What Goes Into a Locksmith Quote?

“I have five locks and I want them rekeyed.”

That sounds fairly straightforward.

A customer might explain that they have two screen doors, a front door, a back door and a sliding door. They want the old keys to stop working and new keys supplied.

That’s actually useful information.

But if I ask what type of locks are fitted, the answer is often something like:

“Just standard locks.”

And that’s where things get interesting, because there really isn’t one standard lock.

Two homes can have exactly the same number of doors and locks but require very different work.

Not Every Lock Can Be Treated the Same Way

There are many different brands, designs and levels of quality used around Australian homes.

Some locks are straightforward to rekey. Others use different types of cylinders or mechanisms. Some inexpensive locks simply aren’t practical to rekey at all, and replacement may make more sense.

If you’re not sure what rekeying actually changes, I explain the difference between key cutting and rekeying in more detail here.

Sliding doors are a good example.

Some basic sliding-door locks use relatively simple wafer-type cylinders. Depending on the lock, they may not be suitable for reliable rekeying or for keying alike with the other locks around the home.

Even where it is technically possible to alter a very basic lock, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a good idea.

If an old key can still be forced to operate a poorly suited or heavily worn cylinder, changing the internal combination hasn’t achieved what the customer expected from a proper rekey.

Sometimes the sensible solution is to replace that particular lock with something more suitable rather than trying to make the existing hardware do a job it was never really intended to do.

Condition Matters Just as Much as the Type of Lock

The next question is whether the existing lock is actually worth keeping.

A lock can look terrible and still work perfectly well.

Around Geelong and the Bellarine Peninsula, external locks are constantly exposed to weather and, in some areas, coastal conditions. A good-quality lock can become faded, discoloured or show surface corrosion while the important parts of the mechanism remain perfectly serviceable.

If the customer is happy with how it looks and the lock is operating properly, there may be no reason to replace it simply because it’s old.

But sometimes appearance and mechanical condition tell the same story.

A lock may be badly weathered, worn, loose or becoming unreliable. If I’m already rekeying the property and a particular lock is clearly approaching the end of its useful life, it may make more sense to replace it at the same time rather than spend money rekeying something that is likely to need replacement soon anyway.

That decision is difficult to make from “five standard locks.”

Rekeying the Lock Is Only Part of the Job

If I rekey a lock, I also want to know that it operates properly when I’m finished.

That means checking its basic operation, making sure the lock and striker are working together correctly and giving the hardware some appropriate lubrication or minor attention where required.

If a deadbolt is difficult to throw because the door is out of alignment, simply changing the key combination doesn’t solve that problem.

The same applies to a sliding-door lock that needs excessive force before it will engage.

I’ve worked on the lock, so before I leave it, I want to make sure it is operating as it should.

Sometimes a small adjustment is all that is required. Other times, the condition of the door or hardware may reveal a larger problem that needs to be considered separately.

What Are You Actually Trying to Achieve?

This is often more useful to me than knowing the technical name of the lock.

A customer might say:

“I've just bought the house and I don't know who still has keys.”

Or:

“Too many family members and other people have copies of the keys and I want the old keys cancelled.”

Or:

“This is an investment property. I just need the locks secure and reliable.”

Or:

“I have too many different keys and I'd like everything possible to work from one key.”

Those descriptions tell me something important: the outcome the customer actually wants.

From there, I can work out the locksmith side of it.

You don't need to identify the cylinder, know the brand or decide for yourself whether a lock should be rekeyed, repaired or replaced before contacting me.

The Right Recommendation Depends on the Situation

Imagine an older lock that isn't in perfect condition but is still operating and can be rekeyed.

If the owner is preparing to sell the property and simply needs to make sure old copies of the key no longer provide access, rekeying the existing lock may be perfectly sensible.

Spending considerably more to replace it may provide very little benefit for what that customer is trying to achieve.

Now imagine the same lock on a home someone has just purchased and plans to live in for years.

If the hardware is already worn and likely to need replacement in the foreseeable future, replacing it while the property is being rekeyed may be the better long-term decision.

An investment property can have different priorities again. The aim may simply be reliable, secure hardware that will continue doing its job without spending money on unnecessary upgrades.

None of those customers is right or wrong.

They simply need different outcomes.

That’s why my recommendation isn't based only on what lock is fitted to the door. It also depends on what the customer wants to achieve and what makes sense for the property.

Why I Prefer to See the Locks

Where practical, seeing the job in person gives me the best information.

I can identify the hardware, operate each lock, check its condition, see how the doors are closing and determine whether the existing locks are suitable for what the customer wants.

It also gives me an opportunity to actually talk with the customer.

Sometimes that conversation changes the whole approach to the job. What someone initially thought required several new locks may turn out to be achievable by rekeying and a few adjustments. In another case, keeping an existing lock may not make financial sense once its condition is properly assessed.

An onsite assessment removes a lot of guesswork.

But I also understand that seeing the property beforehand isn't always practical.

Buying a Home Is a Good Example

Some people want their new home rekeyed as soon as they collect the keys at settlement.

That makes complete sense.

You’ve just taken possession of the property and you may have no way of knowing how many copies of the existing keys have been made over the years or who still has them.

Having the locks rekeyed means that, from that point onward, you control the new keys.

But if you haven't taken possession yet, organising an onsite assessment beforehand may not be possible. At the same time, you may still want to organise the locksmith in advance and have an idea of what the job is likely to cost.

That’s where photos become very useful.

Photos Are the Next Best Thing

Clear photos can often tell me considerably more than a long written description.

Ideally, I want to see both sides of the lock and enough of the door to understand how everything is installed.

From those photos I may be able to identify the type of lock, whether it is likely to be rekeyable, whether different locks may be capable of working from the same key and whether there is anything unusual about the installation.

Photos still can't tell me everything.

I can't feel how a lock operates through a picture. I can't test whether a key is rough, feel internal wear or properly check the alignment between the lock and the door frame.

But when an onsite inspection isn't practical, good photos can remove a lot of the unknowns.

You Don't Need to Be the Locksmith

When contacting a locksmith, you don't need to work out all the technical details first.

You don't need to search online trying to identify the model of your lock or decide whether you need a new cylinder, a rekey, a replacement lock or something else.

Tell me what's happening in your own words.

Tell me what you're concerned about and what you want to achieve.

If you can provide some clear photos, even better.

From there, I can look at the hardware, its condition and your particular situation and recommend an option that makes sense.

Sometimes that means replacing a lock.

Sometimes it means rekeying the one you already have.

And sometimes the best solution is much simpler than you expected.

Locksmith Rekeying and Lock Advice in Geelong

At A to Z Locksmiths, I provide residential locksmith services across Geelong, the Bellarine Peninsula and surrounding areas.

Whether you've just bought a home, need old keys cancelled, want several locks working from the same key or simply aren't sure what needs to be done, you don't need to diagnose the locks yourself.

Tell me what you're trying to achieve, and I'll help work out a practical solution for the locks and doors you actually have.

Call or message Li at A to Z Locksmiths on 0481 165 386.