Ridgeway Auto Refinishers
How we replaced paper estimates and manual invoicing with an AI-powered web app — saving hours every week.
The Challenge
Paper-based estimates and manual invoicing were slowing everything down.
Ridgeway Auto Refinishers is a car body shop in Hastings that handles everything from minor scuffs to full panel repairs. When we started working with them, their estimating and invoicing process was entirely paper-based. Every estimate was written out by hand, invoices were produced manually, and the whole process was slow and prone to errors.
For a busy body shop producing 10 to 20 estimates a week, this added up to hours of unnecessary admin. Estimates took around 10 minutes each, and chasing up paperwork was eating into time that could have been spent on actual repairs. They needed a faster, more reliable system — but nothing off the shelf fitted the way their business worked.
The Solution
A custom-built AI estimating and invoicing app.
We built Ridgeway a complete web application from scratch, designed specifically around how their body shop operates. The app uses AI to assess vehicle damage from photos, pull in parts pricing, and generate accurate repair estimates in minutes rather than the old manual process.
The system also handles invoicing — turning approved estimates into professional invoices with a couple of clicks. Everything is stored digitally, searchable, and accessible from any device. No more paper piles, no more lost quotes, no more rewriting the same information twice.
We also built in a historical invoice ingestion tool, so Ridgeway could import their old invoices and use them as benchmarks for pricing future jobs. The longer they use the system, the smarter it gets.
What we built
- AI-powered damage assessment from photos
- Automated estimate generation
- Professional invoice creation
- Parts catalogue integration
- Historical invoice benchmarking
- Works on any device — phone, tablet, desktop
- Job tracking for private, trade, and insurance work
The Results
Faster estimates, less admin, more time on the tools.
Since going live, Ridgeway's estimate turnaround has been cut in half. What used to take around 10 minutes per estimate now takes under 5 — and with 10 to 20 estimates going out each week, that's over 3 hours saved on estimates alone. Add in the time saved on invoicing, chasing paperwork, and looking up old jobs, and the impact on their working week has been significant.
More importantly, the system fits the way they actually work. It wasn't designed in a vacuum — it was built by someone who sat in the workshop, watched the process, and understood the pain points first-hand.
The estimating app has completely changed how we handle quotes. What used to be a paper headache is now done in a few taps. It's saved us hours every week.
Let's Talk
Got a similar challenge?
If you're drowning in paperwork or manual processes, let's talk. We'll tell you honestly whether AI can help — and how.