# Collision Repair in San Francisco | Lombard Auto Body

Canonical: https://sflombardautobody.com/collision-repair-san-francisco/

> San Francisco collision repair since 2013. Frame measurement every intake, lifetime warranty on body & paint, all insurers handled. Call (415) 292-2962.

San Francisco · Marina District

# Collision Repair in San Francisco.

Frame measurement on every intake. Factory-matched paint off your VIN. Every major insurer handled. Lifetime warranty on body and paint. Same shop on Lombard Street since 2013.

[Request a Free Estimate](https://sflombardautobody.com/contact-us/#estimate) [Call (415) 292-2962](tel:+14152922962)

Written by [Jack Chew](https://sflombardautobody.com/about-us/#jack-chew), owner of Lombard Auto Body, collision and frame work on Lombard Street since 2013. Reviewed June 2026.

If your car isn't drivable

Call us at [(415) 292-2962](tel:+14152922962). We can arrange a tow direct to the shop and start the insurance documentation while it's on the truck.

If you have a claim number

Bring it with you to the estimate. We'll contact the adjuster, document the damage in their system, and handle supplements when hidden damage shows up during teardown.

If you haven't filed yet

Stop by for a free estimate first. If repair cost is close to your deductible, paying out of pocket may make more sense. We'll be straight about it.

## What happens when you bring your car in

Most San Francisco collision repairs follow the same arc. Knowing it ahead of time makes the waiting easier.

- 1

### Free written estimate

We walk the vehicle, photograph everything, and write a line-item estimate in whichever insurance estimating system your carrier uses (CCC, Mitchell, Audatex). Most estimates take 20–30 minutes. You leave with a paper copy.

- 2

### Adjuster review & authorization

If you're filing insurance, the carrier's adjuster reviews the estimate and authorizes the repair. We negotiate any disagreements on your behalf: what gets repaired vs replaced, OEM vs aftermarket parts, blend panels for color match.

- 3

### Drop-off & teardown

You drop the car off. Rental coordination starts the same day if your policy includes it. We tear down the damaged areas. **Hidden damage almost always shows up at teardown**, a bent reinforcement bar behind a "scratched" bumper, a cracked headlight mount, a leaking AC condenser. At this stage we also run a **pre-repair diagnostic scan**, pulling every stored fault code so we know up front which safety and ADAS systems were affected and which will need recalibration before the car goes back together. We document, photograph, and submit a supplement to the adjuster. Repair doesn't proceed until that supplement is approved.

- 4

### Frame measurement

Every collision intake gets a frame check. If the unibody is within factory tolerances, you get the printout for your records. If it isn't, we pull it back to spec on the bench and measure again until the **structural integrity** is restored to factory tolerances. Frame work that's skipped or guessed-at compromises crash safety and causes tire wear, alignment problems, and resale loss years later.

- 5

### Body & paint

Damaged panels are repaired or replaced. Any bare metal exposed by welding or panel replacement gets **corrosion protection** re-applied: epoxy primer on the surface, cavity wax inside box sections, so the repair doesn't rust from the inside out years later. New panels are sanded, primed, color-matched off your VIN *and* verified against the adjacent panel (because sun-fade shifts every car). Final clear-coat goes on in our paint booth. Adjacent panels get blended so the transition is invisible under varied light. [More on our paint & refinishing process →](https://sflombardautobody.com/auto-paint-refinishing-san-francisco/)

- 6

### Quality check & pickup

Before the car comes back to you, we run a **post-repair diagnostic scan**, clearing and verifying fault codes and confirming the safety systems (cameras, radar, and other ADAS sensors) read true, calibrating or coordinating calibration where the vehicle requires it. Then a final walk-through with you on-site: we point out the work, hand over the lifetime warranty paperwork, and you pay the deductible (if any). The car comes back washed, vacuumed, and clay-bar polished, small touches, no extra charge.

## The bench, and a real intake.

Frame measurement isn't just a line on the estimate. It's a bench we own and pull on in-house. Here's the equipment, and the kind of front-end damage that comes through the door.

Our frame bench, pulling clamps, and measuring setup, structural repair done in-house, not sublet.

A real intake, crushed front fender and headlight, the kind of damage we straighten and refinish every week.

## Lifetime warranty on body & paint

Lifetime warranty on collision repair, auto body work, and paint. For as long as you own the vehicle. Covers paint adhesion, color match, and structural workmanship.

1-year limited warranty on mechanical parts on any mechanical parts replaced during the repair. Full terms printed on every invoice. Keep it. [See the full warranty →](https://sflombardautobody.com/warranty/)

## Insurance, handled.

We work with every major U.S. carrier and write estimates in CCC, Mitchell, and Audatex. We document, negotiate supplements, manage parts ordering, and bill the carrier directly. **You pay the deductible at pickup.**
[Read the full insurance walkthrough →](https://sflombardautobody.com/insurance-claims-walkthrough/)

**Your insurer can't pick your shop.**
California law (Insurance Code §758.5) gives you the right to choose your own body shop. A carrier may suggest their "network" shop, but they cannot require it.
[How the insurance process works →](https://sflombardautobody.com/insurance-claims-walkthrough/)

## Common questions about collision repair

### How much does collision repair cost in San Francisco?

Collision repair pricing depends on the panels involved, paint blend area, frame work required, and whether OEM or aftermarket parts are used. Most San Francisco shops bill labor at **$155–$175/hour**. Expect a single-panel job (bumper cover, fender, door) to land around $500–$2,500 out of pocket, and a multi-panel insurance-mediated repair to run $4,000–$8,000+. We give a written estimate at no charge, call [(415) 292-2962](tel:+14152922962) to bring it by.

