Kwikset repinning question...

[Shrub]

I just want to add that please dont take this as having a go, im merely commenting on somthing ive never come across before and that i was supprised.

Im not going to get into any arguments over this.

[yegg57]

and customs do vary from country to country.

when i started (15 years ago working at another very successful company) it was $30 service call + (minimum) one 15-minute ($60/hr) "incriment" to go do a simple lockout.

Today with the price of gas having tripled (not to mention inflation) my mobile service charge is $45 + .....

EXCEPT, that I also frequently quote people $45 for the mobile service including opening... (hmmmm 15 year old pricing?!?!?!?!?)

So while you apparently quote them mobile + 1 hour labor, I am charging a relatively mimimal fee, so yes, when things go beyond the 1-10 minutes for a quick pick-open or a quick bypass-tool open then I'll start to charge a "wee bit" more for labor + the lock replacement. I also include the price of a lock in my quotes for jobs that I think will require a lock replacement. In my experience since a "lockout" virtually NEVER requires a lock replacement I never include any hardware costs in my quotes.

Please understand, the Channel 12 news guy was interviewing me in my shop, (before my normal working hours) at HIS request, because some other RIP-OFF A$$holes would be charging the customer an extra $100-$250 which both he and I believe should be at minimum exposed and at maximum criminally chargable.

I don't suppose that you might want to come over here and goto work? Yesterday it was only 105 degrees F (40.5 C).

Definately need a good locksmith or 2....

Have a GREAT DAY!
Charley

[yegg57]

"having a go" is that roughly equal to "arguing"

When I was first in New Orleans the guy I was working for told me "you should >pass by< later..." I'm like WHAT, you want me to wave ...

In New Orleans no one "goes shopping" they all "make groceries":shock:

and here I thought we were ALL speaking ENGLISH!

[Shrub]

So while you apparently quote them mobile + 1 hour labor,

No its call out including the 1 hour labour, full price £40 all in,

40.5' keep it mate, dont like those sorts of temps, doesnt matter if im working or not in it but i wouldnt do it out of choice.

[Wolfman]

well yegg57 I think its nice to have a locksmith thats been in the "game" for awile. Maybee a good source on how things used to be done, ya know. Stuff like that.

[Raccoon]

I just have to comment that the prices yegg57 has quoted here and on his news interview are still far cheaper than many locksmiths. In New Mexico, I've heard quotes exceeding $200 for a lockout, mainly because people live 50 to 100 miles from civilization.

For re-keying cylinders, I personally charge $15 per cylinder with no hourly fee, while another locksmith in a neighboring town charges $10 per, plus an hourly fee of $35 with a 2 hour minimum.

So why shouldn't yegg57 charge 20 to drill? Besides the fact that it's HIS business, the job is no longer a simple lock-out and he has to spend much more time with this customer than originally intended. $20 is a nice small fee to cover cost of precision drilling and "re-keying" a new cylinder.

Remember the addage: A boiler repairman might charge $300-- $1 for pulling the lever, and $299 for knowing exactly which lever to pull and how far to pull it.

[yegg57]

And there are many variables involved, sometimes even my (or other locksmith's) mood and desire to go do a job. For instance if its a little old lady on the phone locked out of the house at midnite I'd likely tell her $45 while I would normally be charging 65-75. If its 2AM and a guy locked out of the car at the strip club its $100 minimum. Overtime (say 6pm-11 or 12PM) is the $65-75 rate and PREMIUM time (say midnight to 8AM) would be in the $100-150 range - depending on my mood, my perception of the customer, and the percieved difficulty involved (house car[what model] etc)

Then there is distance involved - if its outside my core (about 15 mile radius)
then I will definately charge more just for the distance.

But as always - I will tell the customer up-front and get their acceptance.

While I am not the least expensive company in town (there are after all the wannabees / hobbiests [those who run around undercutting everyone because they want to scratch together a little money and have little or no overhead] out there) I refuse to rape people financially, even tho there are many times that I could get away with it.

[Shrub]

This gets worse in my opinion, you treat customers differantly depending on your mood

As i say im not falling out and not wanting an argument but to make someone pay more because they can afford it is bad,

The distance thing is somewhat understandable in your country, maybe an extra $10 for an extra 20 miles or somthing but i dont, i cover the area i cover, any out of that and i pass it on to the local lockie in that area, i charge a cheap rate and its the same for all customers.

[Shrub]

Differant strokes for differant people and all that, its just differant here thats all you do what you do and i do what i do.