See local locksmiths rates for 2024

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Locksmith cost per hour

Locksmith cost per hour

The average hourly rate for a locksmith in the UK is £43 per hour but regional variations can mean you paying up to £78 per hour in some areas.  A call out fee might also be asked, especially if it is in an emergency and out of hours. So when you have that, “have I closed the Yale locked door and left my keys inside?” moment, thankfully, we can call a locksmith. You might have to secure your property after a break-in or change the locks because you kicked the other halve out. It can be daunting who to choose and trust to help us in a vulnerable situation, that is why HaMuch is helping you choose the right locksmith for a rate that suits you.

Locksmith cost per day

The average daily rate for a locksmith in the UK is £226 per day. A locksmith is one of those jobs where being needed for a day or longer is quite rare unless there are multiple sites that need securing. The hourly rate is usually a lot higher to compensate for travelling between lots of small jobs and unlike a builder they are not usually on site for longer than a few hours. Jobs that might take longer are installing CCTV cameras which can cost around £2000 and installing access control locks throughout a property, starting from £300. 

Choosing a locksmith

Before searching for a locksmith, decide which of the 3 main categories your necessity falls under. Do you need a locksmith for your home, office or car? A lot of companies will cover domestic and commercial locksmithing needs but a car / van / bike emergency (e.g., replacing damaged locks or rekey), needs a specialist to deal with automotive locks.

Next in your search is to ensure a safe repair, so you need to choose a locksmith who is affiliated to associations to ensure they follow secure guidelines, e.g., look for someone who is MLA (Master Locksmith Association) approved and a company who will only send out tradespeople that have been DBS Checked (this way you can be safe in the knowledge that you will not have a criminal changing your locks!). A lot of locksmiths will offer 24 hour emergency services but using their services out of normal operating hours does come at a higher cost, so if your emergency can wait for usual business hours, that is best for your budget and be sure to get comparison quotes so that you are not paying emergency call-out prices in non-emergency times of the day.

When receiving quotes from locksmiths for your home, ask what brand of door lock will be used as you want to know that you are paying for a leading brand such as Yale, Union, ERA, Chubb… and if you have an existing mortice lock, make sure that the quote is replacing like for like (or a more secure version of the lock you had) rather than paying to change a mortice for a rim cylinder lock. Ask to have the quote in writing, even if it is emailed to you from their smartphone while you both stand outside your front door waiting for it to be unlock, this will make any insurance claim easier having in writing the locks you are having replaced as well as avoid any disputes with the locksmith when it comes time to make payment for works. Study the quote to see if you are being charged for an ‘hourly locksmith service’ or for the completion of the job. A job such as a jammed uPVC door might require more than one visit in a 24hr period, due to the replacement part needing to be order in so you would rather be quoted for the job than per hour. A simple key cutting job that takes a few minutes is also usually charged by the number of replacement keys you need to cut (always be sure to use the master key for the key cutting because when it is constantly a replacement key being used the cut isn’t as perfect).

Cost to hire a locksmith

Automotive locksmiths can help with a range of lockout issues and lost car keys. Before you contact the auto locksmith, make sure you have the following details on hand; make and model of your car, van or motorbike as well as the registration and your full address. If you have locked the keys inside the car and require the locksmith to come and pick the vehicle lock, give as much detail as you can on your location for them to easily locate you. Try and free a parking space as close to your car as possible for them before they arrive so they can pull up and have quick access to all the tools needed. If the emergency is a broken key, explain beforehand where the key is broken and needing extraction, e.g., stuck in the ignition or broken in the door handle. Key programming normally needs an immobiliser code which the locksmith should be able to extract from the vehicle. If locks have been damaged and need replacing, provide details on which lock, e.g., boot lock or front passenger door lock.

If you have locked yourself out and need a locksmith to help you gain entry into your home, give clear details of your address and what time you will be meeting them at the front door. If you have lost your keys but do not want the lock replaced, ask the locksmith if they can make an impression of the lock to cut a new key for you or if they are able to disassemble the lock. If you are having a lock replaced, for your home insurance to be valid, do insist on a ‘British Standard’ lock which will come with a BS Kitemark identification logo. If you have just moved into a new home, it is safe practice to change the locks as you do not know how many people the old owner has left a spare key with. Before the locksmith arrives, inform them about the make of your door, plastic uPVC doors usually have a Euro Lock mechanism and wooden doors are normally fitted with a Mortice or Yale lock. Modern patio doors often fall under the uPVC category. The same applies for windows that need lock or key replacements, give details about what type of window frame you have and where the lock is situated on the window.

