COST GUIDE • UK PRICES
How much does a locksmith cost?
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. Our own rates are published in full rather than quoted on the doorstep.
The three parts of any locksmith bill
Almost every legitimate locksmith charges on the same structure, and understanding it is the difference between a quote you can check and a number you simply have to accept.
Call-out, or attendance. This covers travelling to you and is usually charged on arrival rather than taken in advance. It varies by time of day, because a Tuesday afternoon and a Sunday at 3am are not the same job. Ours runs from £39.20 in the daytime to £128 overnight.
Labour. Charged by the hour, almost always with a minimum of one hour, then in smaller increments. Ours runs from £64 an hour in the daytime to £128 overnight, in 30-minute increments after the first hour.
Parts. Only charged if something genuinely needs replacing. A door opened without damage needs no parts at all, which is why non-destructive entry matters to your bill as well as to your door.
What the common jobs cost
| Job | From | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency entry | £132 | Opening a locked door, non-destructive where possible |
| Euro cylinder replacement | £120 | New cylinder and keys on a uPVC or composite door |
| Mortice lock or deadlock | £156 | Supply and fit on a timber door, three keys |
| Snapped key extraction | £108 | Removing a broken key, lock tested afterwards |
| Door alignment | £76 | Hinge and keep adjustment on a binding door |
| Multipoint mechanism | £216 | Repair or replacement of a failed gearbox |
| Burglary repairs | £200 | Make-safe, replacement locks, temporary boarding |
Those are our Lancashire from-prices, all including VAT, with call-out and labour charged on top at the published rate. Every rate is on the pricing page. National averages sit in similar territory, though city-centre and call-centre operators are frequently higher.
Why night and weekend work costs more
Every locksmith charges more out of hours, and any who claims otherwise has moved the money somewhere less visible. Our call-out roughly triples between a weekday afternoon and the small hours, and labour doubles.
If you are locked out, have somewhere safe to stay and the property is secure, waiting until morning genuinely costs less. If you do not have somewhere to go, call. Standing outside overnight in Lancashire in February is not worth the saving, and we would rather say that than sell you a 3am call-out you did not need.
The prices that should worry you
A quote that will not include the call-out. If the figure quoted on the phone does not cover attendance, labour and the likely parts, it is not a quote.
"From £49" advertising. The headline figure is the call-out. The bill is not.
A price that changes on the doorstep. The commonest complaint about this trade. A quote given before travelling should hold unless the job turns out to be materially different, and if it does, you should be told before work starts rather than after.
Immediate drilling. Drilling is faster than picking and it sells a replacement lock. Sometimes it is genuinely necessary — a seized lock, a snapped key, a failed mechanism — but it should be explained and priced before it happens.
Payment in full up front. Call-out on arrival is normal. The whole job before anyone has looked at the door is not.
How to get an accurate price on the phone
Tell the locksmith your postcode, the type of door — uPVC, composite, timber or aluminium — and exactly what the lock is doing: whether the key turns, spins, will not go in, or has snapped. Say whether you are locked out or the door is simply faulty, and whether anything is visibly damaged. A photograph of the lock and the door edge, where you can take one safely, identifies the mechanism better than any description.
With that, a competent locksmith can tell you the call-out, the likely labour and whether parts are probable, before anyone sets off.
Common questions
How much does a locksmith cost in the UK?
Most locksmiths charge a call-out plus labour, with parts on top. Our daytime call-out is £39.20 and daytime labour £64 for the first hour, then in 30-minute increments. Evenings, nights and weekends cost more. Every rate is published above, and the applicable one is confirmed on the phone before anyone is dispatched.
How much does it cost to change a lock?
A euro cylinder replacement is listed from £120 and a mortice lock or deadlock from £156, with new keys included. Call-out and labour are charged on top at the rates above. The final figure depends on the lock specified and whether the door needs any other work.
Is it cheaper to repair the lock or replace the door?
Repair, in almost every case. A failed multipoint mechanism is repaired from £216 and an alignment problem from £76, both a small fraction of a replacement door. Anyone quoting for a new door because a handle is stiff should be questioned.
Why are locksmiths expensive?
The cost is attendance, time and parts rather than the few minutes spent at the door. It covers travelling to you at any hour, the tools and stock carried on the van, insurance, and the training behind opening a door without destroying it. What should never be in the price is a figure you were not told before the work started.
How much does a locksmith charge per hour in the UK?
Typically between £50 and £100 an hour in daytime, with a one-hour minimum, rising substantially at night and at weekends. Ours is £64 an hour daytime and £128 overnight, charged in 30-minute increments after the first hour. Anyone quoting an hourly rate without mentioning the minimum charge is quoting half the figure.
Will my home insurance cover a lockout?
Usually not for a simple lockout, though some home emergency add-ons do include it. Insurance is more likely to be relevant after a break-in, where lock replacement and make-safe work may be covered. Check your policy, and keep the invoice and photographs either way.
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Call with your postcode and lock problem to confirm availability and charges.