Our Process

Auto body repair shouldn’t be a mystery. The list below walks through every step from the first phone call to handing you your keys, so you know exactly what to expect when you bring your vehicle to Accent Collision.

Step 1 — Estimate

Customer waiting room at Accent Collision in Canoga Park, California
Our front office where estimates start. Walk in any time during business hours — no appointment needed.

Time: 20–30 minutes. Cost: free.

Bring the vehicle by during business hours — no appointment needed — and we’ll do a visual inspection of the damage. For most cosmetic and minor collision work, we can give you a written estimate the same day. For more complex damage we may schedule a follow-up to disassemble parts of the bumper or fender so we can see what’s underneath. We don’t charge for estimates and we don’t pressure you to commit on the spot.

What we need from you: driver’s license, insurance card (if a claim is involved), and the keys.

Step 2 — Insurance coordination (if applicable)

Front office reception area at Accent Collision auto body shop
We coordinate directly with your adjuster from our office — you handle one signature, we handle everything else.

Time: 1–3 business days, runs in parallel.

If you’re filing an insurance claim, we coordinate directly with your adjuster. This includes submitting our estimate, negotiating any differences with the carrier’s adjuster, handling supplements (additional damage found during repair), and ultimately billing the insurer directly. You sign one authorization form and then we handle everything else.

Under California Insurance Code §758.5, you have the right to choose any licensed body shop. Your insurer cannot require you to use their “preferred” or “DRP” shop. If they push back, tell them you’re using Accent Collision and call us — we know how to handle the conversation.

Step 3 — Parts ordering and scheduling

Secure vehicle storage lot at Accent Collision in Canoga Park, California
Your vehicle stays secure in our lot while parts arrive. We do not start disassembly until parts are in hand.

Time: 1–7 business days depending on parts availability.

Once the estimate is approved (by you and, if applicable, the insurance carrier), we order parts. Common OEM panels for popular vehicles arrive in 1–2 days. Specialty parts for luxury, exotic, or classic vehicles can take 5–10 days. We’ll give you a realistic timeline before you commit and we’ll keep you posted if anything changes.

OEM by default. We use original-equipment parts unless you specifically tell us otherwise. If aftermarket or LKQ (used) parts are involved (often because the insurance company specifies them), we flag that on the estimate so you can decide whether to pay the difference for OEM.

Step 4 — Repair

Vehicle lifts in the Accent Collision auto body shop in Canoga Park
Vehicle lifts for structural work, frame measurement, and underbody access.

Time: 2–4 days for cosmetic work, 1–3 weeks for collision repair.

This is where the actual body work happens. The repair flows in this order:

  • Disassembly — bumpers, fenders, or panels are removed to access the underlying damage.
  • Structural work — frame measurement, structural welding, and panel replacement on the frame rack.
  • Body work — dent removal, panel alignment, and body filler where needed for a perfectly smooth surface.
  • Paint prep — sanding, masking, and primer in the prep booth.
  • Paint — color-matched basecoat and clearcoat in our downdraft spray booth.
    • SprayBake SB1000 downdraft paint booth at Accent Collision — interior 14ft height by 14ft width by 24ft length
    Our SprayBake SB1000 downdraft paint booth — 14ft × 14ft × 24ft interior, OEM-spec airflow and bake cycles for factory-grade finish.
  • Reassembly — all panels, trim, lights, and bumpers reinstalled with new clips and fasteners.
  • ADAS recalibration — forward radar, blind-spot sensors, lane-keep cameras, and 360 cameras recalibrated to OEM specs.
  • Post-repair scan — full diagnostic scan to clear all repair-related codes.

Step 5 — Quality check

Vehicle repair bay at Accent Collision auto body shop
Every vehicle goes through a foreman QC pass before delivery. Paint match in natural light, panel gaps, ADAS scan, full functional check.

Time: 1 business day.

Before we tell you the car is ready, the shop foreman walks the vehicle and checks the paint match in natural light, panel gaps, body alignment, all electronic systems, and overall fit and finish. If anything isn’t right, it goes back to the technician before you ever see it. This is the step that earns us our lifetime workmanship warranty.

Step 6 — Delivery

Front exterior of Accent Collision auto body shop in Canoga Park, California
Pick up your vehicle from 7300 Deering Avenue, Canoga Park. We walk you through what was done and hand you the lifetime warranty paperwork.

Time: 15 minutes.

We hand you the keys, walk you through what was done, and give you your final invoice (or zero balance if insurance paid). You also receive our lifetime workmanship warranty in writing. Drive off, and if anything looks or feels off in the next few weeks, bring it back and we’ll fix it under warranty — no questions asked.

After the repair

For the first two weeks after a fresh paint job, avoid automatic car washes with brushes (hand wash only), don’t wax, and try to avoid prolonged sun and bird droppings. Paint cures gradually and needs that time to harden fully.

Anything you notice afterward — a small dust nib, a bumper alignment that drifted, a piece of trim that came loose — is covered under our lifetime warranty. Just call (818) 788-8017 and schedule a time to bring it by.

A Note on Repair Timelines

We provide an estimated timeline at the start of every job and update you with progress along the way. However, we cannot guarantee an exact completion date. Three factors are outside our control: parts availability (especially for newer EVs, European brands, and discontinued models), the complexity of damage discovered during teardown (hidden structural damage often isn’t visible until disassembly), and the time insurance companies require to respond to supplement requests (additional parts or labor approvals that arise mid-repair). We push every job as hard as we responsibly can without cutting corners on quality.

Ready to start?

Request a free estimate online or call us at (818) 788-8017. We’re open Monday–Friday 8a–5p and Closed Saturday. Walk-ins welcome.

Located at 7300 Deering Ave, Canoga Park, CA 91303 — serving Woodland Hills, West Hills, Tarzana, Reseda, Encino, Sherman Oaks, Calabasas, Northridge, and Chatsworth.