# Ericraft Bodyshop

> Ericraft Bodyshop is a family-run car body repair shop at Unit 6, 100 Redehall Road, Smallfield, Horley, Surrey RH6 9RS. It repairs dents, scratches, bumpers, alloy wheels, headlights, rust and accident damage on cars and light vans, sprays paint in its own spray booth, and serves Horley, Gatwick, Crawley, Redhill, Reigate, East Grinstead, Godstone and the villages around.

How to get a price: send photos of the damage on WhatsApp to +44 7724 146 809, call 01342 649 362, or email info@ericraft.co.uk. The quote is free, with no obligation. The only published price is headlight restoration: £35 per headlight, or £70 plus VAT for both.

Opening hours: Monday to Friday 09:00 to 18:00, Saturday 09:00 to 14:00, closed Sunday.
Coordinates: 51.161769, -0.114966 (postcode centroid RH6 9RS).

## Services
- [Body work repairs](https://www.ericraft.co.uk/body-work/): We repair body damage on cars and light vans: dents, scratches, bumpers, wings, doors, resprays and accident damage. Send a photo on WhatsApp and we will tell you what it needs and what it will cost.
- [Bumper repair](https://www.ericraft.co.uk/bumper-repair/): We repair cracked, split and scuffed plastic bumpers by plastic welding, filling and painting to match, and we replace bumpers that cannot be saved. Send a photo for a price.
- [Dent repair](https://www.ericraft.co.uk/dent-repair/): We remove dents from cars and light vans. Where the paint is unbroken we can often work the metal back without repainting; deeper or creased dents are filled and sprayed. Send a photo for a free price.
- [SMART repair](https://www.ericraft.co.uk/smart-repair/): SMART repair fixes small to medium damage, like a bumper corner scrape, a scratch or a small dent, without a full panel respray. Send us a photo and we will tell you if it suits your car.
- [Scratch and scuff repair](https://www.ericraft.co.uk/scratch-repairs/): We repair scratches and scuffs on cars and vans by sanding, filling and painting the damaged spot, then polishing it. Send photos on WhatsApp for a free price.
- [Car respray and colour matching](https://www.ericraft.co.uk/car-respray/): We respray single panels, several panels or whole cars in our spray booth, with the colour matched to your car. Send photos on WhatsApp for a free price.
- [Headlight restoration](https://www.ericraft.co.uk/headlight-restoration/): Headlight restoration is £35 per headlight, or £70 plus VAT for both. We remove the haze, polish the lens and seal it with a UV-resistant coating. It can often be done in under an hour.
- [Rust repair](https://www.ericraft.co.uk/rust-repair/): We repair rust on car body panels by removing the affected metal, sanding the area, treating and repainting it. Send photos on WhatsApp and we will tell you what we can see.
- [Polishing and detailing](https://www.ericraft.co.uk/car-polishing-and-detailing/): Stage 2 polishing is a two-stage machine polish that removes swirl marks, light scratches and surface oxidation from the paint. Send us a photo and we will tell you if polishing will do it.
- [Van bodywork](https://www.ericraft.co.uk/van-bodywork/): We repair vans and light commercial vehicles: scuffs, scrapes, scratches, dents, bumpers and accident damage, for private owners and fleets. Send photos on WhatsApp for a price.

## Completed repairs
- [Mercedes E-Class Coupe rear-end accident repair, Surrey](https://www.ericraft.co.uk/completed-repairs/mercedes-e-class-coupe-rear-end-accident-repair-surrey/): A white Mercedes E220d AMG Line Coupe with rear-end accident damage, repaired and repainted.
- [Saab 9-3 Convertible side panel repair: bringing the blue back](https://www.ericraft.co.uk/completed-repairs/saab-9-3-convertible-side-panel-repair-bringing-the-blue-back-to-life/): Scuffs and scratch lines along one side of a metallic blue Saab convertible, repainted and polished.
- [Damaged plastic bumpers? Often an easy fix](https://www.ericraft.co.uk/completed-repairs/damaged-plastic-bumpers-easy-fix/): Why a cracked or scuffed plastic bumper can often be repaired rather than replaced.

