setup, anchoring, pulls, test fits, and access operations that apply.Identify required pre-repair, in-process, and post-repair inspections or measurements.List applicable sublet work such as glass, alignment, calibration, mechanical, or specialty repair.Confirm required repair notes, procedure references, and supporting photos are attached or available.

Parts, hardware, and consumables

Review the related parts that can disappear behind the primary replacement panel.

0/6

Verify part numbers, descriptions, side or position, quantities, and part types.Check clips, retainers, fasteners, rivets, brackets, moldings, emblems, and one-time-use hardware.Check adhesives, seam sealer, corrosion-protection products, undercoating, foam, and sound-deadening materials.Check glass kits, urethane, primers, dams, moldings, and related installation materials when glass work applies.Review recycled, aftermarket, or reconditioned parts for transfer, fit, cleanup, and preparation operations.Confirm freight, hazardous-waste, core, disposal, and other applicable charges are documented correctly.

Body, mechanical, and structural labor

Check access work, supporting operations, labor categories, and manually entered time.

0/7

Review related remove-and-install operations needed to access every repair or replacement area.Check included and not-included operations before adding separate labor lines.Review disconnect, reconnect, drain, fill, evacuate, recharge, initialize, and function-test operations.Confirm welding, squeeze-type resistance spot welding, weld cleanup, and weld-through primer operations as applicable.Confirm corrosion protection is restored in repaired, welded, or replaced areas.Verify body, frame, mechanical, glass, electrical, structural, and refinish labor use the correct category.Support manual labor lines with a clear description, calculation, and reason.

Refinish and paint operations

Review every refinished or blended panel and the work surrounding the paint operation.

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Confirm every repaired, replaced, blended, and refinished panel is represented in the paint plan.Review feather, prime, and block; edge or backside refinishing; jamb work; and repaired-panel preparation.Check masking, cover-and-protect, overspray protection, aperture masking, and interior protection.Check spray-out card, color match, tinting, and color-variant work when applicable.Review de-nib and polish plus wet or dry sand and buff calculations separately.Check anti-chip coating, stone guard, texture, seam sealer, undercoating, and corrosion-protection refinishing.Confirm paint materials, body materials, caps, thresholds, and taxable amounts are calculated correctly.

Diagnostics, calibrations, and safety

Confirm safety-related operations are tied to the actual repair plan and vehicle equipment.

0/6

Review pre-repair and post-repair scan requirements and document the selected approach.Identify ADAS aiming, calibration, initialization, programming, and road-test requirements.Review wheel alignment needs after qualifying suspension, structural, wheel, or steering work.Check battery disconnect, reconnect, support, registration, initialization, and related memory procedures.Identify restraint-system inspections, seat-belt operations, occupant-sensor procedures, and warning-label needs.Confirm post-repair function checks, quality-control steps, and final road tests are documented.

Final estimate review

Read the estimate as one repair plan before it leaves the shop.

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Check for duplicate labor, overlapping operations, repeated parts, and inconsistent quantities.Confirm all line notes justify the operation without promising insurer approval.Review totals, labor hours, rates, materials, taxes, discounts, concessions, and deductible treatment.Compare the estimate with teardown notes, technician input, parts invoices, photos, and sublet documentation.Confirm estimator questions and uncertain items are assigned for human review rather than assumed.Read the estimate from top to bottom and confirm it tells a clear, consistent repair story.

How to use the checklist in a body shop

Before submission

Review the shop-written estimate after teardown and before it is sent for approval.

During training

Use each section to explain the related operations a developing estimator should consider.

After a supplement

Turn recurring misses into shop, insurer, vehicle, conditional, or question rules.

Turn the checklist into a repeatable shop playbook.

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Collision Lens is a product of Taubert Businesses LLC.