Forgive the question, understand the reason.

[BDvs]

Greetings,

Forgive me for asking a question that cant be answered with certainty, but im sure you can understand my want for a rough "ballpark". I believe some of you are rural locksmiths, and my last post mentioned i was moving to my home State with a population of 5000. Would you gentleman be willing to say your thoughts on a reasonably expected salary first year to five?

I understand questions like this can be annoying for those of you who are far beyond this point in your careers, but i ask you to remember being at my current stage and throw me bone on this one. Im simply looking for a very rough draft of what to possibly expect. Ill clarify that by saying i would pursue the trade if i wasn't going to make much at all, mainly for my love of the craft and second because im invested. Again, if any are willing to answer on this one it would be much appreciated.

Brad

[billdeserthills]

You mean you intend to open a new business, put your sign up and just expect the public will fill up your shop?
Do you even intend to open a shop, or just work from home as a mobile locksmith?
How much money will you spend each year on advertising?
How many other locksmiths already work in your little town & how long have they been there?

[BDvs]

Bill,

I plan to be mobile and work from home. I haven't been home in close to twenty years, mainly due to my current profession. As for advertising I think $500.00 perhaps first year, of course that being subject to change according to my needs. What would you recommend? There is no other locksmith in town, closest is about 45 to 60 minutes away.

Brad

[zeke79]

There are too many variables at play to give a solid answer. Any industry there, factories refineries etc? That will play a big factor on salary which you should not have your hopes too high the first or second year. Insurance, fuel, and taxes are a pain.

Since I can't really answer your initial question I'll just say to be sure and not start your prices off too low. Undercutting other locksmiths devalues your time and theirs. Not saying you can't price a bit lower than them but you don't want to be doing $40 lockouts when everyone else around charges $75. You'll be the busiest broke guy in town. You can always offer a small discount on large jobs etc just use discretion or it becomes expected and again you devalue your time and services. People will always try to haggle with you regardless of price. I've never mastered the art of starting my price low and haggling someone up.

[Squelchtone]

Bill,

I plan to be mobile and work from home. I haven't been home in close to twenty years, mainly due to my current profession. As for advertising I think $500.00 perhaps first year, of course that being subject to change according to my needs. What would you recommend? There is no other locksmith in town, closest is about 45 to 60 minutes away.

Brad

Let me ask you a couple questions...

Are you picking up locksmithing as a second trade because you believe it is an easy job to get into? Are you already trained, or perhaps a handy man who can drill a hole and install a lock? Over the last 10 years here, I noticed a trend here that when the economy is bad, lots of do it yourself handymen types come here wanting to start a locksmith business because they probably think it is something easy that anyone can get into. I'm not sure what your situation is, but know that the equipment and tooling can really add up and what areas of locksmithing are you hoping to get into? lock outs? residential lock upgrades? local businesses needing high security cylinders installed or services? door hinges aligned? What will happen the first time someone hands you a car key to copy and it has a RFID chip in the key? All things to consider when offering services.

Survey the town businesses and some homes to see what lock brand is the most common around town, and stock those key blanks and parts. Get a basic car lockout kit too with a long reach tool. Nothing spreads word faster than a timely, professional, and friendly locksmith who helps some house wife get into her grocery getter. Word will spread quickly, and that's the best kind of advertising. Handing the customer a few business cards to give their friends/family is also a good idea.

I remember a time when I went to the post office and someone parked outside was locked out, I got them in, and they asked for my business card, and being that this is more of a hobby for me than a business, I didn't have any and kicked myself for not being prepared. The lady insisted on taking my info down and a week or two later I got a nice thank you card in the mail.

just my 2 cents
Squelchtone

EDIT: I just saw your other posts that you have taken some classes, so that's a plus. Did I read that you opened cars for 50 years as well? That sounds like a lot of experience, are you hoping to stick to car work in your new business or residential and business door locks as well?

[Sinifar]

Squelchy is right, too many people find themselves out of work, and then THINK this is an easy occupation to get into. One can just barge into this and hope things work out right, then again they can throw their shingle out and hope for the best.

First off, first year? You will starve. Trust me, as an unknown your phone will not ring. You need to build commercial accounts by going out and finding them. THAT is very hard. Once you start to get commercial accounts you maybe be able to eat a little, but not much. It will take a good three to five years to get established in commercial work.

