Locksmiths are more or less like doctors – at one point or another, you will need one.
It therefore makes perfect sense to know a thing or two about how they work.
That is, how much they charge for their services, where to find them and how to negotiate with them for a better price.
Keep in mind that people needs locksmiths today more than they did a decade or two ago.
That is because today’s locks feature advanced designs and are way too sophisticated for an average or rather amateur locksmith to crack.
This can only mean one thing.
That there are just a handful of locksmiths you can rely on when the need to keep in touch with one arises. In other words, good locksmiths are rare and hard to find.
The few available ones are therefore quite costly.
You do not have to worry about this though because at the end of the day, you can be sure of value for your money.
But other than the aforementioned factors, what else can influence the cost of locksmith services? Read on to find out.
Services offered
Locksmiths are not trained to just open locks.
They can also come in handy when one needs to replace old locks with new ones. That is why it is important to set aside some money for locksmiths anytime you intend to remodel your home.
That fact aside, a locksmith will not charge you the same amount for opening a jammed lock and for installing an armoured door on your mansion.
It all boils down to skills and the type of work one needs a locksmith for. There is also the fact that there are locksmiths licensed to install special kinds of security systems and locks.
They charge differently from regular locksmiths.
Availability
The average locksmith who opens up simple locks or installs locks in a small time may not be in demand as compared to his counterpart in a big city. The latter locksmith will always be busy and demand.
He or she will therefore be somehow expensive.
You may also have to wait for quite some time before the locksmith can get back to you.
He simply works on a first come first serve basis.
That explains why it is always a good idea to go for companies that offer locksmith services as opposed to individuals who offer the same service. The reason is pretty much obvious – most companies have teams.
It therefore becomes easy for a company to assign a locksmith different clients and have each client served within a given time.
The type of lock
The brand, quality, age and complexity of a security system or lock will always influence the cost of any locksmith service.
Bored cylinder locks and tubular chassis locks will for instance call for affordable fees as they are not very complicated.
The same cannot be said about sidebar locks which are hard to open.
That is because they feature side bar pins which make it really hard for one to open them.
This also explains why locksmiths recommend tubular locks for internal doors which feature direct insertion keys.
Other types of locks that may cost you quite a fortune to open include case locks and mortise locks.
There is also the age factor which plays a crucial role for locksmiths when they want to determine their fees.
An old lock will certainly be hard to open mostly because or rust and other elements that may make it really hard to open.
For these, a locksmith may charge you an extra dollar or two above the normal locksmith rates.
Your location
If a locksmith has to find you, then expect him to include in his fees transport costs.
So if you live in Montreal for instance, get a serrurier in Montreal who is within a close proximity from you. That way, you will not have to spend more than you should.
Désolé, cet article est seulement disponible en English.