What questions should you ask a locksmith?
Hiring a locksmith is an important task. You cannot hire anyone you find. This is the person/company who will be responsible for your house secure and making sure you sleep in peace at night. You need a qualified locksmith who knows what he is doing and can meet your security requirements. His tools and equipment need to be of good quality even if they are not the most high tech. So before you hire a locksmith, you need to ask these important questions.
- What is your address?
If you are in an emergency situation, you don’t want to call a locksmith that is miles away from your place. It is a different scenario when you are driving somewhere and need your locksmith to come and help you out with your car. But you should make sure that the locksmith is a local so that if you lock yourself out of your place in the middle of the night, your locksmith can reach quickly to help. Or you don’t have to drive far to get the lock of your car fixed.
- Are you licensed, bonded and insured?
You need to hire a locksmith that can be trusted but is also protected in case something goes wrong on the job. Small locks aside, a locksmith will also be dealing with your expensive cars and maybe the safe which has your valuable possessions in it. If an uninsured locksmith scratches your or damages the safe in some way, you will have to pay the bill. If the locksmith is hurt in your house, you could end up with a lawsuit. To avoid such situations, make sure the locksmith is insured, bonded and licensed.
- What are your skills?
There are different types of locksmiths so when you are hiring one, make sure you have the right technician. For the right information, ask the locksmith what his skills and experience are and where he got his training from. Once you know what he can do for you, tell him your requirements and then decide whether or not he is the right locksmith for you.
- What are your rates?
For many people, this is the most crucial question. This is important because you don’t want to pay too much for a service that another good locksmith will do for less money. So ask for estimates beforehand. Some locksmiths charge hourly, some charge for the type of work they have to do. Make sure you ask the locksmith about any hidden charges as well.
- Working hours
Make sure the locksmith or the locksmith company is willing to work emergencies day and night. A locksmith is of no use to you if they cannot help you when you are locked out of the house at 3 am. So keep their working hours and off hours in mind when making a decision.
Lastly, don’t hire a locksmith when you need to. Research and hire one beforehand so you don’t make a rash decision in time of an emergency.