## Advice articles
- [What should you do if you find damage after airport parking near Gatwick?](https://www.ericraft.co.uk/advice/airport-parking-damage-near-gatwick/): Check the car before you leave the car park, photograph everything, and tell the operator at once, then follow up in writing. Keep your booking confirmation and the operator's terms, and check your insurance policy before deciding what to do about the repair.
- [Should I repair or replace a damaged bumper?](https://www.ericraft.co.uk/advice/bumper-repair-or-replace/): A plastic bumper with scuffs, small cracks and splits can often be repaired by plastic welding, filling and painting. Replacement makes more sense when the mounting points are broken, the plastic is badly shattered, or sensors behind it are damaged.
- [Can I choose my own repairer for an insurance claim?](https://www.ericraft.co.uk/advice/choosing-your-own-repairer/): In most cases you can use a repairer that your insurer has not approved, but your policy may change some terms if you do, such as a higher excess or no courtesy car. Always check your policy and ask your insurer before work starts. We are not an approved repairer of any insurer.
- [Why do headlights go cloudy, and can they be restored?](https://www.ericraft.co.uk/advice/cloudy-headlights-and-how-restoration-works/): Most modern headlight lenses are plastic with a protective coating from the factory. Sunlight wears that coating away, the bare plastic clouds over, and less light reaches the road. A cloudy lens can often be sanded, polished and sealed again, and the job is usually quicker than people expect.
- [Paintless dent repair or filling and respraying?](https://www.ericraft.co.uk/advice/dent-repair-options/): Paintless dent repair works from behind the panel and keeps your original paint, so it suits smaller dents with unbroken paint. Filling and respraying is the answer for sharp creases, cracked paint, dents at the panel edge and stretched metal.
- [Which cosmetic repairs are worth doing before you sell your car?](https://www.ericraft.co.uk/advice/getting-your-car-ready-to-sell/): It depends on the car. Small, cheap fixes that buyers notice straight away, such as light scratches, scuffed bumpers and cloudy headlights, are the ones most worth looking at. Big repairs on an older, lower-value car often are not.
- [How does a body shop repair actually work?](https://www.ericraft.co.uk/advice/how-a-body-shop-repair-works/): A typical repair goes in a set order: assess the damage, take parts off, repair the panel, prepare and prime it, paint it in a booth, polish, refit and check. Each step depends on the one before, which is why a good finish cannot be rushed or skipped.
- [How does a body shop match the colour of your car?](https://www.ericraft.co.uk/advice/how-paint-colour-matching-works/): A paint code tells the shop which colour your car left the factory in. It does not tell them how that colour looks on your car today. So the shop mixes from the code, checks the mix against the car, adjusts it, and blends the new paint into the next panel so the join does not show.
- [What should I do about kerbed alloy wheels?](https://www.ericraft.co.uk/advice/kerbed-alloy-wheels-and-scuffs/): Scuffs and scrapes on the rim edge are usually cosmetic and can be refurbished. A bent wheel, a crack, or a tyre that keeps losing air needs checking before anyone paints over it, and some wheels should be replaced.
- [How do you look after new paint on your car?](https://www.ericraft.co.uk/advice/looking-after-new-paint/): Treat new paint gently. Hand wash with a soft cloth and a mild shampoo, keep harsh chemicals and pressure washers away, and clean off bird droppings and sap quickly. How long to wait before wax or polish depends on the paint, so ask the shop.
- [What should I ask a body shop before I hand over my car?](https://www.ericraft.co.uk/advice/questions-to-ask-a-body-shop/): Ask for a written quote, how the paint will be matched, what parts will be used, when the car will be ready, and who deals with the insurer. A good shop will answer plainly. Ask us any of these when you ring.
- [Do I need a respray, or just a repair?](https://www.ericraft.co.uk/advice/respray-or-repair/): Most damage does not need a full respray. A panel repair fixes one damaged area, a blend feathers the new colour into the next panel so the join disappears, and a full respray is for paint that has failed all over or a deliberate colour change.
- [Should you claim on insurance for a scratch or a dent?](https://www.ericraft.co.uk/advice/should-you-claim-on-insurance-for-a-scratch-or-dent/): For small damage, compare the repair price with your excess first. If the two are close, claiming may save you very little and could cost you some of your no-claims discount. A body shop can price the job from photos, so you can decide before you ring your insurer. Check your own policy for the details.
- [What should a car repair quote include?](https://www.ericraft.co.uk/advice/what-a-repair-quote-should-include/): A good written quote lists each panel or part, the labour, the paint, any parts to be fitted and VAT, and says what happens if more damage is found. Ask for it in writing and agree in advance who approves any extra work.
- [What should I do after a minor car accident?](https://www.ericraft.co.uk/advice/what-to-do-after-a-minor-accident/): Stop in a safe place, check everyone is unhurt, swap names, addresses and registration numbers, and take photos. Then tell your insurer, even if you do not plan to claim. If details were not exchanged, or anyone was hurt, the police need to know. This is general information, not legal advice.

