Our prices, published
Real starting numbers for every job we do, what's included, and what moves a number up. No $19 service call and no surprise at the door.
How our pricing works
Every job is a service call plus labor plus parts. The service call is $65 anywhere in 92024 and 92007, and it covers getting the van and the tools to your door. Labor is the work. Parts are what we fit, at what we pay plus a fair margin. You get the total on the phone before we roll.
The two lockout prices below already include the service call. Every other row is labor per unit, on top of it. After 8pm, an after-hours rate of $75 is added to the daytime lockout price, and we say so on the phone. We take cards, cash, and the usual phone payments.
Starting prices
Every "from" is a daytime, in-area job on standard hardware. The link in each row goes to the page that describes what's included.
| Job | From | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| House or condo lockout Non-destructive entry on one door | $125 per visit, daytime | per visit, daytime |
| Car lockout Keys locked inside, most makes | $95 per visit, daytime | per visit, daytime |
| Rekey Pinning, two new keys per set, tagged keys | $30 per cylinder, plus service call | per cylinder, plus service call |
| Lock change, hardware from the van Removal, fit, alignment, keyed alike | $85 per lock, plus hardware | per lock, plus hardware |
| Lock change, your hardware Fit and alignment of hardware you bought | $95 per lock | per lock |
| Vacation rental changeover Rekey or code reset, tags, photo confirmation | $75 per door, per visit | per door, per visit |
| Smart or keypad lock install Install, strike alignment, setup on your phone | $145 per door, plus hardware | per door, plus hardware |
| High-security cylinder Restricted keyway, registered keys | $110 per cylinder, plus hardware | per cylinder, plus hardware |
| Safe delivery and bolt-down Ground-floor delivery, placement, anchoring | $295 per safe | per safe |
| Safe opening Manipulation first; drilling quoted separately | $195 per safe | per safe |
| Safe combination change Dial or electronic, tested with you | $85 per lock | per lock |
What makes a job cost more
- After hours. $75 on top of the daytime lockout price.
- High-security and restricted keys. Better cylinders and registered blanks cost more than a builder-grade lock.
- Corroded or seized hardware. West of 101, a cylinder that's green inside takes longer to rekey and sometimes can't be. We'll show you, and quote the swap.
- Drilling. Rare, only with your okay, and it adds the repair.
- Door count. Encinitas homes have more locks than people think: garage entry, side gate, casita, mailbox. Count them and a rekey total won't surprise you.
- Distance and gates. Olivenhain and the far east side add drive time, and a gate we have to work through adds a few minutes.
- Hardware you supply. We're glad to fit it. If it's the wrong backset or won't work on your door, we'll say so before we open the box.
Watch out for the $19 locksmith
If a search result promises a $15 or $19 service call, it's usually a call center that dispatches whoever is nearby, and the bill at the door is a different number. California requires locksmiths to be licensed by the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services. We are, and we're insured. Ask any locksmith whether they are before they drive out; a real one answers without a pause. That's not a swipe at anyone; it's just how to tell.
A California locksmith company, licensed through the state's Bureau of Security and Investigative Services, and insured. Ask to see either at the door.
Property managers and multi-property owners
Standing accounts get a per-door changeover rate, priority in the turnover window, and one monthly invoice. Details on the vacation rentals page.
Pricing questions
Is a rekey cheaper than new locks?
Almost always. A rekey is labor and a few pins; a lock change is labor plus hardware. Rekey when the lock is sound, replace when it is worn, builder-grade or corroded. We will tell you which from a photo before we come.
Do you charge for the trip if you can’t open it?
If we come out and cannot do the job, you pay the service call only, not the labor. That is rare, and we will say on the phone if we think it is likely.
Do you take cards?
Yes. Cards, cash, and the usual phone payments. You get an itemized invoice by email or text.
Is there a minimum?
The service call is the minimum. There is no hidden labor minimum on top of it.
Why is a safe opening more than a door?
Time and skill. A door lock is picked in minutes. A safe lock is manipulated by feel or drilled at a precise point and then repaired so the safe still works. It is a longer, more careful job, and the number reflects that.
Will the number change when you get here?
Only if the job is different from what was described, for example a seized cylinder where a rekey was expected. Then you get a new number before we start, and you can say no.
Get an exact quote.
Call, or text a photo of the lock or the safe. You'll have a number in minutes.
- Hours
- Mon–Sat 8am–8pm
After-hours lockouts by phone - Credentials
- Licensed and insured
- Area
- Encinitas & Cardiff-by-the-Sea
92024 · 92007