For commercial work you will need an extensive knowledge of grade 1 locks, mortise locks, door closers, access controls, both mechanical and electronic, how to service all of these, and install them so they work right the first time. The next thing you will need to access to one of the high security lock series, like Schlage Primus 29XP, Medeco 3, Assa Abloy Twin, Mul-T-Lock, or one of the others. Getting into that is going to cost you at least 5K maybe more and you will need a factory training class as well.

Residential work went out of the window back in 89 around here when the big boxes opened. People tend to be cheap and they will not spend the money for a quality lock. Remember, every manufacturer makes several "lines"... From the absolute cheapest piece of junk to some of the most high quality stuff you could imagine. The reason? Price Point.

Price Point is where the consumer, whether a commercial account or residential account will actually commit to buying. Too low, and they think you are selling junk. too high and they think you are ripping them off. Especially when they see on TV ads for that Schlage entry lock at $18.95... WHICH is mostly plastic and die cast. no security. It keeps the door closed and that is about it. The slightest try at forcing that lock will end up destroying it. So they buy another, and another.... AND here comes that twangy music again....the siren call to save BIG MONEY!

NOW you can take a class from any one of the usual suspects and get a "basic" knowledge of the industry, but know, as i do because I mentor new smiths around here, those classes are a lot of theory, and not much hands on. You need to get into each and every one of those lessons with mechanical hands on to find out exactly how it works. Theory will not teach you the ins and outs of the real deal.

Then you will need a lot of basic tools and equipment and service kits. One can drill holes for a lock with the paper template which comes with the lock, but know if you are off on any of your holes the job will bind and not work right. I have seen tons of those, got out my jig, and rebored the thing. okay it was just a "sawdust" line away, but it was far enough out not to work smoothly. Pin kits are another thing...

You can go with either the standard .005 kits, or the newer and closer .003 kits. You will need a full kit to work in the trade. Okay, I have several and I do get by daily with my "3 in 1" kit -- Schlage - Kwikset - Weiser. that covers a lot of ground, but what are you going to do when you run into a Yale? Sargent? Corbin - Russwin - Emart? Or worse a lot of the older, no longer made locks?

How about lever locks? Those appear in a lot of locations, from mailboxes to safes.

Forget doing bank work. That is a closed camp. If you are not into it now, you won't break into it. Most of the people in it came from another shop who was into it and they branched off from them.

Safes? How much do you know about metals? Do you know how to get thru "hard plate" which is better than 60C? How much time can you spend trying to drill into something which is tons of booby traps in it to get the thing open? Can you change a combination both in hand changes and key changes and make sure it works every time? What are you going to do when it does not work, and YOU were the last person to put their mitts on it?

Door Closers -- do you understand the codes (ADA _ NFPA 101 Life Safety) for closer installations and how fast or slow it has to sweep and latch? What about labeled fire doors? What you do may void the label if you are not doing something right, or worse installing hardware, including locks and closers which are not fire rated for the opening. AND remember if you work on it, and it fails and there is a loss the insurance company might come back at you for the total of the loss.

No this is an easy trade to get into, why not? It looks like fun! Easy money! Can't await your first bunch of calls and the money rolls in!

More? Maybe later, this only touches the surface.

Sinifar

[Evan]

I believe some of you are rural locksmiths, and my last post mentioned i was moving to my home State with a population of 5000. Would you gentleman be willing to say your thoughts on a reasonably expected salary first year to five?

Serving a population of only 5,000 even as the sole locksmith, you would not earn enough money to stay in business, let alone pay yourself any sort of salary. You need to establish a business, obtain a general business license and taxation permit from your state in order to collect and convey sales taxes. You will need to consult an accountant and either engage the services of one to keep your books or purchase accounting software to do the same. You need to have the proper liability insurance. All of that before you purchase a single tool, item of stock or vehicle to use in your business.

I plan to be mobile and work from home. I haven't been home in close to twenty years, mainly due to my current profession. As for advertising I think $500.00 perhaps first year, of course that being subject to change according to my needs. What would you recommend? There is no other locksmith in town, closest is about 45 to 60 minutes away.

How would you advertise ? Small towns are very strange places where its who you know that gets you places, not what you spend to buy fame and recognition. Just because there is no other locksmith in town doesn't mean its a wide open marketplace. It means there is not enough work to support someone there and the guy who is an hour away has a much larger geographic territory under his control because there is no one else in the area and traveling four hours each way for a service call is not how the average service based industry business is able to survive -- customers won't want to pay $200 in mileage just so you can repair their broken lock or make them a new key, they will throw away the broken lock and install a new one.

