Having a great home means protecting it. Would you have someone with no experience handle installing your electrician to do your landscaping? That’s why your locksmith should be a true professional. The information located below will help you find a professional locksmith.
Be on the alert for locksmiths who provide estimates only to raise them significantly later on. This is a common scam to extract more cash from you. Don’t go with a company who wants more money than the estimate they gave you over the phone. If this happens, hire another company.
Locked outside your house? Don’t just replace that lock immediately. A locksmith can open virtually any door with no need to change the lock. Replacing your lock will just end up unnecessarily costing you a lot of valuable time and money.
Cover your locks before you begin painting. It can take time to cover every lock, but it isn’t nearly as long as it would take to get those locks changed by a locksmith.
Get a receipt when all of the work is completed. Most locksmiths are of course honest, but there are scam artists out there. Get proof that you paid for the service before the locksmith leaves. Make sure you store your receipt somewhere secure in the event that a payment issue pops up later.
Be skeptical of a locksmith that offers one price when he gets there. This is a way to get money on many unsuspecting consumers.
Avoid higher fees by using a locksmith during his normal business hours. The locksmith charges goes up after hours. The price can often be double on services you need.
If you do not know to trust a locksmith, check website of the BBB. The website will give you information on customers’ past experiences with the locksmith. Check ALOA.org to make sure your locksmith is approved.
Do not use any locksmith who charges more than you expected. There are too many scammers out there who want to rip you off.
Be sure to ask about proper identification of any locksmith you make an appointment with. Professionals will come with a uniform and have ID on them at all times.
When speaking with a locksmith, inquire as to how long the company has been around. Have they always worked in the same location? Companies with many years in business in a location are usually reputable.
Ask the locksmith how long they’ve been in business. If they have been in business for at least 5 years, then they are most likely trustworthy and reliable. While experience does not equal trustworthiness, very little experience is a sign that you should be cautious.
Don’t pick the first locksmith you speak to. You should always get at least three or more quotes before deciding on which one to hire. This will give you understand what the average rates for services are.
Check out the credentials of anyone you hire. Look for the listed address and reference it with the phone number. This can easily be accomplished by doing a quick Internet search for the business address.
Ask your locksmith for references of previous customers.Most companies will gladly give you the references you ask for, and it is important to actually call the referred customers.
Be suspicious of any locksmith who wants to replace your lock if you find yourself locked out.
Before hiring locksmiths, be sure to find out how long they’ve been in the business. If it has been a significant amount of time, chances are they are reliable and trustworthy. While someone new to the business shouldn’t automatically be ruled out, if they don’t have much experience behind them, you need to be careful.
Never use any locksmith who will charge you for coming to your home or business. This is something that not a lot of locksmiths are going to be able to do, so it’s a sure sign that the person you are dealing with is a scam. If they insist on payment when you don’t hire them, call your local police.
If you need help with your wiring, you hire an electrician; when you need help with locks, you hire a good locksmith. How do you go about locating a trustworthy contractor? Just utilize the advice found here. This will help you make a good choice.
It is in your best interests to Google the person who comes to do the job. Never feel uncomfortable about ensuring the locksmith is qualified before allowing him to work. If there is something about the person that rubs you the wrong way, contact the company and request that another person come to your home to do the job.