Rates and Pricing
What an RV Estimate Costs and Why
Short answer
Collision estimates are by appointment and insurance walk-ins are welcome. An RV systems estimate is $150 credited back. A diagnostic hour is $285 credited back.
Collision estimates at OCRV Center are written by appointment, and insurance walk-ins are always welcome. An RV systems estimate costs $150 and is credited against an authorized repair. An in-depth diagnostic is one hour at $285, also credited. Both buy documented findings rather than a guess.
Updated 2026-07-29 by OCRV Center Editorial Team
A walkaround is not an estimate. Somebody standing in a parking lot pointing at a scuff and saying a number is doing you a favor that costs you money later, because the number is always low and the difference surfaces after the panel is off. We charge for the work that produces a real number, and then we give the money back when you let us do the repair.
That policy exists for a specific reason. An RV systems estimate takes a technician two to three hours. He pulls a slide out and inspects the rails and gearboxes, meters the 12V distribution under load, pressure tests the fresh water side, runs the generator up and checks output, and inspects every roof penetration. That is real labor at $260 an hour, and it is why the $150 fee is already a subsidized number.
Collision is handled differently because the insurance company is paying to look. Collision estimates are by appointment so we can give you an estimator for as long as it takes rather than squeezing you between two other cars. If your carrier has already sent you in, walk in any time we are open and we will handle it.
Three Ways an Estimate Gets Written
What you pay depends on what you are trying to find out. Collision damage is visible enough to scope from the outside for a first pass, then confirmed by teardown. A slide that binds intermittently or a refrigerator that cools on shore power but not on LP is a diagnostic problem, and diagnosis is labor.
Call (949) 799-3387 and describe the problem in whatever words you have. The person on the phone will tell you which of these three applies before you drive 45 minutes up the I-5.
- Collision estimate, by appointment
- No charge to write the initial collision estimate. We schedule you so an estimator has real time with the vehicle. Insurance walk-ins are always welcome without an appointment.
- RV systems estimate, $150
- Covers slides, awnings, water, electrical and generator inspection. Credited back in full against a repair you authorize with us.
- In-depth diagnostic, $285
- One hour at the diagnostic rate for module scans, fault tracing and programming. Credited back against an authorized repair.
- Teardown estimate
- On structural damage, we quote the teardown hours separately. Those hours become part of the repair once the job is authorized.
Why the Fee Exists and Why You Get It Back
The credit is the whole point. If you authorize the repair, the $150 or the $285 comes straight off your invoice. You are not paying for an estimate. You are prepaying for the first block of diagnostic labor on a job you have not committed to yet.
Shops that write no-charge diagnostic estimates recover that time somewhere else, usually in inflated hours on the repair. We would rather charge the hour honestly and credit it than pad the job. It also filters out the calls from people who are collecting six numbers with no intention of repairing anything, which means the customers who are serious get scheduled faster.
- Credited in full
- The entire fee comes off the repair invoice, not a portion of it, as long as the work is authorized with us.
- Yours to keep
- The written findings are yours whether or not you repair here. Take them to another shop or to your adjuster.
- No bait pricing
- We do not quote a low number to get the coach in the door and then discover a larger job on day three.
- Scheduling priority
- Paid diagnostic appointments hold a technician slot, so you get a specific date rather than a place in an informal queue.
What a Paid Estimate Buys That a Walkaround Does Not
A walkaround produces an opinion. A paid estimate produces a document with part numbers, hours, rates, photographs and a completion window. Those are very different things when you are dealing with an adjuster, a seller, a lender or a second shop.
On systems work specifically, the difference is usually money. An owner told by a mobile technician that a slide needs a new motor frequently has a $600 gearbox problem, or a $3,000 room that is out of square because the coach sat on uneven ground for two seasons. You cannot tell those apart without pulling the room out and metering the motor under load.
- Root cause, not symptom
- We identify why the component failed. Replacing an awning motor that failed because the arm is bent buys you a second failed motor.
- Part numbers and availability
- Real sourcing with lead times, so you know whether the coach sits for four days or eleven weeks before you authorize.
- Photographic record
- Documented condition under controlled light, which is the difference between an approved supplement and a denied one.
- Written scope you can compare
- Line-item hours and rates that can be set beside another shop estimate and actually compared.
- A completion window
- A date at authorization, updated in writing when parts or carrier approval move it.
Insurance Estimates and Walk-Ins
If a carrier is involved, come in whenever we are open. Monday to Friday 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Saturday 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM. Bring your claim number and your adjuster contact. We bill direct with Progressive, GEICO, State Farm, AAA SoCal, AAA Enterprises, Mercury, Allstate, American Family, Wawanesa, National General, CSAA, Foremost, Liberty Mutual, Tesla Insurance, Cincinnati and AGWS.
A carrier estimate written from photographs is almost always short on an RV, because photographs cannot show delamination spread or a racked slide opening. We do not treat that as a fight. We tear the impact zone down, document what is actually there, and submit a supplement with evidence attached. That is a routine process, not an adversarial one, and it is the reason the initial number on your claim paperwork should not be treated as final.
- Walk-in welcome
- No appointment needed when a claim is already open. Bring the claim number and the adjuster name.
- Direct billing
- We invoice the carrier directly on the sixteen carriers we hold direct billing relationships with.
