We're a professional, family owned, mobile Locksmith Service that offers friendly & personalised service. Over 20 years experience specialising in all aspects of domestic & commercial security requirements. Everything from emergency work, to quotations for lock repairs, upgrades & installations. We always go out of our way to ensure you are taken care of.
Have you misplaced the keys to your holiday home, or forgotten the combination to a safe at the office? Did you just break off your house key in the front door lock? Maybe someone stole your purse, and you're concerned that you need to change the locks at your house. Stop worrying. you can get help right away from professional locksmith.
Domestic Locksmith Services
Choosing the right locksmith to install your home or business is essential. Locksmiths come in all shapes and sizes. Finding one that will suit your needs perfectly can take a little extra effort, but well worth it. Your safety is truly one of the most important things you can concern yourself with when choosing a locksmith. It is critical that your choice of a professional does not end up putting your security at further risk. By keeping a few things in mind, you can ensure that your choice is the right one for you.
A great way to get started is by asking around to people you know. Friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers are always happy to share the services they have used with a particular company. If you do not have any luck with this method, try to enlist the aid of those that you work or communicate with regularly. Word of mouth is still one of the most effective ways of finding someone that will help you with the task at hand.
Once you have narrowed down your list of potential candidates, you will then need to meet with each one individually. This should be done as a preliminary step before you attempt to hire that particular locksmith to install a door lock. You should discuss the job you require, the type of locks you will require, and any other information you feel is pertinent before any contract is signed. This will help you avoid any unpleasant surprises should your new professional install the wrong product or make an error in their work.
1. Ask for a written estimate
Always ask for a written estimate. This will cover you from hidden fees and additional labor charges. If a locksmith is being hesitant to give you a signed written estimate then do not allow them to start the job. This can mean that they are not reputable and just want to make some quick money.
2. On site estimate should tally with the written estimate
Any reputable locksmith company will provide you with a detailed estimate during the telephonic conversation. This will include cost of arrival, labor as well as the necessary parts. This estimate will with the on site estimate. Locksmiths looking to scam you will change their estimate upon arrival by adding extra hidden fees even before the work begins. Be safe from such dishonest service providers.
3. Say 'No' to Drilling and Replacement
Any locksmith company that suggests the lock needs to be drilled or replaced is a fraud. Experienced locksmith technicians can unlock almost any door. If they want to drill the lock, say a straight 'No'. There is a high chance they are scamming you and looking for more money. All genuine locksmith companies trains their technicians to properly unlock any door.
4. Avoid cash transactions
All genuine locksmith companies give you the option to pay by cash, check and/or credit. Any company that insists on cash transactions only is looking for quick money and there is a 99.99 per cent possibility that it is a scam. This is also an important question you should ask upfront. Make sure you are aware of how they take payment BEFORE they start work.
5. Do not leave the locksmiths unattended during the work
I do not suggest that you should not trust the person who has arrived to help you, but it is important to keep an eye on what they are doing. Your carefulness can prevent you from being scammed in more ways you can imagine.
These days we live in a world where documentation and records are key since it's becoming easier and easier to forge paper trails and make-up false history or information. So in order to keep things straight, states left and right are requiring certain things from their locksmiths before they can get back on the field and get to work. Even if a locksmith has been doing that type of work for 25 years or more, once regulations change, he or she has to change with them in order to continue working as a locksmith will take responsibility for. According to certain bureaus that specialize in security, a locksmith must undergo and pass a criminal background check through both the DOJ and the FBI. This means that as long as the locksmith that you choose has a valid license then you can be sure that he or she isn't a con man or crook since no locksmith can get their license unless they pass those background checks. A locksmith is also required to submit their fingerprints to the FBI and the DOJ. This not only eliminates their prints from a potential crime scene if they aren't guilty, it also keeps them on record in case there's an indication that the prints found belong to a certain locksmith who has decided to shift to the opposite side of the law.
The steps to getting a business license and DBA are just the beginning if you're a locksmith offers to the public who plans on starting (or helping to start) their own business. That's why it's best to get these types of things done early on to reduce the amount of delays as much as possible. If running a business isn't as major a concern to a locksmith as actually working under someone is, then the locksmith educated still isn't off the hook just yet. Because of the added complications and expenses that starting and maintaining a locksmith company is, many new business owners are inclined to have higher expectation from their employees than what was previously required. It used to be that a locksmith who had been working in the field for decade or more would simply bring on likely apprentices to continue the business.
Now a locksmith school is expected to have the same four year education as someone who has a much higher paying job. Most locksmith companies also require that the applicant have some education in mathematics and mechanics which means going to school for an even longer period of time, or wracking up student loans to pay for the extra career courses. The issue with schooling is driven even further home thanks to the advancement of recent technology. Nowadays, a locksmith faces the added dilemma of having to get a strong grasp on engineering and computers in order to keep up with the many clients who would rather have electronic security. Times are changing and in order for a locksmith to excel, they must change as well. These years of experience or apprenticeship are all well and good, but these days' people like to see proof of both education and qualification.
n selecting a profession or career, the job of being a locksmith is often overlooked. Who would have thought that a simple task of making and repairing locks could lead to a career opportunity? The demand for the locksmith industry has greatly increased, because for every lost or broken keys and tricky locks there is a need for a locksmith. This industry is a small field regardless of market fluctuations and technology changes. Although, this is not considered to be in the professional capacity level, (because a single national governing body does not exist for this job) numerous guilds exist that support the trade and offer training courses, and skill enhancement.
Requirements
To become a locksmith, one must possess a range of skills and cannot only know how to pop locks by chance. Such skills include:
• Excellent hand-eye coordination
• Manual dexterity and practical thinking
• Capable of using an array of specialist tools
• A fine understanding of lock and security devices
• Possess interests in locks and keys
• Is able to market and independently run a business
• Driving skill, in order to reach clients
• Outstanding people skills
A formal education is not necessary in pursuing a locksmith career. But it does require one to have extensive training and apprenticeships in order to be a certified locksmith. Being a certified locksmith has its advantages from those who aren't. First, it adds credibility because it guarantees customers that one is indeed qualified to perform certain work. Second, it increases the earning potential, and third, it advances the career as a locksmith. But how does a locksmith become certified? Various training courses and apprenticeship may be obtained from numerous training centers and locksmith associations. One must take the particular exams administered by these centers to earn a certain certification, such as Registered Locksmith, Certified Automotive Locksmith, Certified Master Safe Tech, Certified Registered Locksmith, Certified Professional Locksmith, Certified Master Locksmith and Certified Professional Safe Tech.