Locksmith Tips and Suggestions for Chicago, Illinois

Calling a Locksmith – What you need to know

With our busy lifestyles it’s usually only a matter of time before you get locked out of your home or your car and need a locksmith to come over and help you back in. Many times people call locksmith technicians to have specific locks replaced on their doors or just to re key a lock so that someone who has a copy of the older key cannot gain access to a property.

A few simple tips can not only insure that you receive the service you are entitled to but will also help the locksmith expedite your service call as well as make sure that they arrived prepared on the location with the specific tools and key blanks that they will need to complete the job to your satisfaction.

Finding a great locksmith

1. Do your research – the internet is a great place to start your search. Look for previous customer reviews on each locksmith listings.

2. When working on locating a locksmith in Chicago we recommend that you check consumer reviews, how long the company has been established, and ask the locksmith if they have all the proper tools necessary to access your vehicle. We have written another article about ignition keys and how this relates to the locksmith field. I would recommend looking at this article as well.

Before placing the call to a locksmith

1. make sure to have the full address of the location where your require the service (including the zip code). If you are locked out of your car and are on the road try and locate a business in the area that the locksmith can look up on his GPS so that he can reach you faster.

2. Let the locksmith know any information you have about the type of lock, door, vehicle etc when placing the order (for example if you are calling for an ignition key make sure to have the make, model, year and color of your vehicle handy). If you know what type of locks you have installed on your door make sure to mention that over the phone as well.

3. Make sure to ask the locksmith if the work provided comes with any type of guarantee or warranty.

4. If you do not have the legal permission to access a property or a car you will need to get written consent from the owner before any work can be completed at your location. Most locksmith companies will ask you to send over a consent form from the owner confirming they are allowing you to permit access to their property or their vehicle on their behalf.

Locksmith Pricing

Many locksmith companies will quote you a service charge for the service. Be aware that with most companies this service call charge is the basic cost for the locksmith to arrive at your location. Many companies will make you believe that that will be the final charge for the job, and then when the technician arrives on location you are surprised to learn that there are various additional charges involved. Because of the nature of the locksmith business it is virtually impossible for the locksmith to give a customer an exact estimate over the phone for most lockout or lock repair jobs, since there are many variables that can impact the price you will be expected to pay (such as the type of locks installed, the condition of the locks, the security level of the locks, the  type of door the locks are installed on etc…)

Once the locksmith arrives on location and asses the job he will most likely be able to give you a set price for the work before he starts working.

After the job is completed

If you plan on getting reimbursed for the service the locksmith provided either by your insurance company, landlord etc. make sure to receive a detailed receipt / invoice for the service provided by the locksmith companies. Most established locksmith companies will be able to provide you with a detailed invoice of the service provided which you can later take to your insurance company and get reimbursed for (usually for car ignition related services)

If you are happy with the service the locksmith has provided you it is highly recommended to save their number on your cell phone – you never know when you will need locksmith service again. Many companies also offer discounts to returning customers.

We wish you the best of luck!