April 12, 2022
If you have a passion for fixing up vehicles and you would like to turn your interest into a viable business, then launching your own car body shop may be the perfect career path. You will be able to spend your days working with cars in a variety of enjoyable and creative ways – from installing modifications, to repairing damaged bodywork, and respraying vehicles a brand new colour.
Of course, while it may sound like fun and rewarding work, setting up a successful automotive repair shop also requires a great deal of time, dedication, and careful planning. If you’re not sure of the best way to go about it, here is a concise guide covering all of the fundamentals of launching your own bodywork business – from checking the competition to finalising your services and pricing and sourcing the perfect tools for the job.
The very first step you should take before you start the process of setting up a business is to check out the local competition. Once you know how many similar businesses there are in the surrounding area – from dedicated body shops to car dealers and breakers yards - you can more easily assess whether there will actually be a demand for your services.
It goes without saying that, if the market is already oversaturated, another bodywork shop is unlikely to make a big splash and you could find yourself going out of business – unless, of course, you can tap into a special niche that the other shops don’t occupy.
For instance, you could opt to specialise in restoring classic cars, or you could offer attractive services that others don’t, such as providing courtesy cars for your clients. You could also provide specialist repairs, such as for convertible roofs or vehicle upholstery. Despite our inclement weather, the UK has the highest number of convertibles in Europe, so you should hopefully find yourself with plenty of clients if you choose this specialty.
Of course, if there are only a handful of other body shops in the area, then finding an appealing niche won’t be of such high importance, and you will hopefully stand a good chance of making a success out of your new venture.
If you decide to go ahead with your vehicle body shop business, you will need to draw up a comprehensive list of services and prices for your prospective clients to peruse. Finalising the services you will be able to provide will help you to ensure that you have the right tools and equipment on hand to meet the requirements of your customers.
You will also be able to assess whether you will need to hire some specialist employees; for instance, if you want to restore vintage cars, you will need to acquire someone with the specialised skills to do this often highly complex work to a high standard.
One area you will probably want to focus on is modifications, as these are very popular these days, even though some modifications can result in eye-watering insurance hikes for car owners. In many cases, drivers may be prepared to spend significant amounts of money to modify their cars, so this could be a lucrative line of work for your business.
A successful vehicle body shop relies not only on the skill and experience of its employees, but also on the quality of its tools.
When it comes to kitting out your fledgling body shop, there are a number of essential pieces of equipment you will need in order to offer a high standard of service.
These range from body repair kits and Planetary Gearbox to a door removal and install stand, vehicle lifts, a spraying booth, and a shot blasting cabinet.
You will also need to think about the various smaller but equally vital tools that will make your employees’ jobs easier. For example, paint thickness gauges, heat lamps and nibbler tools, which make cutting through sheet metal a much simpler and more straightforward task. TRUMPF metal nibbler tools, such as those provided by Cladding Mate, come with a range of accessories so you can easily cut through metal of varying thickness and size, making your car modifications and repairs much easier to accomplish.
To help you stand out from the crowd, it’s important that you set the right prices for your services. This means providing competitive rates in comparison to other businesses in your local area while still ensuring that you charge enough to pay for supplies and staff salaries, while still making a viable profit.
This may seem like a difficult task, so here are some helpful tips to guide you in your pricing.
The final step on your journey toward becoming the founder of a car body shop is to focus on how you present yourself and your new business. This doesn’t only mean spending time and money on creating an appealing and well-maintained business premises, it also means focusing on providing high standards of service and customer support.
By showing your clients that you are prepared to go above and beyond to meet their requirements, and by making sure that you and your staff are always approachable, friendly and helpful, you will give your new body shop the best chance of making it - even in a competitive market.
