Van body repairs for trades and fleets

The vans we see

A plumber's panel van with a scraped side from a tight driveway, a courier's van with a dented sliding door from a loading bay, a small fleet with the same bumper corner damage across several vehicles: the work varies, but the priority is the same. The van needs to be repaired properly and back earning. We repair single vans for sole traders as well as vehicles from businesses running several, and the approach is the same either way: a proper assessment, a clear estimate, and a repair finished to an insurance standard.

Common van damage

Long, flat side panels pick up dents and creases from posts, gates and other vehicles, and because they are large and visible, damage on them is hard to ignore. Sliding doors take knocks on the skin and can be pushed out of line, which affects how they run on their rails. Rear doors and their hinges suffer from reversing into loading bays and bollards. Bumpers, corner sections and rear steps are often scuffed or split, and roof edges can be dented by height barriers in car parks and depots.

Where a panel can be reshaped by panel repair we do that, and where it cannot, we explain why and price the replacement. Bumper damage goes through the same process as our bumper repairs, repaired where the plastic allows.

Livery and colour matching on commercial paint

Many work vans carry signwriting, logos or a company colour, and a panel repair has to sit cleanly next to that branding. We refinish the repaired area and match the colour to the van's paint code or the existing finish, blending into neighbouring panels where needed so the repair does not show. Our guide to paint colour matching explains how matching works on older or faded paint. Vinyl graphics may need removing before the panel is painted and refitting afterwards, so tell us about them when you ask for an estimate.

Keeping off-road time short

We cannot promise a fixed turnaround, because it depends on the damage, parts and approval. What we can do is plan. Send photos first and we will give an estimate and tell you what the job is likely to involve. Where parts are needed we can look at ordering before the van comes in, and the repair can be booked for a time that suits your work, within our opening hours of Monday to Friday 8.30am to 6.30pm and Saturday 9am to 4pm.

Insurance or private repairs for business vehicles

Business vans can be repaired through an insurance claim or paid for privately. If you claim, you have the right to choose your own repairer, so you can ask for the van to come to us. For small damage, paying privately can be simpler than claiming on a business policy, and we can estimate both ways so you can compare before deciding.

Fleet accounts

If your business runs several vehicles, our fleet and business repairs page explains how we handle repeat work, digital estimates for approval and repairs planned around quieter periods, so the fleet keeps working.