### How long does collision repair take?

Most repairs take **5 to 10 business days**. Single-panel cosmetic work finishes in 2 to 3 days. Frame-measurement repairs and full-panel repaints run 2 to 4 weeks. The timeline is in writing on the estimate before we start, and we don't order parts until you authorize.

### Do I have to use my insurance's recommended body shop?

**No, California law gives you the right to choose your own shop** ([CA Bureau of Automotive Repair](https://www.bar.ca.gov/consumer)). Your insurer may steer you toward a DRP (Direct Repair Program) shop, but they can't require it and they can't lower the payout if you go elsewhere. We work directly with every major carrier, DRP or not. [Full insurance walkthrough →](https://sflombardautobody.com/insurance-claims-walkthrough/)

### OEM parts vs aftermarket: what's the difference?

**OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) parts** come from your vehicle's maker, same supplier, same materials, same fit. **Aftermarket parts** are made by a third party to fit the same spec. OEM costs more, fits better, and preserves resale value. Aftermarket is cheaper and faster to source. Insurers often default to aftermarket. We'll tell you exactly which is being quoted on your repair, and you decide. For structural parts and airbag-area panels, we strongly recommend OEM.

### Does my car need an ADAS or sensor recalibration after collision repair?

Possibly, and it's a safety issue, not a cosmetic one. Most vehicles built since roughly 2018 carry **ADAS (advanced driver-assistance systems)**: a forward camera behind the windshield, radar behind the bumper, blind-spot sensors in the rear quarter panels. If a panel housing one of those sensors is repaired or replaced, or the windshield comes out, the system usually needs **recalibration** so it reads the road correctly again. On every collision repair we scan the vehicle for diagnostic trouble codes, confirm which safety systems are affected, and make sure any required calibration is completed and documented to [I-CAR](https://www.i-car.com/) repair procedures before you pick the car up. Recalibration comes in two forms, **static** (the car is aimed at manufacturer target boards in a controlled space) and **dynamic** (a technician drives a prescribed route so the system relearns the road). We complete the calibration your vehicle calls for, or coordinate it with a dealer or calibration specialist when the procedure needs equipment specific to your make, documented either way. A miscalibrated automatic-braking or lane-keeping system can be more dangerous than the original dent.

### How do I know if my car's frame is bent?

Symptoms: panel gaps look uneven, the car pulls at highway speed, doors or trunk don't close flush, tires wear unevenly. The confirmation is a frame measurement on a calibrated bench. Millimeters matter. We measure on every collision intake at no additional charge. If the frame is straight, you get the printout. If it isn't, we show you exactly where and how it gets pulled back to factory spec.

### Does collision repair affect the resale value of my car?

Honestly, yes, some. Carfax and Autocheck record reported accidents and many buyers discount accordingly (typically 10–20% on the trade-in side). What matters most for minimizing the hit: **quality of the repair** (factory paint match, frame measured back to spec, OEM structural parts), **documentation** (keep the estimate, the supplements, the warranty, the parts list), and **warranty** (a lifetime body warranty makes future buyers more comfortable). All three are standard with us.

### What happens if my car is a total loss?

If the cost to return your car to **pre-accident condition** approaches or exceeds your insurer's total-loss threshold (a percentage of the car's actual cash value that varies by carrier and under California rules), the insurer may "total" it instead of paying to repair. We'll flag it early in the estimate if your vehicle is heading that way, sometimes it's hidden structural damage found at teardown that tips the math over. If it's totaled you're under no obligation to repair with us. If it's a borderline call, we'll walk you through repair-versus-payout so you can decide. Either way you keep the [right to choose your own shop](https://www.bar.ca.gov/consumer).

### What's the warranty on collision repair work?

**Lifetime warranty on collision repair, auto body work, and paint.** Covers paint adhesion, color match, and structural workmanship for as long as you own the vehicle. **1-year limited warranty on mechanical parts** on mechanical parts replaced during the repair. Doesn't cover damage from a new accident, normal wear, or aftermarket modifications applied after delivery. Terms printed on every invoice. Keep it in the glove box.

### Will you handle the rental car coordination?

Yes. If your policy includes rental coverage, we time the rental to start the day repair begins (so you don't burn rental days waiting for parts), and we coordinate directly with the rental agency. If your policy doesn't include rental, ask us, we can usually point you to a nearby option that won't blow up your repair budget.

## Got a damaged car and a claim number?

Drop in for a free written estimate, or call (415) 292-2962. We'll handle the insurance side from there.

[Request Free Estimate](https://sflombardautobody.com/contact-us/#estimate) [Call (415) 292-2962](tel:+14152922962)