Locksmith Prices 2024 — How Much Does a Locksmith Cost?

The make and model of the lock or locks required

Many different kinds of locks exist, and the larger, more complex types, such as smart locks are likely to cost you more to supply and fit. Furthermore, locks will differ in terms of brand and quality. Installing a basic, unbranded lock is significantly cheaper than investing in a top-quality brand. There are other things to take into consideration too, such as whether you want an anti-snap lock installed for further protection against thieves or if you'd like to install a British Standard lock to meet your specific insurance requirements.

There are many types of locks for different doors and you may not know excatly what you need before calling a locksmith. That's why there are some helpful guides that can help you to understand what lock you have. Our guide to identifying your locks can help. You're best and safest approach is to consult with a locksmith directly to learn which type of lock will suit your needs best.

The locksmith company you choose

Ensure you find a reputable and trustworthy locksmith company. Check out online reviews and customer experiences and take all recommendations into account. In the long run, it is advisable to hire a trustworthy, experienced locksmith, both for the sake of security and to avoid the lock breaking again in the future.

Avoid calling double-glazing companies. Why? They are most likely to insist on changing your entire door, rather than fixing only the broken part of the mechanism. You can end up paying much more that way.

Working hours

Locksmith prices in emergency situations will also be affected by the exact hour when you are calling. If you require assistance in the middle of the night, it is natural to assume that the locksmith will charge more for their service. The upside to that is the fact that many locksmiths are available 24/7 and will waste no time in getting over and helping you out.

All things considered, make sure you inform your locksmith in advance about the location and the type of the lock. That way, you make sure that they arrive prepared, with the right tools at their disposal.

Hourly rates

In most cases, locksmith companies will charge you by the hour. If you need only one lock fixed or replaced, you can be confident that the job will be done within one hour. However, if you are moving house and want all the locks changed, expect to pay for 2–3 hours of work, depending on the quantity of locks.

To sum up:

Keep in mind that there are different types of locks. You should inform your locksmith in detail about the types of locks they are supposed to work with. Otherwise, if your locksmith needs to replace an uncommon part, they aren’t likely to have it on them. As a consequence, you’ll have to wait for them to bring it back from their office, which will result in a higher fee for you.

uPVC door lock replacement cost

What we call uPVC doors are mostly double-glazed plastic doors, with similar-looking locks, handles, and cylinders. Most uPVC lock units use Euro cylinders, which cost around £45 on average. If you experience a problem with your lock, do not try fixing it yourself. Even if you buy a new cylinder in retail, you will likely end up damaging it, in which case the retailer will not grant you a refund.

Instead, opt to call an experienced locksmith who can effectively resolve your issue.

Some uPVC lock units are actually multi-point mechanisms. If you have one of those, you probably know how easy it is to jam them by using force. If that is the case, you need a locksmith to realign the frame points and the lucks. Fortunately, although complicated, this service is usually inexpensive.

Night latches

Many wooden doors utilise night latches. With these locks, the key momentarily retracts the latch to allow entry. Once the key is out, the latch is back. Changing the cylinder of this lock for the sake of security is relatively inexpensive. However, expect to pay more if the entire lock needs to be changed.

Mortice locks

Wooden doors often require mortice locks. A mortice lock requires a pocket, called a mortice, to be cut into the wooden door. The price of a new mortice lock starts around £45. You can normally choose between 3 and 5-lever locks: the former locks are suitable for interior doors, while the latter should be used for front doors. Higher quality locks are more likely to be compliant with your insurance policy, so always keep that in mind.

Boarding up

Apart from fixing locks, locksmiths can also help you quickly board up your home if burglars have damaged your doors and windows beyond repair. Unfortunately, this process is somewhat more expensive for you since you will have to both pay for the boarding up and afterwards replacing your doors and windows. The average price of emergency boarding up is £200, although that depends on the time of day, the amount of boarding up necessary, and your locksmith’s fees. On top of that, this type of work usually lasts for more than an hour, so you should prepare the adequate budget for that.

A surprising number of different incidents can leave you in need of an emergency locksmith. You could lock your keys in the house or your key could break in the lock. The most unfortunate cause for emergency locksmith work would be experiencing a burglary.

Naturally, emergency locksmith prices will depend on several factors. Those include the type of emergency you’re facing, the type of locks involved, and the time of day when the problem takes place.

On average, the price of calling an emergency locksmith is around £89 for the labour, not including the prices of any additional components which may be necessary, as well as the VAT. Most quality locksmiths do not have a call-out charge and instead only charge for the labour and the components. However, you will only learn the exact price of the labour once an expert arrives to assess the problem.

Emergency locksmiths are typically available at all times and proficient in many different practices their customers may need help with. These experts can help you unlock a door if you're locked out or lost your keys, remove a broken key from a lock, or anything else you might need. On top of that, they typically provide these services quickly and effectively.

However, if you are calling at an unusual hour, such as the middle of the night, expect to pay a higher price for the labour than you would during the day. Although, under such circumstances, the extra charge is presumably the least of your worries.

If what you need is an emergency locksmith, then you are probably in no position to choose. Under any other circumstances, however, you should definitely take your time to shop around. Your goal is to find a company which is reliable and trustworthy that preferrably uses local locksmiths. It is always a good idea to compare several quotes, check out customer reviews, and pay attention to word-of-mouth recommendations.

However, the most important tip is not to try to repair, pick open or drill a lock on your own. Doing that yourself or asking a friend for help usually results in further damage to the lock, door, or frame. As a consequence, what used to be a fixable lock may need to be changed completely, costing you more money.

On top of that, never attempt the old and hackneyed movie trick of opening the lock with your credit card. You will not succeed at opening the door but it's likely that you will damage both your lock and the card.

Not everyone is trying to find out emergency locksmith prices. Some people are simply moving into a new home and looking to replace the locks there. We consider it smart and conscientious to change every lock whenever you move into a new property.

With that said, how much does it cost to change locks at a new property? The exact locksmith prices will depend on the size of your house and the number of locks you have there, which includes every window and door. That number will also affect the duration of the replacement process — a very large house may take a few hours of work. On top of that, the local locksmith prices will differ depending on the type of lock you are buying — mortice locks, for instance, cost more than Euro locks.

Here is a clear summary of the main points influencing the locksmith prices if you are changing all the locks:

1. The time it will take to replace the locks (which is affected by the locksmith’s hourly rate)
2. The exact number of windows and doors
3. The type of new locks you want to buy

The average cost of changing all the locks in a house is normally around £350. Naturally, that number will differ from house to house and from locksmith to locksmith. You can, however, expect something close to this number. Make sure to contact your insurer and learn which types of locks are compliant with your insurance policy!

How much does a locksmith cost? As you’ve seen in this locksmith price guide, the exact price you need to pay depends on various factors. However, there are numerous efforts you can undertake to reduce your expenses and avoid lock-related problems.

All things considered, it is advisable to keep your locks in a good condition for two reasons. The main reason for that is, naturally, the importance of personal safety. The other reason is taking action in time to prevent a lock-related accident from happening.

However, even if you do end up in trouble, any reputable emergency locksmith will be ready to assist you 24/7. Normally, locksmiths are effective and quick at fixing your locks. Hopefully, now you know enough about locksmiths and locksmith prices to change locks without a hitch if the need arises.

If you are not experiencing an emergency right now, use this time as an opportunity to find a trustworthy locksmith. It pays off to keep all the locks in your home in a pristine condition.