Role Overview
We are looking for a detail-focused Van Damage & Repair Estimation Specialist to inspect commercial vans, identify bodywork and internal damages, estimate repair costs, prepare Bills of Materials, and support the complete repair planning workflow. The role is important for maintaining vehicle quality, reducing downtime, controlling repair costs, and ensuring every damage decision is fair, evidence-based and properly documented.
Key Responsibilities
- Inspect vans before rental, after return, after accidents, during maintenance checks, and before disposal or resale.
- Identify dents, scratches, paint defects, panel damage, glass damage, bumper damage, lighting faults, tyre damage, wheel damage, mirror damage, interior trim damage and structural concerns.
- Separate chargeable damage from normal fair wear and tear using evidence, photographs, inspection notes and company standards.
- Prepare accurate repair estimates covering parts, labour, paint, materials, specialist repair services and third-party supplier costs.
- Create a detailed Bill of Materials for each repair job, including panels, clips, trims, lights, sensors, paint materials, consumables and replacement parts.
- Take clear photographs and videos to support condition reports, customer chargebacks, insurance claims and workshop instructions.
- Work with technicians, body shops, parts suppliers, insurers, fleet managers and customers to confirm repair requirements and costs.
- Decide whether a van is safe to remain in service or should be removed from operation until repairs are completed.
- Review repair invoices against the original estimate and BOM to check accuracy, prevent overcharging and support cost control.
- Maintain inspection records, estimate files, repair authorisations, completed work records and evidence packs.
- Recommend repair, replace, refurbish or write-off decisions based on cost, safety, vehicle value and operational urgency.
- Support continuous improvement of inspection templates, repair standards, supplier pricing checks and fleet damage reporting.
Required Skills and Experience
- Experience in vehicle damage assessment, vehicle appraisal, body shop estimating, accident repair, fleet inspection or a similar automotive role.
- Good understanding of commercial van bodywork, panels, bumpers, lights, wheels, tyres, doors, mirrors, trims and interior fittings.
- Ability to estimate repair costs accurately, including labour time, parts, paint and external repair services.
- Experience preparing inspection reports, repair documentation, condition reports or Bills of Materials.
- Strong attention to detail with the ability to identify minor, hidden, repeated or customer-caused damage.
- Good communication skills when dealing with customers, suppliers, repairers and internal teams.
- Basic IT skills, including spreadsheets, digital inspection forms, CRM systems or fleet management platforms.
Desirable Skills
- Knowledge of Audatex, Glassmatix, GT Motive or other estimating software.
- Experience with van rental, accident management, insurance claims or commercial fleet operations.
- Understanding of BVRLA fair wear and tear standards or similar vehicle return standards.
- Basic mechanical awareness to identify non-bodywork concerns during inspection.
- Full UK driving licence.
Personal Attributes
- Precise, fair and evidence-led in decision making.
- Practical and confident around commercial vehicles and workshop environments.
- Able to balance repair quality, vehicle downtime, customer fairness and cost control.
- Organised, honest and consistent in documentation and reporting.
- Comfortable working under operational pressure while maintaining accuracy.
Pay: £26,437.00-£30,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Free parking
- On-site parking
Work Location: In person
