GUIDES • NO SALES PITCH
What things actually cost, what the standards mean, and when you do not need to spend anything. Written by the person who does the work.
A UK locksmith normally charges three things: a call-out, labour by the hour with a one-hour minimum, and parts. Daytime call-out typically runs between £30 and £80 and labour between £50 and £100 an hour, roughly doubling overnight.
Read the guide →BS3621 is a British Standard for thief-resistant locks that can be locked by key from both sides. A lock meeting it carries a kitemark and the number stamped on the faceplate on the edge of the door.
Read the guide →Lock snapping is a method of breaking a standard euro cylinder in two to release the mechanism. An anti-snap cylinder has sacrificial sections that break off and leave the working part intact and still locked.
Read the guide →Measure from the centre of the fixing screw hole to each end of the cylinder separately, and quote the outside measurement first. A cylinder is described as two numbers, such as 40/50, because the halves are usually different lengths.
Read the guide →Yes, on the doors that matter, and it is cheaper than most people expect. You have no way of knowing how many keys exist or who holds them: previous owners, tenants, cleaners, builders, estate agents and neighbours.
Read the guide →Find help by problem, browse services, choose your town or check the prices.
Call with your postcode and lock problem to confirm availability and charges.
