Most people call us about locks once every few years, so there’s no reason you’d know what to expect. Here’s what helps us get in and out faster, and what we’d rather know before we arrive.
What to sort out before you call
Know which locks are going. One front door, or every exterior door? Just the deadbolt, or the handle too? Count them before you call. Having the answer on the phone means we bring the right hardware the first time and quote you properly, rather than guessing and adjusting on your doorstep.
Think about how the door actually gets used. A standard deadbolt is fine for most front doors. A keypad earns its money if you’re tired of handing out keys, hiding one under a rock, or letting a dog walker in. A smart lock makes sense if you want to let someone in while you’re at work. Tell us who comes and goes and we’ll tell you what fits, including when the cheaper option is the right one.
You may not need new locks at all. If the locks work fine and you just want the old keys to stop working, a rekey does exactly that using the hardware already on your door, and it costs less. New hardware is worth it when a lock is worn out, when the finish no longer matches, or when you want something the old one can’t do. If you’re not sure which you need, say what’s prompting the change and we’ll tell you straight.
Match the keys while we’re there. If you’re replacing more than one lock, we can key them alike so one key opens the front, the back and the garage entry. Easy to do during the job, more work to arrange afterward.
What to do before we arrive
Clear the doorway. We need a few feet of room in front of the door and somewhere to set a toolbag down. The console table, the shoe rack, the stack of boxes from the move: easier to move before we’re standing there holding a drill.
Take anything off the handle. Grocery bags, a dog lead, a wreath hanger, a lockbox from the sale. All of it has to come off before we start, and it’s quicker if it’s already done.
Have the pets somewhere else. Not because we mind them, but because the door is standing open for a chunk of the job, usually with us facing the other way. A closed room or the back yard is enough. Cats especially: they’re quiet, they’re fast, and nobody notices until later.
Be reachable. If we find something unexpected behind the old lock, a bore hole that’s the wrong size, a frame that’s dropped, hardware someone installed badly, we’ll call before doing anything extra. Answering saves a return visit.
Ready to get it sorted? Call 844-644-6539 and tell us what’s on the door.
