Rant: My shop's insurance estimator just quoted 8.2 hours for a quarter panel blend

Reese Rodriguez · 2026-03-25T07:00:13.429961+00:00

That's the highest blend time I've ever seen approved on the first pass. Anyone else getting these wild numbers lately, or did I just get lucky with a tired adjuster?

angelaw785mo ago

Take a picture of the blend area before you start. Sometimes they'll try to walk it back later, but having proof of the full panel helps lock it in.

10

the_hayden5mo ago

Honestly that sounds about right for a proper blend these days.

7

michael_green443mo ago

...and you gotta wonder if the blend standards have actually shifted, or if shops are just charging more cause they can get away with it now. I've seen some places call a "proper blend" something that barely touches the adjacent panel... feels like the goalposts moved when prices went up.

4

mary_nelson715mo ago

Seems like everything's getting padded out these days, right? Like they're just adding time and cost for no real reason. Makes you wonder where it all ends.

5