In short:
- Two things are fixed before we set off: the call-out is R250, and you'll get a quote at your door before anything is done.
- Everything after the call-out depends on what the technician finds: the type of lock, its condition, whether parts are needed and how many doors are involved.
- Nothing goes ahead until you've agreed to the quote. If something unexpected turns up halfway, you'll be asked again before it's done.
- Good photos and a clear description on the phone help you decide whether a visit is worth it, but they can't replace seeing the lock.
- Payment is by EFT, cash or card.
The two numbers you can know in advance
When you phone us, we can tell you exactly two things about price before anyone drives to you:
- The call-out is R250. It covers the technician coming to you, wherever in our area you are, at any hour. We're open 24/7.
- The work itself is quoted on site. The technician looks at the lock, door, safe or car, tells you what needs doing and what it will cost, and waits for your yes before starting.
That's deliberately simple. We'd rather tell you honestly that the rest depends on what we find than give you a phone estimate that changes once the technician sees the door.
Why the phone can't tell us the full price
Two doors that sound identical on the phone ("my front door won't lock") can be completely different jobs. One needs a strike plate moved a few millimetres. The other has a gearbox that has failed inside a multipoint lock, and the part has to match the make and size exactly. Even a straightforward lockout depends on what's fitted: a nightlatch, a lever deadlock and a security gate padlock each call for a different approach.
Things a technician can only judge in person include:
- the exact make, model and size of the lock, which is often stamped on a faceplate you can't see with the door shut
- whether the fault is in the lock or in the door, frame or hinges around it
- whether a worn part can be adjusted, needs replacing, or means the whole lock is due for replacement
- signs of earlier damage, such as an attempted break-in or a previous forced entry that was patched up
What moves the quote, job by job
We don't publish prices beyond the call-out because they'd be wrong as often as right. What we can do is explain what the technician weighs up.
| Type of job | What the technician looks at | Why it matters to the price |
|---|---|---|
| Home or flat lockout | Which locks are locked, how many layers (gate and door), the lock type | Each locked layer is separate work; some lock types take far longer to open without damage |
| Office lockout | Mechanical lock, electric lock or both; who can authorise entry | Electric locks may need the access-control installer as well |
| Lock repair | Whether adjustment fixes it or a part must be replaced | An adjustment is labour only; a replacement part adds its own cost |
| Lock replacement | Lock type, size, security grade, door material | Higher-security cylinders and multipoint parts cost more than basic ones |
| Broken key | Where the piece sits, whether the lock is damaged | A clean extraction is simpler than one where the lock needs repairing too |
| Safe | Lock type (key, dial or electronic), the fault, the safe's construction | Opening a safe without damage, then repairing it, is different from a code change |
| Car | Make, model, year and type of key | Different cars need different methods and parts |
The number of doors also matters. If three doors need the same work, tell us at the start, because it's more efficient to plan it as one visit than to discover the second and third door halfway through.
Your rights when you're quoted for repairs
South African consumer law backs up the quote-first approach. In plain terms, section 15 of the Consumer Protection Act deals with estimates for repair and maintenance work: where it applies, a supplier may not charge for work the consumer hasn't authorised, may not charge for preparing an estimate unless that charge was disclosed and accepted first, and may not go over the estimate without telling the consumer about the extra cost and getting their go-ahead.
That's a summary, not legal advice, and the section has thresholds and conditions of its own. Our own practice is simpler than the law: the technician quotes before any work starts, and nothing is done until you agree. If the job turns out to need more than was quoted (a hidden broken part, say), you'll be told and asked before anything extra is done.
Questions to ask any locksmith before agreeing
Whoever you phone, these questions give you a clear picture before you commit:
- Is there a call-out charge, and how much is it?
- Will I get a price before any work starts?
- Does the quote include parts, or only labour?
- What exactly is being replaced: the whole lock, the cylinder, or one part inside it?
- What brand and type of part is going in, and is it the same as what's there now?
- How can I pay?
- Will I get a written invoice with the work described?
For us the answers are: R250 call-out; yes, on site; the quote spells out what's included; you'll be shown what's being replaced; payment by EFT, cash or card.
Ways to keep the bill down
A few habits genuinely reduce what a locksmith visit costs you:
- Exhaust the free options first. A spare key with a housemate, agent or neighbour costs nothing. Our guide to being locked out of a flat or complex unit lists who to try.
- Don't force things. A forced key that snaps, or a door that's been kicked, turns a simple job into a bigger one.
- Act on early warning signs. A lock that's getting stiff, or a door that needs a shove to latch, is cheaper to sort out before it fails shut. See why doors stop latching for the common causes.
- Bundle the jobs. If several locks are giving trouble, have them all looked at on one visit, on one call-out.
- Send photos. They help us tell you whether the job is something we can do before you pay a call-out.
What to send us before we come out
You don't need to know lock terminology. A few photos on WhatsApp tell us most of what we'd ask:
- The whole door or gate, so we can see its material and how the lock sits.
- The lock from outside, close enough to see the keyhole shape.
- The edge of the door with the faceplate, if you can open it. Brand names are often stamped there.
- For a safe, the front with the keypad, dial or keyhole, and any model label.
- For a car, just the make, model and year, and a photo of any key you still have.
Then tell us what happened and when it started. That doesn't replace the on-site quote, but it means the technician arrives with a fair idea of what's needed, and you know what to expect.
Questions
Do I still pay the call-out if I decide not to go ahead?
The R250 call-out covers the technician coming to you and looking at the problem. If you then decide against the quoted work, you don't pay for work that wasn't done.
Is it more expensive at night or over the weekend?
The call-out is R250 and we're open 24/7. The work itself is quoted on site, whatever the time, and you agree to it before anything starts.
Can you give me a price on WhatsApp if I send photos?
Photos help us tell you whether it's a job we do and roughly what's involved. The firm price comes from the technician on site, because the fault is often inside the lock or door where a photo can't show it.
Do you cut keys while you're here?
No. We don't offer key cutting or copying. Replacement locks and cylinders come with their own keys from the manufacturer.
Need a locksmith to look at it?
If this hasn't solved the problem, our emergency lockouts service covers it. We're a mobile locksmith in Johannesburg, so we come to your door.
Sources and further reading
- Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008, section 15: Pre-authorisation of repair or maintenance services — Rules on estimates, unauthorised charges and exceeding an estimate for repair and maintenance services.
- ASSA ABLOY South Africa: Product Care and Maintenance (PDF) — ASSA ABLOY's product care guide notes that faulty hinges, warped doors and distorted frames put extra load on lock components, which is why door condition affects repair quotes.