What to send for an accurate quote

The four basics, whatever you are asking about

1. 01
   Year, make and model. Size and shape drive material and labor on every service. A quote without this is a guess.
2. 02
   Current color and finish. Particularly for anything involving film, and essential if you are changing color.
3. 03
   What you are considering. Even loosely. “Something to stop the front end getting chipped” is enough to work with.
4. 04
   A photo of the vehicle. One wide shot in daylight. It answers a surprising number of questions before they get asked.

The extras that matter, by service

• Vehicle wraps — full color change or accent panels, a reference for the color and finish, and anything you know about the paint’s condition or previous bodywork. See whether a wrap can cover damaged paint.
• Paint protection film — how the vehicle is driven, whether it is garaged, and how much coverage you are thinking about. Coverage options is the useful background.
• Window tint — which windows, whether there is film on them now and roughly how old it is, and what you are actually trying to fix: heat, glare, privacy or looks. See how to choose window tint.
• Ceramic coating — the paint’s current condition, whether it lives outside, and how you normally wash it.
• Custom graphics — your artwork in the best format you have, what has to appear on the vehicle, and rough placement. See supplying your own artwork.
• Paintless dent repair — angled photos with a reflection across the panel, how many dents, and whether the paint is broken. How to photograph a dent covers the technique.

Photos that actually help

Daylight, ideally open shade rather than harsh sun. One wide shot of the whole vehicle, then close shots of anything specific — damage, existing film, the area you want treated. For anything involving the condition of a surface, shoot at an angle with a reflection running across it rather than straight on. Flash off.

What cannot be settled over text

Some things genuinely need the vehicle in front of us: how deep a dent is and what sits behind the panel, the true condition of aging paint or clear coat, and how much work removing old film will be. A text gets you a realistic sense of the options and what is involved. The final number comes after the vehicle has been looked at.

One more thing worth saying

If you do not know what you want, say that instead of trying to sound decisive. How you actually use the vehicle, what is bothering you about it and what you are hoping for at the end leads to a better recommendation than a service name picked off a list.

Where to send it

Call or text (713) 960-2211 — the same number reaches the shop either way, and texting is easier if you are sending photos. R&S Customs is opening soon in Spring, Texas; ask about opening plans and future availability.

This guide expands on a question from the homepage FAQ. R&S Customs is opening soon in Spring, Texas — call or text (713) 960-2211 to talk about your vehicle.