Autobody Shop Edmonton: Meet Chris Trapp From Traphouse Automotive in Edmonton
Some businesses begin with a detailed plan. Others grow out of years of curiosity, hands-on experience and a skill that becomes impossible to ignore. For Chris Trapp, owner of Traphouse Automotive in Edmonton, the road into autobody work started long before there was a shop or a larger facility to grow into.
Chris grew up around vehicles. His dad worked in the trade, so there was always something being repaired or experimented with in the garage. As Chris got older, the family tinkering became personal. He bought his own vehicles, started working on them, and soon found that friends were asking for help with theirs too.
What began casually eventually became a career.
Today, Traphouse Automotive handles everything from collision damage and everyday scuffs to rust repair, custom fabrication and more specialized projects. For vehicle owners searching autobody shop Edmonton because they want someone who understands both the practical and personal side of car ownership, Chris’s story explains a lot about how the business approaches the work.
From Tinkering on Cars to Building an Edmonton Autobody Business
Chris did not follow a perfectly straight path into autobody repair.
His first jobs were at dealerships, beginning as a lot attendant at Mazda before working at Honda and Toyota. He later earned a business degree from NAIT and spent some time working in accounting.
It did not take long to realize that accounting was not where he wanted to stay. Cars kept pulling him back.
Chris returned to school for autobody apprenticing and began building his skills professionally. Then a friend had a bay available to rent in Fort Saskatchewan, giving Chris the opportunity to start small and find out whether running his own shop could work.
Traphouse Automotive began operating there in 2018. After roughly two and a half years, moving into Edmonton made more sense for the company, and the business has been based in the city since 2020.
Chris does not romanticize entrepreneurship. Building a business means long hours and difficult decisions, but there is also satisfaction in creating something of your own and seeing a job through from beginning to end.
That is also what he enjoys about autobody work.
A damaged vehicle comes into the shop with a problem. The team works through the repair and eventually reaches the moment when the vehicle is finished. For Chris, one of the most rewarding parts is seeing a customer appreciate the work that went into getting it there.
Collision Repair, Rust Repair and Custom Autobody Work in Edmonton
Traphouse Automotive works with a wide range of vehicle damage.
For everyday drivers, that may mean collision repair after an accident, repairing damaged panels, addressing rock chips, fixing scuffs or dealing with the cosmetic damage that accumulates through normal use.
Rust repair is another part of the shop’s work. The damage has to be assessed so the repair makes sense for the panel, the vehicle and its overall condition.
Then there is the more specialized side of Traphouse.
Chris has always been a genuine car enthusiast, with a particular interest in lowered trucks, mini trucks and older Toyota Tacomas. That background means the shop is also comfortable working with people who want something beyond a straightforward factory-style repair.
Traphouse can take on custom fabrication, body kits, widebody work and repairs that require a more individualized approach rather than simply replacing a damaged component.
That range can benefit everyday drivers too. A shop experienced with custom work understands how much fit, finish and small details influence the final result. Whether a customer wants a commuter vehicle repaired after a collision or has something more unusual in mind, the goal is still to understand the problem and determine the right plan of attack.
Vehicle owners should also know they have a say in where collision repairs are completed. The Government of Alberta explains that drivers generally have the right to choose the repair facility handling their vehicle, making the quality and reputation of the shop an important part of the decision.
Read Alberta’s automobile collision and insurance guidance
A repair estimate matters, but so does understanding what is being repaired, how the shop plans to approach it and whether you are comfortable trusting that team with your vehicle.
What Vehicle Owners Can Expect From Traphouse Automotive
Getting started with Traphouse Automotive is straightforward: explain what is happening with the vehicle.
Chris encourages potential customers to provide a breakdown of the work they need and photos when possible. That gives the shop an opportunity to review the damage or project and begin determining what needs to happen next.
Customers can submit a quote request and upload photos through the Traphouse Automotive website. For someone dealing with a dent, scrape, rust issue, collision repair or custom project, it provides an easy first step.
The business itself is now entering another stage of growth.
Chris has moved toward a larger location, creating more room for Traphouse to serve customers and expand its operation. Rather than making grand predictions about where the company will be years from now, his focus is practical: grow into the new space, strengthen the operation and see where the next stage takes the business.
That mindset reflects how Traphouse was built in the first place. Chris learned from his dad, worked around dealerships, studied business, returned to cars, trained in autobody and started with a small rented bay. The company grew because he kept building on the skills and opportunities in front of him.
The result is a shop shaped by both professional training and genuine enthusiasm for vehicles.
Vehicle owners do not have to be car enthusiasts themselves to appreciate that. Most simply want their daily driver repaired properly, kept looking good and treated like something worth taking care of.
At Traphouse Automotive, everyday work sits alongside unusual projects. One vehicle may need collision damage repaired. Another may have rust, rock chips or scuffs. Another may require fabrication or custom bodywork. The common thread is solving the problem in front of the shop and getting the vehicle back to a condition the owner can feel good about.
For people searching autobody shop Edmonton after an accident or because their vehicle needs attention, knowing the story behind the business can make choosing where to go a little easier.
Chris Trapp did not enter the automotive industry because it looked easy. He stayed because he enjoys the work, values seeing a project completed properly and appreciates the customers who recognize the effort behind the finished result.
As Traphouse Automotive grows into its next chapter, that hands-on foundation remains at the centre of the business: understand the vehicle, understand what the owner wants and do the work required to bring the two back together.