Things you must know before choosing a professional locksmith

What kind of locks do I need?

What is a deadbolt? What is a digital lock? Knowing the basics before hiring a locksmith you’ll be more knowledgeable about your options and can get a better deal out of it. A professional commercial or residential locksmith will have a variety of tools and know-how to use them. They'll be able to tell you what kind of locks are on your house.

Most locks are mechanical, and there are all sorts of mechanical locks. Some locks are made in China, some are from Switzerland, and some are from Germany. The locksmith will know which kind you have, and how to get it open.

Most mechanical locks are opened with a combination. The locksmith will know the combination or will know how to open the lock without the combination.

Some locks are electronic. The locksmith will know whether the lock has an electronic chip, and how to get in and open it.

Get through your fear of getting ripped off

Find out how much the service will cost. Ask for a detailed price list and whether the locksmith has insurance. Because locksmiths are not regulated, anyone can claim to be a professional. All of them will say they do things the right way. They all will pretend that they are reliable. But none of them will say anything definite about any of these things.

How do you find out? Simple: you ask. Ask how much the job will cost. Ask whether it includes everything. Ask whether the price includes insurance, and whether there will be any charges for it, or if there are any other hidden charges. Ask whether the locksmith is bonded. Ask where the locksmith works, and go there.

Hire only licensed and bonded professional

First, the locksmith must be bonded. Bonds are insurance that the locksmith will refund your money if he breaks something or gives you bad service.

Second, the locksmith must be insured. If he has an accident or isn't satisfied with the work he did, he will be able to sue the locksmith for the amount he paid. This protects both you and the locksmith. Third, the locksmith must be licensed. Some states license locksmiths, and some do not. Some states do not license locksmiths working on cars; instead, they license locksmiths working on houses, offices, and other businesses. Finally, the locksmith must have a business license.

In many states, locksmiths must have a business license, which will either authorize them to work on cars or enable them to work on houses and other buildings. Some locksmiths who are licensed to work on cars also work on houses and other buildings. These are the locksmiths you can safely hire.

Many locksmiths advertise on the Internet; some are legitimate, but many are not. Never hire someone who advertises on the Internet. This is a way for them to avoid being licensed. (When licensed, locksmiths must pay a monthly fee to be listed in the Yellow Pages.)

What is your business/blacksmithing experience?

A locksmith's reputation is one of the most important things when hiring someone to do a job. And reputation is based on experience.

Why? You have to know how things work, and you need to know how to do the job right.

If someone does a job right, then telling other people about it spreads his reputation. Word of mouth is what keeps a business going.

Someone who does a job wrong, on the other hand, can do a lot of damage to his reputation. A locksmith who breaks the lock or leaves the key sticking out of the lock will tell a lot of people about it, and his reputation will be destroyed.

A locksmith's reputation must be earned, and reputation can't be bought.

Someone who advertises "24-hour locksmith" probably isn't licensed and will come to your house in the middle of the night and break your door down. Someone who advertises "24-hour locksmith" without a license probably isn't professional and doesn't even know what he's doing. Do inquire about their experience and also customer reviews.

Ask for any feedback they've received from previous customers, good or bad

You have no way of knowing whether you're hiring a good locksmith until you have an emergency. When it does, you want the residential locksmith in Denver, CO to solve it. Asking for references is one way to be sure. Another way is to ask the locksmith for a list of customers he can call who will have the same problem. If he can't come up with anyone, avoid him.

The locksmith's job is to solve problems. When something breaks, he will know about it. That knowledge is an asset. So ask to see his customer list. If he can't give you a list of references, he may not know what he's doing.

Do they offer emergency services?

You have locked your keys in your car or locked out of house. Or, worse, you have locked your keys in your home. Or, worse still, you have locked your key in the safe, and you cannot open it. What will you do?

An emergency locksmith can help you in these situations.