How does a photo estimate for car repair work?
Quick answer
You send three photos — a full corner shot of the vehicle, a close-up of the damage, and a wide shot — and an estimator writes a repair plan from them. At Prime Auto Body the written estimate comes back within 24 hours, free. It covers what a camera can see; hidden damage found at teardown is documented and approved before any extra work.
The three photos that matter
Shoot in daylight if you can, and get:
- Full corner shot — the damaged corner with half the vehicle in frame
- Damage close-up — one to two feet away, straight on
- Wide shot — the whole car, so we can see stance and panel gaps
- Bonus: VIN plate (driver door jamb) and odometer for exact parts
What happens on our side
An estimator identifies the damaged parts, checks OEM part availability and paint codes for your VIN, and writes a line-item estimate — the same document an insurer uses. You get it in writing within 24 hours, with a repair timeline.
Photo estimates are a starting number, and we say so plainly: a camera can’t see behind a bumper cover. If teardown reveals hidden damage, we photograph it and clear the supplement with you (and your insurer) before doing the work.
Why this beats driving shop to shop
You can price a repair from your driveway, compare against an insurance estimate, and book the repair with parts already ordered — which shortens the days your car is actually in the shop. Standing in a parking lot next to a dented car? That’s exactly what the photo estimate form is for.
