Important Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Locksmith

We will all need the services of a locksmith at one point of our lives. It could be a broken key inside the lock or you don’t seem to remember where you last saw your keys. The good thing is (or is it?) getting a locksmith in your area can happen in a snap. You don’t even need the yellow pages; you just need to Google a few locksmiths in your area and you have the results you want.

But here is the dilemma; Google will give you over thousands of potential locksmiths you can call and hire. It’s not easy to make the right decision her. However, with an informed mind, the choice becomes easy. When looking for a suitable locksmith, make sure they pass these questions when you ask them.

DO YOU HAVE LICENSE AND INSURANCE?

Not all States will require locksmiths to have their license with them when working but it is good to ask for one nevertheless. Damian Stone, the owner of Melbourne City Locksmiths and http://www.locksmithsmelbourne.biz/ says:

A license shows the locksmith is professional and serious with what he or she does. On the other hand, every locksmith in your area should have their own insurance cover to protect against any liabilities while on the job. Never offer the job to any lock technician who is not protected by a recognized insurance company.

WHAT KIND OF SKILLS DO YOU HAVE?

This is one question to get you the right technician fast. Before telling them the specific job at hand, ask the locksmith what kinds of tasks they are efficient in handling. It is easy for a lock technician to jump onto a job even when they lack the experience for it. You don’t need mediocre work done in your home, thus listen to the skills they mention and if it falls within your needs then you can hire them.

DO YOU HAVE A WARRANTY?

Things can get messed up or not done properly during the first lock installation or repair. So if the locksmith offers a 30 day warranty period to monitor the results of their work, the better. This also protects you from coughing up more money to replace faulty hardware, which should have been fixed or fitted properly in the first place.

HOW MUCH DO YOU CHARGE FOR A JOB?

Melbourne Locksmiths have different ways of how to charge their services. Some lock technicians will charge by the hour for everything they do while others will charge per every piece they handle. There can be additional charges as well, like the trip to your home and back; and if there is any kind of delays experienced en route, some locksmiths may charge for that as well.

Do yourself a favor and find out the locksmith rates before hiring a technician. Inquiring price rates will not point you to the most efficient technician but it can save you from being charged exorbitantly. You can get five qualified technicians; however, the cheapest of the five is the one you are likely to consider.

DOES THE LOCKSMITH HAVE ANY CERTIFICATIONS?

When asking this, you want to find out whether the technician is professionally trained for the particular job at hand. The technology in locking systems changes and the locksmith who is diligent enough to keep current with the changing technology is the right person to hire. Certification also shows specialization and you need someone who is specifically trained in the kind of locks you have and the issue experienced.

DOES THE LOCKSMITH RUN A CHECK ON THE CLIENT AND THEIR FACILITY?

It may sound like a farfetched question but you actually want to know if you are entrusting your property to someone you can trust. If the technician cares enough, they will first do a background check of the client to know how to handle matters like security. When you have a high profile job like say changing the locks of a jewelry store, you need a lock technician who will work with all honesty and who will acknowledge the high value you’ve put on your shop.

It may not be easy picking the right locksmith from a list of ten pages Google offers you. However, with the above questions in mind, you can have a feel of what kind of technician you are about to hire. The questions work for all sorts of locksmiths from any state, but if the process feels cumbersome to you, there is an alternative. Instead of the long interview process, you can seek the services of a National Service Provider who rates technician according to how well they do their job and their reviews from clients.