Commercial locksmiths can retain the security of the office, from replacing old locks with access control lock and digital locks to installing CCTV footage and a safe for securing high valuable items. When businesses need to close during a holiday period or a global pandemic, a commercial locksmith can also board up the office to make sure you are leaving it safe and secure.          

Locksmith cost for work in your home

JobEstimate
Installing a fire-proof safe £400
Opening a fire-proof safe £250
Installing CCTV security £2000
Installing access control locks £300 per lock
Reprogramming digital locks £20 per lock
Installing locks on multiple office doors £30 per lock
Boarding up for closure £300
Emergency 24 hrs service for door opening access £70
Emergency 24 hrs service removing broken key from lock £70
Emergency 24 hrs service for wooden door lock change £115
Emergency 24 hrs service for uPVC door lock change £85
Emergency 24 hrs service for burglary repair and boarding up £120
Replacement of front and door lock £140
Key cutting from a master key £10
Key cutting from an impression of the lock £80
Window key cutting from a master key £70
Window lock replacement £55
Installing a wall safe £300
Replacement of lost car key £200
Car key cutting from an existing key to create copies £60
Pick a locked car to gain entry £120
Broken key extraction from a door £70
Broken key extraction from an ignition £90
Car key programming £30
Re-pinning of locks using existing locks £40 per lock
Replacement of a damaged door / boot lock £80
Replacement of a damaged ignition lock £90

