master key fees?

[victorylocksmith]

two days ago, i master keyed a property so that a realtor could open four locks with his master key which also happens to be the key to his home. i then gave him two copies to the tenants key, which happened to be two depths deeper on the first and fourth cuts. for some reason, the fifth pin was removed all together. this must have been the work of some other person before me. are their any suggestions for how much more i should charge him for creating this master key system for him?

is there any advice for master key systems in general? how much more should i charge to rekey the locks that have already been master keyed? i charge $10 additional for each lock that i master keyed.

i dont really know much about master keying in general so, any and all information would be appreciated!

[MSL]

I was on a guy's site and he had all his prices listed. He charged 10 bucks per rekey of a lock, and $5 extra is it was for a master system. But that's that guy, I don't know if he's cheap or expensive.

[cledry]

Well it isn't really a system but we only charge $12.50 per cylinder to MK. Years ago I charged the same but added $2 per level. IC cores are always more.

[billdeserthills]

I charge $8.50 to rekey a standard lock with the existing key (no picking or shimming)
I add $10 per keyhole to add masterkey and less to add a grandmaster or great grandmaster Plus, of course the clint pays $3.25 for every key I provide. Some places I have needed to write a masterkey chart and I do that at no charge and the client does not have access to my chart, it is for My use only and at no charge as it is my liability, if I have done a crappy job. I am glad to read that you didn't put more than 2 master wafers in his locks, and using anything thinner than a .30 pin is really asking for trouble

[alockguru]

I charge an extra $10 per cylinder if MK. I dislike master key systems tho so I usually advise against it when not really needed.

[billdeserthills]

I like to offer masterkeying a door or two to my clients who use housekeepers, maids and pool people/ gardeners. It adds $10 a cyl extra and the clients love the word & idea of Masterkey-ing
I sell them a couple of do not duplicate keys for the worker keys, just in case. This way the guy can save having to rekey a bunch of locks, next time helpers flake out & disappear is what I like to sell.

Another thing I see is a lot of mis-aligned locks. I feel that when the door is shut, the deadbolt latch should turn-without pulling/pushing on the door. I bought a die grinder years ago and use it to shave off a bit of metal, wherever bolts are hitting. I charge $8.50 to $28.50 to adjust strikes depending on the material & length to remove & it takes a few seconds to cut metal with a die grinder. Currently I use the DeWalt 18vt model and they are nice, as long as you don't let it get too hot.

[2octops]

We charge $25 per cylinder to rekey and an additional $20 if masterkeyed. This is for standard knobs, levers and deadbolts. Panics that must be removed to access the cylinder and IC's are more. Prices do not include any working keys. All keys are extra.

[victorylocksmith]

We charge $25 per cylinder to rekey and an additional $20 if masterkeyed. This is for standard knobs, levers and deadbolts. Panics that must be removed to access the cylinder and IC's are more. Prices do not include any working keys. All keys are extra.

2octops where you been man?! I missed you! Those are some expensive rates, I hope to charge that amount one day but as it stands, the company I subcontract for charges $89 for six rekeys so, $25 is steep. The other day some dude said $120 was too much to pick my way in and rekey six locks and that they were willing to only pay $89!

[victorylocksmith]

We charge $25 per cylinder to rekey and an additional $20 if masterkeyed. This is for standard knobs, levers and deadbolts. Panics that must be removed to access the cylinder and IC's are more. Prices do not include any working keys. All keys are extra.

2octops where you been man?! I missed you! Those are some expensive rates, I hope to charge that amount one day but as it stands, the company I subcontract for charges $89 for six rekeys so, $25 is steep. The other day some dude said $120 was too much to pick my way in and rekey six locks and that they were willing to only pay $89!

This also includes 2 keys provided

[Sinifar]

First, I am shocked that you would do such a bad keying job. 4 pins? At least always make it 5. A master should be a selection of cuts, some higher and some lower than the change keys. There should be at least one cut which does not appear on any change key. AND if possible one "constant" which hold thru all the keying.

