What I charge
Almost nobody in this trade publishes prices. That is not an accident, and it is the reason so many people end up paying hundreds for a job they were quoted forty pounds for. So here is mine, in full.
These are prices, not starting prices. If your job turns out to be something different from what we agreed on the phone, I stop and tell you before I carry on.
Not every job is on this list, because not every door is the same. If yours is not here, ring me and describe it and I will price it before I come out.
Labour
This is the charge for me coming out and doing the work. A job that needs no new parts, a lockout I can open without damage for instance, is labour only and nothing else is added.
| Job | Price |
|---|---|
| Monday to Friday, until 5pmThe first hour. Most jobs are done inside it. | £70 |
| Monday to Friday, 5pm to 8pmEvening rate. | £85 |
| Monday to Friday, 8pm to 9amOvernight rate. | £100 |
| Weekends and bank holidays, 9am to 5pmDaytime rate at weekends and on bank holidays. | £100 |
| Weekends and bank holidays, outside those hoursNights and early mornings at weekends and on bank holidays. | £150 |
Locks
These are the prices for the locks themselves, on top of the labour charge above. More than one lock can usually be changed within the same hour, so replacing several doors does not mean paying labour several times over.
| Job | Price |
|---|---|
| Standard euro cylinderKey both sides. Suits an internal or lower risk door. | £25 |
| Standard euro cylinder, thumbturnKey outside, thumbturn inside, so you can get out without a key. | £30 |
| 1 star euro cylinderA real step up in resistance to snapping. | £45 |
| 3 star high security euro cylinderAnti pick, anti snap, anti drill and anti bump. What I would put on my own front door. | £65 |
| 3 star high security euro cylinder, thumbturnThe same protection, with a thumbturn on the inside. | £70 |
| Mortice lock, 3 leverFor internal doors and lower risk applications. | £30 |
| Mortice lock, 5 lever high securityThe standard most insurers ask for on a final exit door. | £35 |
The price I quote is the price you pay
If the job turns out to be different from what we agreed on the phone, I stop and tell you the new price before I carry on. You can say no and I will leave, and you will not owe me anything.
Stu Haywood
What that adds up to
Some ordinary jobs, with the sum already done.
- Locked out on a Tuesday afternoon, door opened without damage£70 labour, no parts needed£70
- Front door cylinder changed for a 3 star, weekday morning£70 labour + £65 for the cylinder£135
- Locked out at 11pm on a weekday, cylinder had to be replaced£100 labour + £25 for a standard cylinder£125
- Front and back door both changed to 3 star, weekday morning£70 labour + £65 + £65, both done within the hour£200
Before you agree to anything
- There is no call-out fee. The labour charge covers me coming out as well as the work.
- Labour covers the first hour, and most jobs are finished inside it.
- More than one lock can usually be changed within the same hour.
- I tell you the price before I set off, not when I am standing at your door.
- Not every job is on this list. If yours is not, ring me and describe the door and I will price it before I come out.
Evenings, nights, weekends and bank holidays are charged at the labour rates above. The rate is set by when you need me, not by how urgent it sounds, and I will tell you which one applies before I set off.
Not sure which one you need?
Ring me and describe the door. I would rather spend two minutes working out what the job actually is than quote you for the wrong thing.
If you want to know how these compare with the rest of the trade, and what the law actually requires a locksmith to tell you before they start, I have written it all out here.