- Supplement handling
- We write, photograph and submit the supplement. You do not relay technical arguments between two parties.
- You choose the shop
- In California the repair facility is your decision. A carrier can recommend a shop but cannot require one.
Getting the Most Out of the Appointment
Bring the coach with the systems in the state where the problem shows up. A slide that only binds when the room is fully extended and the coach is warm is not going to misbehave in a cold bay at 8:15 in the morning. If a fault is intermittent, tell us the conditions and we will replicate them.
Bring paperwork if you have it. Prior repair invoices, the original build sheet, aftermarket install documentation for solar or lithium, and any manufacturer service bulletins you have collected. On a modified coach, the aftermarket documentation is what keeps a $14,000 lithium and solar build from being written off an insurance estimate entirely.
- Bring the keys and the codes
- Slide overrides, alarm codes and any proprietary control app logins we will need to cycle systems.
- Tanks and LP
- A partial fresh water tank helps on plumbing diagnosis. LP should be in the vehicle for appliance testing.
- Prior work history
- Invoices from previous repairs tell us what has already been replaced, which shortens diagnosis time you are paying for.
- Plan for drop-off
- Diagnostics that require load testing or roof access usually mean leaving the vehicle for the day rather than waiting for it.
What This Costs at Our Posted Rates
Body and paint labor is posted at $210 per hour. Mechanical and electrical is $260 per hour. Diagnostics run $285 per hour with a one hour minimum that is credited back against an authorized repair. Ranges below reflect jobs we have actually completed.
| Line item | Range | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Collision estimate, by appointmentNo charge. Insurance walk-ins welcome during posted hours. | $0 to $0 | |
| RV systems estimateCredited in full against an authorized repair. | $150 to $150 | |
| In-depth diagnostic, one hour minimumCredited in full against an authorized repair. | $285 to $285 | |
| Extended diagnostic beyond the first hour | $285 to $1,425 | 1 to 5 |
| Teardown for structural scopingRolls into the repair once authorized. | $630 to $6,300 | 3 to 30 |
| Pre-purchase inspectionNot credited. This is a standalone deliverable for a buyer. | $400 to $1,200 | |
| ADAS scan and recalibration | $285 to $1,800 | 1 to 7 |
Ranges reflect real jobs we have run. Final figures come from a written estimate after we see the vehicle.
See the full rate card and estimate policy.
Our Process and What It Takes
Call and describe the problem
Call (949) 799-3387. We tell you which estimate path applies and what it costs before you drive up.
Same day
Schedule or walk in
Collision and systems estimates are scheduled. If a carrier is already involved, walk in during posted hours.
1 to 5 days out
Inspection and diagnosis
A technician works the vehicle, not a clipboard. Systems get cycled, circuits get metered, roof gets walked.
1 to 4 hours
Written findings delivered
Line-item scope with hours, rates, part numbers, lead times and photographs, emailed to you and to your adjuster if applicable.
1 to 3 business days
Authorize and get the credit
If you proceed, the estimate or diagnostic fee comes straight off the invoice and we schedule the repair.
On your timeline
What Is Included
- Collision estimates written by appointment at no charge
- Insurance walk-ins accepted during all posted business hours
- $150 RV systems estimate covering slides, awnings, water, electrical and generator
- One hour in-depth diagnostic at $285 for scans, programming and fault tracing
- Full credit of the estimate fee against any repair you authorize
- Written line-item findings with hours, rates and part numbers
- Photographic documentation of every condition we identify
- Part sourcing with real lead times before you commit
- A completion window given in writing at authorization
- Direct submission to your carrier when a claim is open
Questions We Get Asked
Do you charge for an RV repair estimate?
Collision estimates are written by appointment at no charge, and insurance walk-ins are welcome any time we are open. An RV systems estimate covering slides, awnings, water, electrical and generator is $150. An in-depth diagnostic is one hour at $285. Both fees are credited in full against a repair you authorize with us.
Why do I have to pay for a systems estimate when other shops do not?
Because a real systems inspection is two to three hours of technician labor at $260 an hour. Pulling a slide, metering a distribution panel under load, pressure testing plumbing and running a generator up is work, not a walkaround. The $150 is already well below cost, and you get every dollar back when you authorize the repair.
Can I get an estimate over the phone or from photos?
We will give you a range over the phone so you know the order of magnitude, and we are happy to look at photos. We will not write a firm number from either. On an RV the visible damage is routinely ten to forty percent of the actual repair, and a phone number that turns out to be a third of the real cost helps nobody.
How long does an estimate appointment take?
A collision estimate appointment usually runs 45 minutes to 90 minutes with the vehicle present. A systems estimate is two to three hours and generally means leaving the coach with us for the day. Written findings follow within one to three business days, sooner if parts availability is straightforward.
Do I need an appointment if my insurance company sent me?
No. Insurance walk-ins are always welcome during posted hours, Monday to Friday 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM and Saturday 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM. Bring your claim number and your adjuster contact information. We bill direct with sixteen major carriers and can start the documentation package the same day.
What if the estimate comes back higher than I expected?
Then you have real information and you decide what to do with it. You can authorize all of it, authorize part of it and defer the rest, take the written findings to your carrier, or walk away. The document is yours either way. We would rather you make that call with an accurate number than a comfortable one.