What are your rates for LOCK-OUTS?

[kodierer]

I'm not a locksmith, but when I was thinking about doing it I figured up these prices.
Parts for any work will be cost. No profit
$20 service charge meaning if I were to have to go somewhere to do some work its automatically a $20 fee. Then $20 for every hour of work. For home lockouts with standard house locks. I would suggest a $30 fee, and for Vehicle lockouts I would suggest different fees for different situations. I would say if the door can be quickly bypassed and opened using an under the window tool, or a slim jim, then 30 Dollars, and if impressioning or a more sophisticated method is preferred, then I would say 40 dollars.
This is just what I would do if I were to open a locksmith business. I don't know the cost of living, or the average wages in your area. Here most people make between 50K, and 100K a year, and the cost of living is relatively low.

[Raccoon]

I originally tried working out a variable pricing scheme like yours, but the opinions of most people seem to be that simple fixed pricing makes the customer feel more secure in knowing they're not being ripped off (charged differently from any other customer, beit female or elderly). Though, offering discounts always pleases customers.

For the high income and low cost of living in your area, I would expect prices much higher than yours.

[NKT]

It is always easier to drop your prices than lower them, and the customers who utter darkly will mutter darkly regardless. You will learn the hard way that a lot of people will try it on. I had one guy who almost without missing a beat would tell me he could get it for 20 to 25% less from elsewhere, regardless of what it was. Funny how they called me back about four times for work over the course of a month, all the while telling me these others were cheaper for this and that... I stood firm, or gave a little discount, and got both the work and got paid fine. If I had been working at cost, I'd not have been able to do that.

[Chrispy]

It is always easier to drop your prices than lower them...

Huh?

[NKT]

Lower your prices, and you lose every time, drop them on occassion, and the customer feels special.

[CaptB]

I charge £45 per hour regardless of time of day. Probably because i`m an insomiac.. (example now its 1.30 in the morning and here i am yet im up at .

Lock prices fluctuate in my area, although I work on sensible pricing.. example :- yale cylinder and night latch £36.00
Generally i would be in and changed the lock within 45mins max.

Same job in my area was quoted at £45.00 for entry and £75 for cylinder and latch by BB locks.

So varies.. generally for my area though £45.00 is the right price.
There are lot higher prices out there but the jobs I get have generally already phoned them and at £65 - £100 for an afternoon call they`ll phone round.

For a replacement yale cylinder with 3 keys I charge £16 which is cheap.
90% of locks I find I can pick open and the keys are on the inside somewhere.

I do sell cylinders instead of key replacements, since many older houses have 1-2 keys, and with the only key cutter in my town charging £7.50 per cylinder key its quicker and easier to replace the cylinder than cut the key and the added bonus that the customer also gets a brand new lock.

[CaptB]

totally agree with you. I generally tell people trying to push the price down to ring others. Although i do state the point that "I`m none destructive" as someone maybe cheaper somewhere but they`ll charge it on the lock when they drill it guaranteed.
Most of the time they will also just tell you to do the job, I don`t agree with dropping prices unless its for example OAP, and even then its discretionary.
There are to many OAP`s in my area...lol..

[Raccoon]

OAP's? Old Arse Peoples?

Btw, why change cylinders instead of re-pinning them?

Also, how do you feel about an area locksmith inviting you to coffee to talk about price-fixing. I have a locksmith a couple towns down who wants to get together with me about establishing a non-competative friendship. I'm curious if this type of price fixing is illegal or simply immoral.

I charge $35 for lock-outs from dawn to dusk, then $65 after dark. I usually get pushed down to $45~$50 at night, but I wont budge on my daytime rate. This seems to be what others in my area charge.

I had been charging a simple $10 per cylinder for change/rekey, no hourly rate, no base fee, but everyone else charges hourly or a $35 "show-up fee" (or both) on top of $10 per cylinder. I think I've been shorting myself, but pinning just doesn't seem that difficult to be worth much more.

I'll see what becomes of coffee and price fixing.

[CaptB]

Why repin when i can change the cylinder in under 2mins??
With the added bonus of coming with 3 keys which is a major selling point due to most people only having 1 or 2 keys. The cylinder costs me less than £2.00 each, so time and effort wise its easier and quicker. Most people will let £10 - £20 go, but if I was to charge £30.00 for a cylinder they would look at other options. Other advantage to this its within theyre call-out cost so there is no real fitting cost because the opening and renewal is under 1hrs generally 15mins max. Unless I get a pig of a lock. It boosts the sale without overcharging, and they don`t feel robbed because the cylinder they get is brand new.

[CaptB]

To be honest it could be worth both your interests depending how things go.
I don`t know your area but $10.00 does seem very cheap to me. Theres pro`s and cons to everything.

I wouldn`t trust at least 2 locksmiths in my area, they`ve actually phoned to try and get prices. Which is a stupid in the way they approach it as "false" customers. My prices are cheaper than everyone else but mainly due to being under the 60k tax threshold so I dont/cant charge VAT.

If someone phoned up and asked my prices they can have them over the phone it doesnt make any difference to me, and undercutting my prices is a bit pointless as it wouldn`t be sustainable. (aswell as the locksmithing being a cost not a profit business to me at the moment due to having a full-time job elsewhere).

I would go to the coffee morning and have a general chat. Find out a bit more background information.. etc. way it up yourself.

[SteveW]

Now this is an interesting one !

Now bear in mind that 90% of my work is now in central London around Fulham, Chelsea, Nottinghill, Knightsbridge etc and so i seem to charge a lot more than most of you other UK guys.

Office hours 9am to 6pm is £60/hour. Out of hours 6pm to 9am £80/hour and Ive been busy so I've had to VAT register so that goes on top too. So an out of hours lockout is about £94. All locks and hardware are charged at rrp.

This sounds like a lot but by central London standards the prices are quite reasonable. Banhams will charge in excess of £150 fro a callout and will always drill the lock so your looking at about £400 if you loose your keys to your Banham lock in Chelsea ! So i am a much cheaper alternative.

I also have higher overheads than a lot of other guys, higher fuel prices and insurance and the congestion charge to deal with.

So it all evens out in the end!

[Shrub]

Is there no way around the congestion charge for service business's? it would seem more appropriate for there to be a waiver on such business or at least a vastly reduced annual subscription that is price frozen (maybe there is but i dont know too much about it)

[SteveW]

The congestion charge is water tight mate.. £10/ day. In Chelsea it also costs £3.60 + / hour to park. And i regularly get a minimum of two parking tickets a week £80 each.

Apart from that London is great ...lol

[toomush2drink]

Parking in london is a nightmare full stop and people wonder why i charge what i charge.You have to or your just throwing money away on parking and fines otherwise.Ive had calls from companies in central london who cant get anyone to come out.I dont cover it because although it may pay well you have to factor in how much work you now lose trying to get into the central zone and back out again.The traffic is so severe at times its crazy. It takes me 1 to 2 hours to get 7 miles into central london in the morning but only an hour to go down to margate 50 miles away on the coast.Now if i was nearer the wealthier parts like chelsea etc (banhams galore!!)i would target those areas but alas its just not practical.

[CaptB]

Generally in my area the companies have some form of parking bay. So i try
where I can to touch base with the security of the building. I know you get the odd one who wont let you park but 9 - 10 if they know in advance they will find a space.

Your rates aren`t that high,
Doorfit in Birmingham charge £100 per hour and have very little of the heavy
traffic. No congestion charge and little parking problems.