As far as pricing, the trade usually charges between $12.50 and $15,00 per cylinder. Some include keys, some charge for the keys, but throw in the first key at no charge. That is your call.

Finally, NEVER use a key which the party requesting the job to be done to be the same as his or her house key. This invites all kinds of problems from the curious as to what it all fits if they can know or figure out -- to -- the liability for not controlling the master keys. We have several accounts which have multiple builds on different locations which use the same master. That is different, as the MK is a separate key form their house keys.

Also consider when the building is sold, now who controls the MK, and what about the goof who had the job done? He now has his residence exposed to entry if anyone guesses the MK - and - where it fits.

My two and one half cents worth.

Sinifar

[globallockytoo]

I kind of agree with Sinifar to a point.
Never use another dwelling key as the MK.
Always start a new system fresh.
I recommend master key systems on restricted keyways, but they are more expensive. I will master key someones home if they want to provide a cleaners key or access to a few doors, but any commercial system is always a fresh system and rarely done on the fly. I also highly recommend to never use less than Grade 2 quality for master keyed systems. Kwikjunk and Schlage F series, although they are supposedly marketed as Gr2, are not.

Cost? I charge $15 for a standard rekey and $25 for master keying, per keyhole. When you think about it, the extra time, effort and labor to design and construct a master key system should be worth more as it requires a particular skill (almost) native to locksmithing.

[billdeserthills]

We charge $25 per cylinder to rekey and an additional $20 if masterkeyed. This is for standard knobs, levers and deadbolts. Panics that must be removed to access the cylinder and IC's are more. Prices do not include any working keys. All keys are extra.

2octops where you been man?! I missed you! Those are some expensive rates, I hope to charge that amount one day but as it stands, the company I subcontract for charges $89 for six rekeys so, $25 is steep. The other day some dude said $120 was too much to pick my way in and rekey six locks and that they were willing to only pay $89!

This also includes 2 keys provided

My regular price woulda been $134.50

Tell me how this "not willing to pay" works? I haven't yet heard that one

[Dan82]

We charge by the hour

[2octops]

2octops where you been man?! I missed you! Those are some expensive rates, I hope to charge that amount one day but as it stands, the company I subcontract for charges $89 for six rekeys so, $25 is steep. The other day some dude said $120 was too much to pick my way in and rekey six locks and that they were willing to only pay $89!

$89 won't even pay for me to crank the van.

I'd do it for $89 if they brought me the locks, and if I liked their attitude....maybe.

[glenaw]

This is how we use to break in down.

In Shop - Standard Rekey $8.50, Master Keyed Cylinder $15.00

In the Field - Standard Rekey - $15.00, Master Keyed Cylinder $22.00

Of course the pricing in the field must also reflect you minimums to keep you in business.

Always, Always!! Generate your own Master Key System. There is just to much liability involved if you; 1) work on someones else's system. You can never know if that person has done the system properly. You could generate a sub master to the system and put your clients tenants in jeopardy. Never run two systems with the same keyway side by side. Again liability liability.

Master keying is one of my specialties. I had undertaken a apartment complex before I had taken a master keying course. After taking my first course I went back and redid the entire complex on my dime. After that I took several courses making sure that I understood every aspect of master keying.

A story of a locksmith company that had did a system with a hotel. One of the units was broken into using a key other that the one that was suppose to. The guy who broke into the unit assaulted a women. The women sued the Hotel, the Manufacturer, and the locksmith. Because the locksmith did not use original pins in the keying of the cylinders the locksmith ultimately was the one who was legally responsible.

because of the quantity of keys that can operate one cylinder can make your liability extreme.
For a standard five pin cylinder with five master pins, one master pin in each chamber, you can physically cut 32 different keys that will operate the cylinder.
For a standard six pin system with six master pins, one master pin in each chamber, you can physically cut 64 different keys that will operate the cylinder.

Now if you don't do the job correctly just imagine how much liability you can be putting yourself into!!!

Get a good education when it comes to master keying!!