Your Locksmith Questions Answered
Your Locksmith Questions Answered
Q. What is rekeying?
A. Rekeying refers to “repining” and is a service which allows you to change the key of a lock without actually changing the lock. The way it works is that a skilled locksmith will rearrange the tumblers in a locking system so that they only work for a new key. Rekeying is very useful in some situations. For example, if you want to have all of the locks in a building open with the same key, you could have the locks rekeyed. Rekeying is also more cost efficient when there are many locks that would have to be changed.
Rekeying can also refer to a different locksmithing service in which a key is made for a lock, such as if you lost all keys for a lock.
Q. Can I have a new ignition key made?
A. In many new cars, door and ignition keys are being made with advanced security features including transponder chips. These transponders communicate with the locking system so only certain keys can unlock them. This helps prevent and deter theft. Before 2008, most people had to go to their dealership to get a new ignition key. Now, many car locksmiths are able to access to transponder codes and make a new ignition key for clients. It usually costs less to have an ignition key made at a private locksmith than at the dealership.
Q. How much does a locksmith cost?
A. The price you will pay for locksmithing services varies greatly. For car or home lockouts, you can usually expect to pay about $50. For complex jobs, you can expect an hourly rate of about $60. Rekeying will generally cost you about $10-$20 in shop and go by the hourly rate on site. These are just generalized prices; you can expect to pay more in cities with high living standards (such as NYC compared to Dayton, Ohio). Also some locksmiths will charge extra for coming during off hours and also may charge a transportation cost per mile.
Q. What certification do locksmiths need?
A. Only nine states require locksmiths to be licensed in order to work (Alabama, California, Illinois, Louisiana, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas). Other than these nine states, the laws about locksmith standards are very irregular. In some places, there is absolutely no certification required to work as a locksmith. Always make sure to ask your locksmith what certification he/she has and also about his/her specialty.
Q. What does bonded and insured mean for a locksmith?
A. Locksmiths have serious jobs; their work can mean the difference as to whether an intruder gets into your home or business. To protect themselves and their clients, many locksmiths get insurance. Under the insurance, the insurer will cover costs of losses that occur due to faulty work. Insurance for locksmiths is very pricy. If you find a locksmith which is insured, you can count on him to deliver quality work and be committed to safety standards.
Bonded is similar to being insured, but with much less coverage. A bonded locksmith will buy a bond from a bonding company. If losses occur because of a mistake or other liability on the part of the locksmith, the bonding company will pay for the losses.
