Hiring a Locksmith: Necessary Things to Keep in Mind

When hiring locksmiths, it's important to note that not all locksmiths are the same. You'll find companies that are cheap, some that use the best locksmithing tools (and some that don't) and you'll find some that charge an arm and a leg. The key, is finding a quality locksmith that you feel comfortable with and does a job that is up to or exceed your expectations. To do this, we've listed the top factors to keep in mind when looking to hire a locksmith.

Pro Tip:

Ask for Locksmith Referrals

One of the first few places to start when you're looking to hire locksmiths is your friends, neighbors and co-workers. You'll want to ask them if they know of a locksmithing company that they have hired before that they would recommend or refer.

If you have a specific issue with your keys, like broken keys, you can ask for referrals of locksmithing companies that they know of that have helped them with their broken keys or whatever other issue you are having (ie. cannot insert the key, lock not turning, faulty or damaged mechanism, key not turning, etc.)

Pro Tip:

Reviews of Locksmiths

After checking out references that you received for locksmiths, you'll want to check online reviews. You should be able to find online reviews for just about any locksmith in your local area. This can very helpful, but can also be overwhelming and misleading at times. Here are a few guidelines to help you as you sift through all of the reviews:

An overwhelmingly positive or negative review of a locksmith could be a sign of a fake review- so take that into considerations.

Make a special note of locksmiths that have received a great deal of reviews. A lot of reviews combined with 4.5 to 5 stars is a big sign that the locksmithing company got those legitimately.

Keep an eye out for reviews that compare their experience with other locksmiths. Giving these details adds validity to the reviewer who has actually hired a local locksmith.

Here are a few examples of valid reviews of locksmiths:

"Can't say enough about Volta Locksmith. I don't ever leave reviews but his level of customer service was outstanding. There needs to be more people like Duane in all fields of service."

"Had a front door lock that’s been sticking for a long time. The last locksmith I hired “fixed” it but the fix only worked for about a week. Got A-Best Locksmith through Angi. Gary came out the same day I contacted him. It took him a very short time to figure out the problem and fix it. I am so glad to finally be able to lock and unlock my door easily! Highly recommend A-Best. Responsive, professional, know what they’re doing, and their price is very reasonable!"

"Definitely would recommend to anyone! Great personality and definitely put a smile on my face . Anthony Help me with out by reprogramming my Nissan rouge so I can have a new key fob after the original key fob was stolen."

Pro Tip:

Locksmith References

Once you have gathered referrals and checked online reviews of the locksmithing companies, you want to call the company directly and ask them for at least 2 recent references. These should be from customers they have completed work for within the past month. Also, you can ask for references for specific issues like cannot insert the key, broken keys, lock not turning, key not turning, faulty or damaged mechanism or just general key issues. Here are some questions you could ask the locksmiths' references:

What work did the locksmith do for you? A small key issue or big key issue will give you insight as to the scale of the project. Was it for lock not turning, faulty or damaged mechanism, cannot insert the key, key not turning, broken keys or just general key issues?

Did the locksmith provide a contract with details of the work? Did they provide what methods will be used, possible issues, etc.

How was the staff that completed the locksmithing work? Professional, clean, friendly? Ask about the things that you care about.

Was the locksmithing work completed per the agreed upon budget?

How were the locksmiths results? Did they meet or exceed your expectations?

Would you hire the locksmith again?

Pro Tip:

Pro Tip:

Always make sure the locksmithing company is using the proper tools and a specialized locksmithing software that is custom to the industry. Servgrow is a popular software among locksmithing companies.

Licensed and Insured Locksmithing Company

When hiring a locksmith, that last think you want to do is hire one that is not a legitimate business and has no license and insurance. Just because you know that locksmithing companies should be licensed, bonded and insured, don't take this for granted.

Locksmiths that do not have a license will most likely try to cut corners because they understand that they are not as accountable for their work. In fact, it's illegal for them to operate without a license.

Professional locksmithing companies will have no problem showing you all the necessary documents, licenses and insurance to operate their business.

Final Notes on Hiring a Locksmith

Hiring a locksmith can be challenging at first, but using these tips above should get you started in the right direction. And keep in mind that it could take a couple different locksmiths that you hire before finding that perfect one- and when you find that perfect one, don't let them go!

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Hiring a Locksmith: Necessary Things to Keep in Mind

Pro Tip:

Ask for Locksmith Referrals

Pro Tip:

Reviews of Locksmiths

Pro Tip:

Locksmith References

Pro Tip:

Pro Tip:

Licensed and Insured Locksmithing Company

Final Notes on Hiring a Locksmith

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