LANCASHIRE LOCKSMITH • HOMES & BUSINESSES
Drilling is a last resort, not a first move. It is used when a lock is already damaged, seized, has a key snapped inside it, or is a high-security type that cannot be opened non-destructively in reasonable time. Drilling for access is listed from £120 and always means a replacement lock.
From £120 · call-out and labour rates
This page exists because drilling is the part of the trade most often misused. Being clear about when it is necessary — and when it is not — is the point.
On every job, the lock is assessed and non-destructive methods are attempted first. For standard euro cylinders, nightlatches and many mortice locks, manipulation opens the door and leaves the lock fully working, so there is nothing to replace and nothing further to pay for. That is both cheaper for you and faster than it looks.
A cylinder with a snapped key jammed against the pins. A lock seized by corrosion, common on coastal back doors and outbuildings. A mechanism that has failed in the locked position so the bolts will not retract. A damaged lock after an attempted break-in. And some high-security cylinders, which are designed specifically to resist manipulation — in which case drilling is faster and no less respectful of the door.
Done properly, drilling is precise and targeted at the lock, not the door. The cylinder or lock case is destroyed; the door, frame and glazing are not. The lock is then replaced immediately, so the property is secure before we leave. Done badly, it damages the door edge or the frame, which is why the technique and the position matter.
Be cautious of anyone who reaches for a drill on arrival without assessing the lock. Drilling is quicker and easier than picking, and it conveniently sells a replacement lock. A locksmith should tell you what they are going to do and what it will cost before they start. Drilling for access is listed from £120, with the replacement lock on top — a euro cylinder from £120, a mortice lock from £156.
It should not. The lock is destroyed deliberately; the door, frame and glazing are left intact. Damage to the door itself indicates poor technique rather than an unavoidable consequence of drilling.
Yes. A drilled cylinder or lock case cannot be reused, so a replacement is fitted at the same visit and the property is left secure. If the door was opened without drilling, the original lock carries on working and nothing needs replacing.
Because some locks cannot be picked in a reasonable time, or at all: a seized lock, one with a broken key jammed inside, a mechanism failed in the locked position, or a high-security cylinder built to resist manipulation. In those cases drilling is the realistic option, and it is explained before it starts.
Ask what they have tried and why drilling is needed, and ask for the total cost including the replacement lock before work starts. A straight answer is a good sign. Reaching for a drill on arrival, before looking properly at the lock, is not.
We cover Lancashire, including the towns below. Call with your postcode to confirm availability for your address.
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