Important Information You Need Before You Hire A Locksmith

When it comes to residential services, you know a locksmith can help you out. Commercial businesses can also find help from a locksmith, be it replacing an automatic door or providing new keys when a disgruntled employee doesn’t return theirs. Whatever your needs, the great advice below will help you find an amazing locksmith.

Pay attention to the car the locksmith is driving. It should be adorned with his or her business slogan. If the locksmith arrives in an unmarked vehicle, it is probably best to look for someone else. The locksmith that you called may not be legitimate and may try to scam you.

If you are locked out of your car and you have AAA, call them and ask for a tow to a locksmith. Many times locksmiths charge you a bundle because they have to get to where you are. This is a great way to gain access to your vehicle for a lot less money.

Inquire as to whether or not the locksmith you hire is bonded and insured. While this may seem like over-regulation to some, it can really save a homeowner from potential disaster. If anything breaks or otherwise goes wrong while the locksmith is servicing something on your property, you will be competely covered!


One good way to save money with a locksmith is to hire them during business hours. If you call them during off times, you are very likely to be charged more. For example, finding yourself locked outside of your car during business hours may cost $50 or so, but after hours this can easily double.

One very reliable means of determining trust in your potential locksmith is the number of years they have been in business. Also, check that they’ve been set up in the same location too. Both of these facts are really good sings that you’ve found the best locksmith in the business and the one you can really depend on!

Verify a locksmith’s identification before allowing them to work. Tell them over the phone that you expect them to show proper identification when they arrive. A professional locksmith will gladly show his credentials before beginning to work on your lock.

Don’t hire locksmiths after you only consider one. Weigh a few options before you decide on one. This helps you understand what price is considered to be average. You will be better prepared to see who is being fair with their pricing and who is trying to gouge customers.

Try to have all your needs met by a single locksmith service. In other words, the same business that makes keys for you under casual circumstances should be the same business you call in an emergency. Otherwise, you risk not really being able to trust the service or being charged way too much for it.

Make sure you check out a locksmith’s professional recommendations and references before letting him inside your house. After that, go one step further and call them all! You want good work done, but you also want to trust the locksmith.

Question the company about how much of your information they are going to retain after the job is completed. Also find out what that information will be used for. Finally, if the locksmith is working on your residence, make sure that the locksmith doesn’t set the locks to take a master key. This could be a security issue down the road.

Try looking for a locksmith that works on homes, businesses and vehicles. This will help you avoid needed multiple people in case of emergency. Keep this person’s number in your wallet and call them if there is a problem. Repeat business can sometimes result in you getting some pretty good discounts.

You should always receive an estimate in writing before you have any work done with a locksmith. This will let you know how much their services will cost, and ensure that you do not pay more than the stated upfront cost. You do not need a surprise when it comes time to pay.

To ensure the locksmith you are considering isn’t a scammer, look their phone number up on an online directory. Check to see that the address on file for the number matches the one you see listed on their website or business card. If they don’t, don’t hire that locksmith!

Never hire a locksmith without getting a solid estimate first. When you are given a quote, ask them whether this includes parts, labor, paperwork and fuel charges. Too often low quotes end up costing a bundle once all of these extra charges are added. Asking questions can let you know what to expect.

Before moving forward with a locksmith, make sure you check the person’s I.D. You want to make sure the person who arrived is the correct person you spoke with on the phone. This is for your own security. Plus, there are quite a few states that require licensing for locksmiths. You can be doubly safe and request to see that as well.

One easy way to determine if a locksmith is local or not is to ask how long it will take for them to get to where you are. You can pretend to be locked out if you are just doing research. If they say more than an hour or so, they’re likely not local.

Do a little research on locksmith costs in your area prior to making any moves to hire one. if you are not familiar with pricing, it would be easy for someone to take advantage of you. While everyone has different rates, you shouldn’t hire anyone that charges far more than the norm.

You want a locksmith that has a long-standing good reputation. If they haven’t been around for at least several years, find out where they last worked and call to see what type of employee they were. Use the Internet to look for reviews on the locksmith and where they last worked.

If you understand what it takes to find a great locksmith, you can get the job done right. Just asking friends and family for advice isn’t enough anymore. Thankfully, this article has handed you what you need to know, so be sure to make use of what you read today.