I understand questions like this can be annoying for those of you who are far beyond this point in your careers, but i ask you to remember being at my current stage and throw me bone on this one. Im simply looking for a very rough draft of what to possibly expect. Ill clarify that by saying i would pursue the trade if i wasn't going to make much at all, mainly for my love of the craft and second because im invested. Again, if any are willing to answer on this one it would be much appreciated.

Not to totally rain on your parade here but you are wanting to drop out of the sky, sight unseen in 20 years and become a one-man-band locksmith in a rural town of 5,000 ?

A better strategy business wise would be to approach the operating locksmith and see if that person/business is looking to hire someone else on. That business is going to be able to do the jobs that you can not because they have the tools and equipment which you would bankrupt yourself purchasing to set up shop. You would basically be running on credit for many many years in such a place as there wouldn't be enough business to pay for acquiring all of the tools and supplies you would need to be in business or pay yourself a salary as the employee.

Many small businesses fail due to tax and accounting problems within the first year or two.

I wish you luck, but you need to seriously reconsider what you are looking to get into here.

~~ Evan

[billdeserthills]

I have made a decent living serving my small town since 1994, when my Dad retired. He started his business here in 1970, and I get some word of mouth advertising due to the many folks we have done good work for over the years, but not enough to survive on. I also advertise in my local paper, that costs me about $800 a year. I advertise in the couple of small phone books up here as well, that costs about $425 a year for each book. Also I advertise online, which doesn't have to cost a lot, if you do the lead work yourself--which I don't. I pay about $1,000 a year for the company that keeps my name out there online.
I also rent a small shop area, about 450 sq ft, and I pay $450 a month for the rent. Having a shop helps to keep a physical presence here in my town but I am only open a few days a week for an hour or so a day. I would think you could start up a lock business, but you may need to work a part time job, while you do a few calls a day, before and after your part time job. Some days I have nothing to do and some days I will do several jobs. That is how it has been for the last 20+ years, so you have got to save your money.

[BDvs]

Thank you for your responses,

I wont quote everyone but just give a general response to some of the questions posed. My father was a successful business man in the area who also did vault, safe and alarm work for the community before he passed, although it wasn't his main profession, he was just brilliant. My brother runs a successful business in the area currently, and my family name is fortunately good of both sides. There use to be a Smith in the area but he passed away some years ago and for some reason no one filled his shoes. I suspect the lack of understanding of what a smith does as well as the inability to get information clearly presented.

Of course i dont think this field is easy to break into or preform, if i did i wouldn't be interested in it. My situation is fortunately at the moment nothing to complain about, i am pursuing the field because i enjoy and finally found something that truly interest me. I really am not sure what else to say at the moment, there was a lot of good things brought up that will require some thought. I have currently invested close to 3, but was completely unaware that it would cost close to 5 for access to sale high security ? really?

I thank you for your responses and time, and any information you may be further willing to share. I think one of the hardest parts about breaking into this profession is getting someone to cut the esoteric and be willing to clearly speak to someone about how to get started. Of course i understand the reasons for this, both financially and the sensitive nature of the material. I couldn't agree more about theory versus mechanical application. I began the course work as a way to have something to offer a potential employer in hopes i could secure an apprenticeship; During that process the opportunity to move home came up and has been my plan since the day i moved out here twenty years ago. I am extremely concerned about showing up and being able to launch which is why i was willing to ask such a question on an open forum, in hopes of some clear direction. Again i thank you for sharing your thoughts and concerns as well as experience.

BDvs

[BDvs]

P.S,

No, i think it was Bill who has opened cars for 50 years, i havent opened 50 cars lol.

[cledry]

IMHO 5000 is a pretty low number, but what is the geographical radius of this. I know a guy that does well in a town of 20,000 but the surrounding area within 25 miles adds another 40,000 plus it is a touristy place so the visitors swell the population part of the year.

Different needs determine how much you are comfortable earning. Some guys say they are happy with $30 K a year and if that meets your requirements then determine how much business you need to accomplish that. If you need $70 K then use that figure. Do you plan to run 24/7? Then it will get old fast.

[BDvs]

Celery,

Thank you for the post. I'll have to get back to you on the radius. I can say that my town does have an annual festival and quite a few events throughout the year. You gave some smart direction on finding the amount desired. Thank you Sir.

Brad

[kwoswalt99-]

Darn auto correct

[BDvs]

Indeed. Apologies.

[cledry]

Celery the locksmith that goes nicely with chicken wings.