Would you like to bypass a locksmith and secure your home on your own? Think about what your car, business, home or whatever you need secure is worth to you. Do you really want to risk these valuables? If the answer is no, use the advice below to help locate a great locksmith.
When you paint your house, be sure to cover the locks. If you paint over the key hole and seal it, the key won’t fit in and you’ll need to contact a locksmith. It can take time to cover every lock, but that takes less time than having them change every one.
Before hiring a locksmith, do research. You need to ascertain the individual will have your best interests at heart. Scammers can make unauthorized copies of your keys, so watch out for that.
Prepare in advance to be as safe as possible. Do your homework before you are in a pinch, and you can have someone you can rely on if you ever have an emergency. Once you find a good locksmith, keep their number in your address book or saved to your cell phone for future use.
Get a receipt. The majority of locksmiths are trustworthy, but there are some scammers out there. A receipt provides legal backup for you. Keep it in a safe location as proof of services paid in full.
Locksmiths are usually cheaper during normal hours of operation. The locksmith cost can vary widely after hours. The after hours fees can often be double the fees charged during normal business hours.
Research with the BBB to ensure your locksmith is reliable. You can figure out if the locksmith is trustworthy or not. There is another site, ALOA.org, which tells you whether or not a locksmith is reliable.
If a locksmith tries to hand you a bill that’s significantly higher than what you were quoted on the phone, tell them you don’t consider that acceptable. There are too many locksmiths out there for you to deal with one that is not upfront and honest with you.
Find a locksmith who has a great reputation. This isn’t absolutely necessary, but it’ll be reassuring to know your locksmith is staying on top of current trends. This will also help ensure that he isn’t some moonlighter who isn’t concerned about the job.
Get some references and professional credentials from a locksmith before letting him into your residence. You should do this in advance, before you actually need them. Not only will you want to get great quality services in a locksmith, you have to be able to trust the person all the way.
One of the first questions to ask a locksmith is how many years they have ran their business. Make sure that they’ve been operating from this location the whole time. A company that has five or ten years of experience in one area is probably on the up and up.
Affordable locksmiths should also do the job well. The information located above will help you find a professional locksmith. A reputable locksmith who does not overcharge you is a great person to find. When all is said and done, the money you spend should be worth each penny.