How much for the keys?

[chrisjc33]

Last month i got key cutting machine and have been having a fiddle with it.
Anyway i am not sure how much to charge for cutting.
cylinders and mortice?
thanks for any advice
chris

[Tattoo Guy]

Have a look around and see what is being charged locally at hardware shops or timpsons maybe. you should be charging somthing similar.

[SteveW]

Try to match the other local prices, since your at the door people may be prepared to pay a little more, but dont get carried away.

Most of the new BS locks and many cylinders come with three keys, and most of my cistomers find this quite sufficiant.

Check your local prices this will be your best guide

But always ask if they want more

[pinky]

cylinder keys ive seen between £1.50 and £3 mortice keys £3 to £6 each, i charge £2.5 a cylinder key and £4.00 a mortice key, i also do car keys and programming priced per make and model.

[NKT]

I have fun, because there are Timpsons, who charge £6 a key, second half price, who always seem to have a queue, and then 150 yards away is a man in the market, who cuts Yale A1 for £1 and most cylinder keys for £1.25! Needless to say, Timpsons is only busy on the days the market is shut!

It gets real old real fast to be told that they could get the keys cut for £1 in the market, when it's 10pm at someones door. They still pay £3 a key when I point out the parking will cost them £2 + hassle. I throw one key in with the opening cost, though, unless they are annoying.

[SteveW]

I charge £2.50 for cylinders, and £4 to £5 for mortice keys, most of the customers seem to be happy with this, though since the manufacturers are often giving away three keys, i am starting to wonder if the key machein will ever pay for itself

[horsefeathers]

I have a super expensive (well to me anyway) key cutting machine although I hardly ever cut keys - not in the numbers needed to recoup my spend. However when I do cut I charge £1-50 a cylinder and £2 for a mortice.

I have heard that my local Tesco superstore, around 1/2 a mile away from me, is soon going to have a heel bar. They will probably start doing keys for 10p knowing how they like to support local small businesses!!!

Every little helps!

wayne

[SteveW]

If you charge a little more for your keys than the local heel bars i dont think it matters. I have never had a customer ask for extra keys and then change their minds because of the price. Then again i am in Londen so prices fluctuate all over the place.

At the end of the day you are the one at the door, just be fare

[chrisjc33]

I think i will charge £2.50 cyl and £4 for the mortice keys,sounds fair.

[helmsman]

Many customers arrive back from the local market with there newly cut key just to find it does'nt either work the lock or in some case fit at all.
If you take your self to their door you wont run the risk of either event happening so your price can reflect the fact that they get the job done right 1st time .
Thats assuming you keep your machine well set.