## Areas covered (drive time from the workshop, no traffic)
- [Burstow](https://www.ericraft.co.uk/body-shop-burstow/): about 11 minutes, 4.3 miles
- [Charlwood](https://www.ericraft.co.uk/body-shop-charlwood/): about 15 minutes, 7.8 miles
- [Copthorne](https://www.ericraft.co.uk/body-shop-copthorne/): about 5 minutes, 2.0 miles
- [Crawley Down](https://www.ericraft.co.uk/body-shop-crawley-down/): about 8 minutes, 3.6 miles
- [Crawley](https://www.ericraft.co.uk/body-shop-crawley/): about 10 minutes, 5.5 miles
- [Dormansland](https://www.ericraft.co.uk/body-shop-dormansland/): about 12 minutes, 5.8 miles
- [East Grinstead](https://www.ericraft.co.uk/body-shop-east-grinstead/): about 13 minutes, 5.9 miles
- [Felbridge](https://www.ericraft.co.uk/body-shop-felbridge/): about 8 minutes, 4.1 miles
- [Gatwick Airport](https://www.ericraft.co.uk/body-shop-gatwick/): about 11 minutes, 5.3 miles
- [Godstone](https://www.ericraft.co.uk/body-shop-godstone/): about 19 minutes, 7.3 miles
- [Horley](https://www.ericraft.co.uk/body-shop-horley/): about 7 minutes, 3.8 miles
- [Lingfield](https://www.ericraft.co.uk/body-shop-lingfield/): about 13 minutes, 6.4 miles
- [Newchapel](https://www.ericraft.co.uk/body-shop-newchapel/): about 8 minutes, 4.0 miles
- [Outwood](https://www.ericraft.co.uk/body-shop-outwood/): about 8 minutes, 2.8 miles
- [Redhill](https://www.ericraft.co.uk/body-shop-redhill/): about 17 minutes, 7.5 miles
- [Reigate](https://www.ericraft.co.uk/body-shop-reigate/): about 19 minutes, 7.9 miles
- [Salfords](https://www.ericraft.co.uk/body-shop-salfords/): about 11 minutes, 4.8 miles
- [Smallfield](https://www.ericraft.co.uk/body-shop-smallfield/): the workshop is here

## Optional
- [Contact and directions](https://www.ericraft.co.uk/contact-us/)
- [About](https://www.ericraft.co.uk/about-us/)
- [Full text of the site](https://www.ericraft.co.uk/llms-full.txt)
- [Facts as JSON](https://www.ericraft.co.uk/facts.json)