Locksmithing is a trade that in most countries requires the completion of an apprenticeship. But while there is need to have formal knowledge of the trade, the level of formal education required to be a locksmith varies from country to country. It can be a training certificate, a diploma, or a degree from a university that awards certificates in engineering.
Locksmith Rates
The standard rate for a locksmith to come for a service call is $25. That is standard and does not include the original amount that will be charged for the services the locksmith is called for.
Locksmith rates differ with the kind of work they have to do and how complex and how long it will take to complete it.
- Re-key or Tumbler Combination Change for Residential Locks: When you have a damaged lock in your house or need a combination change probably because in your haste you had entered the wrong combinations and got yourself locked out, a locksmith service is needed. Depending on the type of lock it is, the locksmith will charge you between $29 and $89.
- Re-key or Tumbler Combination Change for Commercial Locks: So you’re late this morning. You had a late night and woke up late. Now you’re rushing to work. And shocker, everyone is standing in front of the door that leads out of your building because an old lady has mixed up the combination or forced the wrong keys into the lock. You can’t be late to work a second time in the week. So what do you do? You call a locksmith. The locksmith arrives, gets the job done and charges you between $35 and $95 and voila, your day is saved.
- Residential Lockout Service: If you forget your key at work after a very busy day at work, the mere thought of going back for your keys can make you just lay in front of your apartment and sleep off. Calm down, pick up your phone and dial a locksmith. You’ll be charged between $75 and $150 depending on how complex your lock is and how long it will take to finish the job.
- Commercial Lockout Services: If there is a mix-up between you and your landlord that leads to him locking you out illegally. While you seek legal redress especially if there is no clause in your lease agreement that authorizes your landlord to lock you out, you can secure the service of a locksmith at a price range between $75 and $150 depending on the lock and how long it will take to fix it.
- Standard Residential Lock Change: If the lock in your apartment is damaged, either because a burglar attempted to break in, successfully or not and there is need to replace the lock, a locksmith will charge you between $69 and $145 to make a new lock.
- Standard Commercial Lock Change: A commercial lock will always be prone to getting damaged more than a residential lock because of the number of people that make use of it every day. In the event that the lock to your company building gets damaged on the day of a very important meeting with investors, to avoid embarrassment or loss of potential investors, call a locksmith immediately. They will charge you between $85 and $195, which is actually fair compared to the amount you could lose if your meeting with potential investors is cancelled or if you are unable to open for business that day.
- Safe Unlocking: If you have a safe whose combination you have forgotten and whose contents are very important and urgent to retrieve, a locksmith will get the job done and depending on how complex that safe is or how long it will take to unlock it, will charge you between $140 and $750.
- Car Unlocking: No matter how careful you are, you will have one day when you will either forget your keys in the car and lock the car or forget it in the boot and lock the car. You will need the services of a auto locksmith and the rates is between $15 and $150 dollars, your car will be unlocked and your keys retrieved.
The most important thing when looking for locksmiths in Los Angeles is to ensure that the locksmith is up to date with modern technology. A locksmith that only understand archaic locks will not serve you well if called to work on a modern lock and will end up wasting your time and making things worse.
Prices table:
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Re-key or Tumbler Combination Change for Residential Locks | 29$ – 89$ |
| Re-key or Tumbler Combination Change for Commercial Locks | 35$ – 95$ |
| Residential Lockout Service | 75$ – 150$ |
| Commercial Lockout Service | 75$ – 150$ |
| Standard Residential Lock Change | 69$ – 145$ |
| Standard Commercial Lock Change | 85$ – 195$ |
| Safe Unlocking | 140$ – 750$ |
| Car Unlocking / Car Lockout | 15$ – 150$ |
Reminder who is a locksmith?
Simply put, a locksmith is a person whose job deals with locks and keys. The profession of a locksmith is Locksmithing.
Locksmiths can make locks and keys, fix broken locks, and install security systems. But with the advent of complex locks and keys, the jobs of locksmiths have become complex too and learning locksmithing can take many years to master either as an apprentice or as a student in a college.
