superchicken wrote:Do most locksmiths work alone? Are there companys that have crews that go out each day with work orders and multiple jobs a day?? How much does the average locksmith make a year?
I browsed around the site for a while but could not to seem to find these details. I am a motorcycle mechanic now but would like maybe look into becoming a locksmith.
Some locksmiths oun there business and work alone. Some have larger businesses and employ several other locksmiths. There are a few franchise operations like Pop-A-Lock that you can buy into and use their name and recources.
As for how much a locksmith makes it all depends what you are willing to put into the job and what area of locksmithing you are into. You will not get rich, or make a living in fact, just doing rekeys. It takes alot of money to gat started and you have to be willing to work long hours and sometimes go out at night.
The basic rule for a locksmith is 80% of your business comes from 20% of yor customers. You need to find commercial operations that use you often. Schools, construction companies, apartment complexes, hospitals. Those are where the money is at. Doing transponder work is a big money maker but takes many thousands of dollars to get the necessary equipment. With the initial investment for tools, training, and invatory don't expect to turn much, if any of a profit for a couple of years.
I always tell them "If you could do it yourself why the hell did you call me?"
Thats also how you learn how to be quick about throwing the keys back in the car and locking it before they get their cheap @$$ hands on them.
