wannabe commercial locksmiths in uk

[pinky]

following a number of posts on the subject of set up, rather than answering the same question umpteen times, here are some facts on set up.

it is doubtfull you will set up successfully for less than ;

1 ) Training course approx £1000
2 ) initial lock tools( this will get you started only) £1200
3 ) initial stock of locks £ 500
4 ) scoot and talking pages ads £ 800
5 ) yellow pages ad £ 300
6 ) stationary, cards etc £ 200

minimum set up cost £4000

this will be a minimum to get you started earning a living, any less and you just wont make it, obviously costs would go up dependent on what tools you choose, what course you attend etc, the above is a guide only.

initial lock tools required;

hand pick set
mica
snapper bar
electric pick gun
rap keys
letterbox kit
mini jigglers
plug spinner
padlock shims
lever wires
1 x pa101 rb 5g 2 in 1 picks
1 x souber universal 7g 2 in 1 pick
1 x 5g curtain wheel pick
1 x bs3621 pick ( dependent on what your local council fit )
2 and 3 lever jiggler keys
24 volt drill
selection of hard plate drill bits, 3mm and 8mm
2mm drill template kit
lock id cd

these i consider to be a minimum start up set of tools, to cover most job types you come up against, without this as a minimum you will struggle.

dont be fooled by courses claiming you will be ready to work the day after the course, and easily earn £1000 pw following the course, it just wont happen, you will need to practice the methods you learn to get competent at them, many courses have doctored or rigged locks, many tell lies on how easy work is to get, its hard just look at the posts on this site, its no good being destructive, so many locksmiths are nowing trying for work that you need an edge that makes you different and better than the rest.
beware of courses that teach alot of drilling, as you know what you will be taught.
beware of courses offering car opening in a day or 2, again it will be of little use to you, a 5 day course only covers the basics, 2 days wont even touch on it, and to enter cars expect to lay out alot of investment.

i hope this helps as a rough guide, but i guess if you are really going for it, then expect to pay approx £10,000 to set up in just commercial and domestic, especially with a vehicle.

the rewards are high, but so is the investment and dedication required. its foolish to think or be conned into thinking you can set up a good business and earn a grand a week on a shoestring, it just wont happen, its even more foolish to think that you can be an expert in just a few days of training.

currently in the uk only 2 associations are recognised by industry and suppliers etc, they are; MLA ( master locksmiths association ) and ALOA ( associated locksmiths of america ), dont be conned by unrecognised associations.

so many cons exist and so many rip offs that you must do your homework.

for funding options if under the age of 30, your best bet is the princes trust, they will give you an initial £500 grant for set up, then after 6 months a £3000 grant, then £1000 per year until 30 yrs old, but you have a lot of forms to fill and your business plan must be solid.

[EvoRed]

Pinky, you're now making it too easy for someone wanting to join the trade! If only I'd found forums and info like this when I was in the same situation...

By the way, I think I'd rather use two wires than spend £40 on another Souber 7g 2 in 1 pick. I honestly can't believe how quickly and easily mine broke. Then Souber claim, as always it would seem, that it was damaged through misuse.

[mbell]

I hear everyone on LP101 complaining about Souber's 2 in 1 picks.

Personally I have three of them, yes they havnt had a hard life as they've only been used for a few months of practicing but I havnt had any problems with them.

As I havn't got any 'trade references' I can't order from RB (Anyone help me out here?), but I imagine they will be better due to the nature of RB's business.

Pinky, you mentioned £300 for a Yellow pages ad: Is that all it costs for a year? I thought generally speaking it was a bit more than that.

[pinky]

all the wholesalers now sell the rb 2 in 1 pick, so no need to deal with rb direct.
yp do a special for your first years ad, for £300 you get a box approx 10cm by 8cm , this is ample for 1st year as most your work wont come from yp.

souber picks need gentle handling, but prone to snapping on R/H side of door, extra care needed on the right, the lightest of tension.

[EvoRed]

Depends what type and size of ads you place in there. Personally, I may have gone a bit OTT the first year but I spent around £1k on each of the YP and TL.

When I come to review my ads next year, I will measure how much work the directories have brought me and adjust my ads to suit. £300 it could well be!

[toomush2drink]

yellow pages ads can work out a lot dearer than that in london as they have split up the areas so you have to pay more to cover the areas. Its the same with the 118 ads too so be warned. Another cost to think about is adverts in your local papers as they soon add up.

[captainsawdust]

mbell wrote:

Pinky, you mentioned £300 for a Yellow pages ad: Is that all it costs for a year? I thought generally speaking it was a bit more than that.

maybe more if you want all those buttons ! at the bottom

[Wallaby]

I don't think this list makes it easy for anybody to join the profession because it does give a reality check for those wanting to get into it as far as the costs are concerned ...

Pinky has kept this to a minimum and chosen the lowest cost start up here .. so maybe the 5g wil be used more than a 7g so go for the better grade 5g and the cheaper 7g etc etc ..

it will be interesting to see , as this thread develops, what people feel they cant live without ... maybe a can of wd40 although i hate those rap keys

[toomush2drink]

The thing i had the biggest problems with at the start was having enough locks on the van. Just think you need 3 lever, 5 lever, Bs 5 lever in deadlocks and sash. Also dont forget you need different types to make replacing easier and also brass and nickel. Next you need stacks of euros and again in both finishes. Cylinders and deadlocks different backsets, finishes and prices. Padlocks and all the different stuff like lever packs etc etc. The list is endless and takes a few months of building up at a considerable cost and most things you order after going on a job and not having it to hand.

[captainsawdust]

Nothing to do with this post

BUT ITS SNOWING IN PETERBOROUGH HEAVY !!

[pinky]

just a word on euros, there are 17 different sizes of euro, some houses have 3 euros, so to have just 3 of each size is 51 euros, then both finishes is 102 euros, starts getting dear.

this is a minimum list, some courses make you think its easy to start up, all im trying to do is give newbies a reality check, and save the gullable throwing good money away.

you get from this industry what you put in, it will cost you. snowing hard in notts too

[Rockford]

Just finished my snowman.

If you intend to go for a loan to assist you starting up, it's certainly worth putting together a half decent business plan. I was lucky in having the cash to help me startup (redundancy money). The financial sections of a business plan are useful to picture your expenses for both startup and operating, as well as indicating income required to cover your expenses and leave enough for you to live on. Don't assume a 52 week working year - figure in slack periods (holidays, sickness, can't be arsed to work (kidding ), weather (heavy snow is going to restrict your ability to get out to customers), etc. Make it realistic - if not, you'll come unstuck.

Also, if you intend to buy a van, and have not had commercial van insurance before, prepare yourself for a shock. You start off with 0 no claims bonus, and the premiums are shocking.

Much has been posted in other areas on the subject of starting up, so those about to start up - READ, READ, READ, Oh and ASK !.

Rockford.....

[oldlock]

And when things start to get really expensive is when you get into key cutting ! There is good money to be made by offering extra keys for the locks you fit - but the initial investment in key machines and blanks will make your eyes water.

Add to that the FACT that it will take a long time before you are working full time - it took over two years when I first started before I was actually making a living.

Paul

PS - it's not snowing here - it was 37 C the other day ....

[Rockford]

Oldlock - that's just made me feel a whole lot better

Rockford.....

[toomush2drink]

My commercial van insurance has my no claims bouns from my car transfered on to it how yours doesnt rockford ? It only starts at 0 if you still use the no claims on another vehicle