Home Lockout Service: reading the quote

It depends entirely on where the key is. If it was inside the house the whole time, your locks are exactly as secure as they were yesterday and nothing needs changing. If the key was lost or stolen, rekeying is the sensible follow-up, because it retires that key for good while keeping your existing hardware. Lock manufacturers give a lost or stolen key as one of the main reasons to rekey, and doing it during the same visit saves a second call.

Drilling and a replacement cylinder

If the cylinder has to be drilled, the quote gains the new cylinder or complete deadbolt and the labour to fit it. You are told this before the drill comes out, never after.

Time of the call

A home lockout costs the same amount whatever the hour, weekend or holiday included, since locksmiths are reachable day and night. The exact figure is confirmed at the door once the lock, the door and how many locks need opening have been looked at in person.

Getting to the door

A ground-floor house door is straightforward. A unit up several flights, a building with a locked lobby and no concierge, or a gated property where the gate is also locked adds steps that the quote takes into account.