Rates for other trades

Locksmith hourly rate and daily rate
Locksmith: Average Hourly and Daily Rates in the UK for 2024 (excluding VAT or callout charges)
Location in UKHourly RateDaily Rate
Locksmith near Amber Valley£48£256
Locksmith near Arun£46£248
Locksmith near Ashfield£49£263
Locksmith near Aylesbury Vale£53£234
Locksmith near Barnsley£58£286
Locksmith near Basildon£51£270
Locksmith near Basingstoke & Deane£82£424
Locksmith near Bassetlaw£36£225
Locksmith near Bath & North East Somerset£39£222
Locksmith near Bedford£57£232
Locksmith near Belfast£32£160
Locksmith near Birmingham£50£207
Locksmith near Blackburn£56£272
Locksmith near Blackpool£54£238
Locksmith near Bolton£41£241
Locksmith near Bournemouth£64£212
Locksmith near Bracknell Forest£62£363
Locksmith near Bradford£48£279
Locksmith near Braintree£42£224
Locksmith near Bridgend£45£190
Locksmith near Brighton£34£196
Locksmith near Bristol£39£222
Locksmith near Broadland£42£190
Locksmith near Broxtowe£49£258
Locksmith near Bury£42£250
Locksmith near Caerphilly£48£191
Locksmith near Calderdale£29£202
Locksmith near Canterbury£53£205
Locksmith near Cardiff£45£192
Locksmith near Carmarthenshire£30£240
Locksmith near Charnwood£37£221
Locksmith near Chelmsford£46£241
Locksmith near Cheltenham£68£465
Locksmith near Cherwell£43£250
Locksmith near Chester£28£155
Locksmith near Colchester£43£168
Locksmith near Coventry£42£194
Locksmith near Crewe & Nantwich£58£168
Locksmith near Dacorum£50£265
Locksmith near Derby£46£247
Locksmith near Doncaster£32£194
Locksmith near Dover£37£158
Locksmith near Dudley£51£208
Locksmith near East Devon£42£210
Locksmith near East Dunbartonshire£36£165
Locksmith near East Hampshire£58£288
Locksmith near East Hertfordshire£53£251
Locksmith near East Riding£31£157
Locksmith near Eastleigh£47£242
Locksmith near Edinburgh£38£252
Locksmith near Elmbridge£53£288
Locksmith near Epping Forest£56£291
Locksmith near Erewash£51£248
Locksmith near Exeter£45£259
Locksmith near Falkirk£25£198
Locksmith near Flintshire£32£152
Locksmith near Gateshead£52£315
Locksmith near Gedling£49£258
Locksmith near Glasgow£36£165
Locksmith near Gloucester£60£331
Locksmith near Guildford£48£306
Locksmith near Halton£37£213
Locksmith near Harrogate£46£232
Locksmith near Havant & Waterloo£45£251
Locksmith near Highland£38£212
Locksmith near Horsham£38£212
Locksmith near Huntingdonshire£60£250
Locksmith near Ipswich£36£145
Locksmith near Isle of Wight£46£236
Locksmith near Kings Lynn & West Norfolk£40£300
Locksmith near Kingston-upon-Hull£31£157
Locksmith near Kirklees£45£318
Locksmith near Knowsley£39£220
Locksmith near Leeds£50£282
Locksmith near Leicester£34£213
Locksmith near Lisburn£32£160
Locksmith near Liverpool£42£223
Locksmith near London£56£289
Locksmith near Luton£51£263
Locksmith near Macclesfield£44£223
Locksmith near Maidstone£49£246
Locksmith near Manchester£42£247
Locksmith near Mid Bedfordshire£53£245
Locksmith near Mid Sussex£38£216
Locksmith near Middlesbrough£33£216
Locksmith near Milton Keynes£57£225
Locksmith near Neath Port Talbot£34£146
Locksmith near New Forest£49£213
Locksmith near Newbury£101£544
Locksmith near Newcastle-under-Lyme£58£168
Locksmith near Newcastle-upon-Tyne£52£315
Locksmith near Newport£51£202
Locksmith near North East Lincolnshire£25£200
Locksmith near North Hertfordshire£52£259
Locksmith near North Lanarkshire£31£180
Locksmith near North Lincolnshire£31£157
Locksmith near North Somerset£33£210
Locksmith near North Tyneside£53£321
Locksmith near North Wiltshire£32£181
Locksmith near Northampton£42£193
Locksmith near Norwich£42£190
Locksmith near Nottingham£49£258
Locksmith near Nuneaton & Bedworth£40£192
Locksmith near Oldham£40£232
Locksmith near Oxford£55£275
Locksmith near Peterborough£60£250
Locksmith near Plymouth£27£143
Locksmith near Poole£64£212
Locksmith near Portsmouth£45£238
Locksmith near Preston£52£250
Locksmith near Reading£71£361
Locksmith near Redcar & Cleveland£32£219
Locksmith near Reigate & Banstead£53£285
Locksmith near Renfrewshire£36£188
Locksmith near Rhondda, Cynon, Taff£48£192
Locksmith near Rochdale£39£229
Locksmith near Rotherham£49£191
Locksmith near Salford£40£240
Locksmith near Sandwell£51£209
Locksmith near Sefton£45£237
Locksmith near Sevenoaks£59£285
Locksmith near Sheffield£52£189
Locksmith near Slough£49£285
Locksmith near Solihull£47£196
Locksmith near South Bedfordshire£57£232
Locksmith near South Gloucestershire£39£222
Locksmith near South Kesteven£40£200
Locksmith near South Lanarkshire£25£145
Locksmith near South Oxfordshire£71£473
Locksmith near South Somerset£55£241
Locksmith near South Tyneside£52£315
Locksmith near Southampton£47£242
Locksmith near Southend-on-Sea£46£236
Locksmith near St Albans£50£273
Locksmith near St Helens£42£240
Locksmith near Stafford£65£300
Locksmith near Stockport£40£244
Locksmith near Stockton-on-Tees£33£216
Locksmith near Stoke-on-Trent£58£168
Locksmith near Stratford-on-Avon£38£138
Locksmith near Stroud£60£331
Locksmith near Suffolk Coastal£20£145
Locksmith near Sunderland£49£285
Locksmith near Swale£51£248
Locksmith near Swansea£29£150
Locksmith near Tameside£40£244
Locksmith near Teignbridge£45£269
Locksmith near Tendring£35£140
Locksmith near Test Valley£60£275
Locksmith near Thamesdown£36£195
Locksmith near Thanet£56£210
Locksmith near The Wrekin£45£120
Locksmith near Thurrock£61£267
Locksmith near Torbay£41£289
Locksmith near Trafford£40£240
Locksmith near Vale of Glamorgan£45£187
Locksmith near Vale of White Horse£51£262
Locksmith near Vale Royal£32£152
Locksmith near Wakefield£52£282
Locksmith near Walsall£51£207
Locksmith near Warrington£41£244
Locksmith near Warwick£43£185
Locksmith near Waverley£51£294
Locksmith near Wealden£37£207
Locksmith near West Lancashire£44£235
Locksmith near West Lothian£36£239
Locksmith near West Wiltshire£32£181
Locksmith near Wigan£40£224
Locksmith near Windsor & Maidenhead£51£286
Locksmith near Wirral£42£222
Locksmith near Wokingham£63£333
Locksmith near Wolverhampton£54£206
Locksmith near Wrexham Maelor£52£224
Locksmith near Wycombe£57£347
Locksmith near York£55£55