Below we explain 11 tricks that you can practice whether your door lock has been broken or if you have been left on the street so that calling a locksmith does not involve a higher cost than average.
Ask acquaintances and relatives:
Seeing yourself on the street without keys or with a broken lock is a situation that generates stress and nervousness. And although it may seem complicated, the best thing you can do in these situations is to stay calm.
The first thing you should do is ask yourself if someone you know has had to call a locksmith and what their experience was like. If you know of someone who has already been through this ordeal and the services, they hired seemed good, quality and cheap, you already have the solution.
Conversely, if you don’t know anyone to whom it has happened, you can ask your neighbours. Whether you live in an independent chalet or an apartment, you can ask the people you trust the most to see if they know of any cheap and quality company. And if no one can help you, it’s time to start looking for companies on your own.
Look for companies with positive opinions on the Internet:
If you type ‘locksmith (town)’ on the Internet, many companies will appear, but which one to choose? To begin with, you must make sure that the company you are going to hire is certified to carry out this work and that its employees are trained and are professionals in the sector. To find out, you can check the company’s history, look for a seal of quality on its website or an award that shows the quality of its work.
In addition, on the Internet, you can find many reviews and opinions of clients who have already contracted the services of different companies. Dedicate a few minutes and read over what the locksmith shop clients say. It can give you an idea of whether she is worth hiring or not.
Request a quote and compare prices:
Although it is a glance, it is best to compare prices between different companies. It is not necessary to do a detailed analysis. Call 3 or 4 companies and ask for a quote so that they can inform you of the services they offer and what they charge for them. Do not be afraid to freely call all the companies you want, since they cannot charge you anything for giving you an estimate.
Companies near your home:
Choose the companies closest to you. The less movement the locksmith has to make to get to your house, the cheaper the service will be. For this reason, you should opt for local companies, which are located a few kilometers around your home. In addition, because of the savings, the closer the company is, the faster the service will be and, therefore, it will be able to offer you a solution with greater urgency.
Close the price before hiring anything:
Leave all the details closed before contracting the service. Agree with the company what the price they gave you over the phone covers: materials, labour, travel, etc. It is essential to make everything clear so that later the locksmith does not give you a higher price for putting on a different part or for having taken a few minutes longer than the service covers.
And, above all, do not hire the services of companies that do not give you a fixed price over the phone, claiming that they have to see the door first. In this way, if the locksmith does not tell you the price until he finishes working, you will have to pay him what he asks for. Although if you find yourself in this situation and the invoice seems excessive, do not sign it, since this way you can claim it later.
Ask about the guarantee:
Another aspect that you must consider when choosing a professional and quality company is the guarantee that it offers you the work it does. It must give you a minimum guarantee period if the craft that has been carried out fails or breaks down. And if it doesn’t, you better keep looking for other companies.
Professionals and leaders in the sector:
Although their main job is opening doors due to lost keys, locksmiths are trained to offer other services related to locksmith systems. The greater the catalogue of services of a company (related to the locksmith), the more experience they will have in the sector. Which, ultimately, is a sign of quality.
24-hour service:
If you’ve stayed on the street, it doesn’t matter what time it is. It would help if you had the door open for you and fast. This is another reason why resorting to a quality company will make things easier for you because they have the necessary means to work quickly and attend to and resolve all emergencies in a short time. Companies with 24-hour emergency services are an added plus of quality. Oversights do not understand schedules, and you may be left on the street at 3 in the afternoon or at 2 in the morning.
In addition to offering uninterrupted service during the day, it is essential that the company also provides the service 365 days a year, regardless of whether it is a holiday or a business day. It’s a chore, but you can also stay on the street on Christmas day. And quality companies know this, so they offer the service uninterruptedly.
Don’t try to fix it yourself if you don’t know:
Several factors influence the final price of the locksmith, including labour and materials. For this reason, if you stay in the street, the best thing you can do is not to knock or force the door to try to enter. If you damage the lock by moving it, the service price will be pretty high. So if what you want is a cheap locksmith, call and do not touch anything on the door. The locksmith will be able to open it in minutes with the right tools and without damaging the door.
Ask about rates:
Some companies offer different rates depending on the day they provide the services, whether it is a working day or a holiday, and depending on the time. When you call to ask for a price, ask if they charge extra for overnight stays if you spent the night and, if they charge more, opt for another company that does not apply these rates. And if it’s a holiday, the same. Try to hire a company that does not charge you more for being a party.
Bargains are expensive:
Be wary of bargains from unqualified staff. We know that they are very tempting because they are usually cheaper than hiring the services of a professional company, but the benefits that a friend of an acquaintance or your brother-in-law can offer you are nothing like those of a locksmith. You can’t be sure he will do quality work for you, and you can’t hold anyone accountable if you run into later problems.
If you’re looking for a Locksmith Shop in Los Angeles, CA. Be sure to choose us. Our team will always strive to help in whichever way possible.