Frequently Asked Questions
These are the questions we hear most from homeowners and small-business operators across Los Angeles, answered the same way we’d answer them on the phone: with real numbers, real timelines, and no runaround. If you don’t see yours here, call (409) 405-4485 and a live person will pick up.
Key Takeaways
- Standard service calls in Los Angeles typically run $95 – $350; rekeying is often $25 – $45 per cylinder.
- Every job comes with a written price before work starts, a live arrival time you can track, and before-and-after photos.
- The 365-Day Done Right Promise covers every repair, including a free second visit if something fails.
- We serve all of LA County, from Downtown to the Valley to the South Bay, and we’re trained on Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, Abloy, Baldwin, and Sargent as well as everyday Schlage, Kwikset, and Yale hardware.
Pricing & Estimates
How much does locksmith service cost in Los Angeles?
Most residential locksmith calls in Los Angeles run between $95 and $350 depending on the job, with emergency and after-hours work at the higher end. Rekeying a standard lock typically runs $25 – $45 per cylinder, and a new deadbolt installation (hardware plus labor) usually lands between $150 and $400. Commercial work on high-security cylinders like Medeco or Mul-T-Lock costs more because the hardware and pinning are specialized, so we quote those individually. You’ll get the exact price in writing before a single tool comes out of the bag, and it won’t change between the estimate and the invoice. Call (409) 405-4485 for a free estimate.
Do you offer free estimates?
Yes, estimates are free, and we put them in writing. You’ll know the dollar amount before any work starts, which means no bill that quietly swells between the phone quote and the final invoice. If the job turns out to be simpler than expected, the price goes down; if it’s more complex, we stop and re-quote before continuing. Either way, you approve it first.
Why do locksmith prices vary so much between companies?
Because many locksmiths quote a vague hourly rate and then add trip charges, after-hours fees, and “hardware surcharges” once they’re already at your door. We price the whole job, not the clock. That’s why two quotes for the same rekey in Los Angeles can differ by a hundred dollars or more; one is a real number and one is a starting point. Our number is the final number, guaranteed in writing.
Is it cheaper to repair a lock or replace it?
Repair is almost always cheaper when the lock body and cylinder are intact, usually $75 – $150 versus $150 – $400 for a full replacement. Replacing makes more sense when the lock is a builder-grade model that’s been forced, has a cracked housing, or the cylinder is worn past the point where new pins will hold. A technician can tell you within a few minutes which route saves you money, and you’ll get both prices side by side.
Service & Scheduling
Do you offer emergency locksmith service?
Yes, we handle emergency lockouts and urgent lock repairs, and our phones are answered by a live person 24/7, not a voicemail tree or a callback queue. When you call, you get a real arrival time, not a four-hour window. Lockouts are the most common emergency we run in Los Angeles, followed by break-in damage that leaves a door unable to secure.
How fast can you respond?
Most standard calls are scheduled same day, and emergency calls are dispatched as quickly as a technician in your area can reach you. What makes our timing different is The Relay Visibility Guarantee: you get a live, trackable arrival time so you know exactly when we’ll knock, plus before-and-after photos once the work is done. No guessing, no sitting by the window.
What areas do you serve?
We cover the city of Los Angeles and the surrounding county, from Downtown and Koreatown to the San Fernando Valley, the Westside, and the South Bay. Neighborhoods like Silver Lake, Echo Park, Sherman Oaks, Culver City, and Long Beach are all within our regular service area. If you’re near the edge of the county, call and we’ll tell you honestly whether we can get to you quickly.
How do I book an appointment?
Call us at (409) 405-4485 and a live person will take your details, confirm your address, and give you a written price up front. Here’s what happens from there:
- We confirm the job type and lock hardware involved, so we bring the right parts the first time.
- You get a written price before any work begins.
- We send a live, trackable arrival time so you know when the technician will knock.
- A background-checked, uniformed technician completes the work and photographs before and after.
- You receive a digital invoice with a pay link, plus a written guarantee on the repair.
Licensing, Trust & Guarantees
Are you licensed and insured?
Yes, we’re state-licensed and fully insured, and every technician is background-checked and arrives in uniform so you know who’s coming to your door. We don’t send anonymous contractors. You’ll see the same person the tracker showed you, in a marked uniform, with the parts and pricing already confirmed.
Do you guarantee your work?
Yes. Every repair is covered by the 365-Day Done Right Promise: if it’s not done right, we make it right, backed by a written guarantee stamped on the repair. If a repair fails within the coverage window, we come back at no charge, no argument. That’s the free second visit, and it applies to every job, no exceptions.
What payment methods do you accept?
We accept major credit and debit cards, and you can pay through the digital invoice link we send when the job is finished. Cash works too. Cards give you a clean record of the exact price you were quoted, which is a nice thing to have when the number never changed in the first place.
Why is a written guarantee important for locksmith work?
Because a lock is a security device, and a repair that fails quietly is worse than one that fails loudly. A written guarantee means the person who worked on your door stands behind it for a full year. We stamp the guarantee on every repair, so there’s a document in your hands rather than a verbal promise over the phone.
Specific Services
Do you handle residential locksmith work?
Yes, residential locksmith work is a core part of what we do, from rekeying a newly purchased home to installing deadbolts and smart locks. We service everyday Schlage, Kwikset, and Yale hardware along with premium residential lines like Baldwin. For more on what we offer homeowners, see our home service page.
Do you handle commercial locksmith work?
Yes, we handle commercial locksmith work for offices, retail spaces, and small industrial sites, including master key systems and high-security cylinders. We’re trained on Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, Abloy, and Sargent hardware, which is what most commercial property managers specify. You can read more about our commercial capabilities on our Commercial Locksmith in Los Angeles page.
Do you handle automotive locksmith work?
We focus on residential and commercial locksmith work; automotive locksmith service is limited and depends on the vehicle. The honest answer is that car lockouts and transponder keys are a different specialty, and we’d rather tell you that up front than send someone who isn’t set up for your make and model. Call and we’ll tell you whether we can help or point you to someone who can.
Do you handle lock installation and rekeying?
Yes, we handle both, and they solve different problems. Rekeying – swapping the internal pins so old keys no longer work – keeps your existing hardware and usually costs $25 – $45 per cylinder. Installation means fitting new hardware, which we recommend when the lock is worn, builder-grade, or you’re upgrading to high-security cylinders. Most customers who just moved into a place rekey; most customers replacing a failed lock install. Call (409) 405-4485 to find out which one fits your door – estimates are free.
Can you rekey a lock to match other locks in my house?
Yes, and it’s one of the most common requests we get after a move or a roommate change. We can key several cylinders to a single key so one key opens the front door, back door, and side gate. It usually costs less than replacing the locks, since you’re keeping the hardware and only changing the pins.
Do you work on high-security locks?
Yes. We’re trained and equipped for Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, Abloy, Baldwin, and Sargent hardware alongside standard Schlage, Kwikset, and Yale products. High-security cylinders use restricted keyways and side bars that most general locksmiths can’t pin correctly, so it’s worth asking before you book anyone. If you have a restricted-key system, we can service it and cut additional keys where the keyway allows.
Have a question we didn’t cover? Call Preston Locksmith & Security at (409) 405-4485.
Written by Kevin Yoon, Owner at Preston Locksmith & Security, serving Los Angeles since 2008.