Locksmith Prices

[holliscx]

Came home at lunchtime today w/ 2 kids and my key didn't work in the front door. Scrambled to feed them and put our daughter down for a nap in the park until my wife could get here and we could try her key. No luck. We call a locksmith who determines the lock is faulty. The locksmith was recommended to us by the agency we rent from. They gave the name of 3 or 4 locksmiths; we figured this was better than calling one blind.

We were quoted 716 euros after he determined the high security French lock would need to be replaced. It took him a couple of hours to complete the job and when he showed me an invoice for 958 euros I started cussing him out in Spanish. After I settled down I apologized but my heart was pounding, racing. He said, "Don't worry this happens all the time."

I called my wife for reinforcement. The locksmith explained that the lock was more expensive than he quoted, apparently he called my wife to tell her this beforehand, and also his quote didn't include IVA which is 21% I believe. All I know is that the level of work plus the lock doesn't even come close to 958 euros worth of services. We couldn't reach our landlord today but I hope we don't have to pay this as renters but I have a really bad feeling in my gut about this as far as honest work. Something feels corrupt and wrong in my heart for the service from beginning to end. I don't know how to look into this further. Quickly I searched the brand and model of French lock online and found a similar lock for 399 euros (first hit); I know we were billed 700 euros for the same lock - obviously that is part of it.

But just curious if anyone has had a "good" lock replaced in the States especially and what it cost.

[maunahaole]

I can't tell you if the pricing is in line or not. I only know that when I saw you posting about locksmith prices, my thoughts quickly went to "holy shit those euro locks are complex and will be expensive" land. 958 euros is what 1500 bucks? That does seem steep....

[holliscx]

I was thinking 300 euro job in my head if the whole kit and caboodle needed replacing. It's a high security French lock but nothing spectacular but I was shocked how this transpired. #1 is making sure we're not responsible for paying as renters for he wrote in his notes that likely cause was construction debris and #2 is addressing the price for the work but my gut says something is off here either the company or the individual. Our landlord should be able to have a better handle on this as I'm sure he's seen this before but when this shit is going down in your second language it's a little scary; I dropped a few F bombs. Labor was 80 euros which sounds about right.

[maunahaole]

The F bomb needs no translation.

[xjoex]

I have a crazy german door in my house. The lock broke. The local locksmith quotes me $1200 for replacement.

I hacksawed off the stuck bolt. Then ordered a replacement online for $150 and replaced it myself. Unfortunately I had no deadbolt on the door for 2 days as the part shipped.

-Joe

[Mabouya]

We couldn't reach our landlord today but I hope we don't have to pay this as renters but I have a really bad feeling in my gut about this.

When I rented an apartment the complex folks were responsible for everything that was part of the "apartment stuff" including light bulbs, but of course I didn't bother calling them for silly little things like that.

[Jonathan]

I don't know what a good lock is vs a bad lock but that's 3-4 times what I paid to have one replaced. 4/5 of our entry doors have glass. Who needs a good lock? I do have a pit bull but she'd like someone new and different to come play with her.