Jasmine De Wys has started her own remote estimating and consultancy business called Bodyshop Solutions. De Whys provides a regular estimating tip segment in our e-news letter to make sure you don't let the dollars slip through your fingers. Just search Estimating tips to see more.
Do you know how your loadings are calculated?
When you're estimating using NTAR, one overlooked area is often how repair loadings are actually calculated, which is extremely important when you consider something as small as a half hour repair entry can directly impact your general allowance.
If you're an iBodyShop user, this is especially important.
Let’s paint a simple scenario:
You select the LH front door > add a repair line > and enter 0.5 or 0.8 hours.
If you’ve also selected the corresponding paint line for that door, iBodyShop will detect that sub-one-hour repair… and here’s what happens:
- You’ll still receive the generic scheduled paint time for that panel.
- BUT your Paint repair loading will only calculate at 10 per cent, because the repair is under 1.0 hour.
Now flip it:
Any repair time 1.0 hr or above will trigger the 25 per cent repair loading instead.
That difference – 10 per cent versus 25 per cent – adds up fast across a week of small jobs.
Why this matters:
Small repairs feel insignificant, but they cost real time, real wages, and real operational overhead.
Always consider that:
- Under-hour repairs = reduced paint repair loadings
- Reduced paint repair loadings = reduced general allowances
- And general allowances are based on the total paint hours in your estimate
Meaning:
Every fraction of a repair hour you enter affects not just the paint line it’s linked to – but the overall allowances your estimate is generating.
The practical takeaway:
Get familiar with how your loadings are calculated. Your repair times directly influence your paint loadings, and your paint loadings directly influence your general allowances. Understanding that link is key to protecting your profitability.