In short:
- The only fixed figure is the R250 call-out fee. Everything else is quoted on site, before any work starts, and nothing is done until you agree.
- Four things move a quote most: the type of lock or safe, the parts it needs, when the work happens and how easy it is to reach.
- Photos and a clear description on WhatsApp help you get a realistic idea before the technician travels.
- South Africa's Consumer Protection Act gives you rights around estimates and authorising repair work. Know them, whoever you call.
- Payment is by EFT, cash or card.
The short answer
A visit from Mobile Locksmith Roodepoort starts with a R250 call-out fee. Once the technician has seen the lock, gate, safe or car, you get a quote on site for the work itself, and nothing goes ahead until you've said yes. Payment is by EFT, cash or card.
We don't publish a list of job prices, and this article doesn't contain any. That isn't to be cagey. A price list would mostly be wrong: "door won't lock" can be a five-second adjustment on one visit and a new lock body on the next. The rest of this page explains what goes into the quote, so you can judge it when you get it.
Why the quote is given at the door, not over the phone
A locksmith is pricing two things: time and parts. Neither is known for certain until someone has looked at the lock. A few examples of how the same complaint can lead to very different work:
- "My key won't turn in the security gate." It may be a gate that has dropped and is pressing on the bolt, which needs adjusting. Or the lock may be corroded and need replacing.
- "The sliding door won't lock." The keeper may simply have shifted. Or the hook mechanism inside the frame may have broken.
- "The safe keypad is dead." Fresh batteries in the right place may sort it. Or the keypad or lock may have failed and need a professional opening and a new lock.
So a phone conversation can narrow things down, especially with photos, but it can't give you a figure you should rely on. The quote you get on site is the one that counts.
What changes the quote
| Factor | Tends to keep the quote lower | Tends to push it higher |
|---|---|---|
| Lock type | Common, standard locks and cylinders | High-security cylinders, multipoint locks, electronic locks, safe locks |
| Repair or replace | An adjustment, a clean-out or a small part | A complete new lock, or several locks |
| Parts | Parts that are widely stocked | Discontinued locks, imported parts, parts that have to be ordered in (which can mean a second visit) |
| Entry method | A lock that can be opened without damage | A lock that has to be removed or destroyed to get in, so a new one is needed |
| Time of day | Planned work you can book at a time that suits you | Urgent work late at night, on a weekend or a public holiday. Ask when you phone whether timing affects the quote. |
| Access | A door reachable from the street, with you there to meet the technician | Estate sign-in procedures, locked outer gates, a safe in a tight cupboard, a car in a basement with no signal |
| The surrounding door, gate or frame | A frame and hinges in good order | A split frame, a sagging gate or a door that has dropped, which add work |
The technician should be able to tell you which of these applies to your job. If a quote seems high, ask which line is driving it. It's a fair question.
Three jobs, three different kinds of quote
These are illustrations of how quotes are built, not price examples.
A lockout where the door opens cleanly
You've locked yourself out and the door can be opened without damaging the lock. The quote is mainly labour. No parts, unless you decide afterwards that a lock should be changed because your keys were lost or stolen. See what to do when you're locked out.
A gate lock that has seized
The key won't turn in the security gate and the lock is corroded inside. The quote now includes a replacement gate lock as well as labour, and the price depends on the lock you choose. If the gate itself has dropped, adjusting it may be part of the job too. Our guide to a stuck security gate lock explains the usual causes.
A safe that won't respond
The keypad on a home safe is dead even with new batteries. Opening it is one part of the quote; replacing the failed keypad or lock so you can use the safe again is another, and depends on the safe's make and on parts availability. See safe keypad dead, beeping or locked out.
How to get a realistic idea before anyone travels
The more we know, the better the conversation on the phone. Send these on WhatsApp if you can:
- Photos of the lock from the outside and the inside, and of the edge of the door or gate where the bolt comes out.
- Any brand name on the lock, cylinder, safe or keypad.
- A short video of what happens when you try the key or the handle.
- How many locks you'd like looked at. Doing several in one visit avoids paying for more than one call-out.
- Where you are and how to get in: complex or estate name, unit number and gate procedure.
- For a car: the make, model and year, and the type of key.
With that, the technician can usually tell you what the job is likely to involve and whether parts might need ordering. The firm figure still comes on site.
Your rights when you're quoted for repair work
The Consumer Protection Act has a section on repair and maintenance work (section 15). In broad terms, where it applies:
- if you ask for an estimate before the work, the supplier may not charge you unless they gave you an estimate and you then authorised the work, or you waived the estimate or set a maximum in writing or another recorded form;
- the supplier may not charge for preparing the estimate unless that charge was disclosed and you agreed to it beforehand;
- once you've had an estimate, the supplier may not charge more without telling you about the extra and getting your go-ahead.
The regulations add that an estimate should show a breakdown of the charges and the total, the nature and extent of the work and how long the estimate is valid. The section applies above a threshold set by the Minister. This is a general summary, not legal advice.
In practice, that matches how we work: the call-out fee is stated up front, and the technician quotes before any work starts. Ask for the quote on WhatsApp or by email if you'd like it in writing.
Ways to keep the cost down
- Bundle the jobs. If the back door is stiff and the gate lock is sticking, mention both. One visit costs one call-out.
- Repair before it fails. A lock that's getting stiff is usually cheaper to deal with than one that has seized with you locked out. See lock repair.
- Sort out access. Tell the guardhouse to expect us, and make sure someone is there with any keys for outer gates.
- Find the paperwork. A safe's manual or a car's model details save time on site.
- Ask about options. On many doors, replacing only the cylinder is a smaller job than replacing the whole lock. The technician can explain the options for your lock.
- Don't try forcing it first. A damaged lock or gate almost always costs more to put right than the original fault.
How our pricing works, in one place
- Call-out: R250 call-out fee.
- Quote: The technician assesses the job on site and gives you the price before any work starts. Nothing is done until you agree.
- Payment: EFT, cash or card
- Hours: 24/7.
We're a Roodepoort mobile locksmith with no shop or counter, so every job is done where the lock is: at your home, office, gate, safe or car. We don't cut or copy keys, so you won't be quoted for that. If you're comparing locksmiths, compare like with like: the call-out arrangement, the parts by brand, the labour and the total.
Questions
Is the R250 call-out the total cost?
It's the cost of getting the technician to you. The work itself is quoted on site, before anything is done, so you'll know the total before you agree to go ahead.
Can you give me a price on WhatsApp if I send photos?
Photos help us tell you what the job probably involves and whether parts may be needed. The firm quote is given on site, once the technician has seen the lock.
Does it cost more at night or on a Sunday?
We work 24/7. Ask when you phone whether the time of day affects your job. Either way, you'll get the quote on site before any work starts.
Need a locksmith to look at it?
If this hasn't solved the problem, our emergency lockouts service covers it. We're a mobile locksmith in Roodepoort, so we come to your door.
Sources and further reading
- Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008, section 15: Pre-authorisation of repair or maintenance services (Acts Online) — Estimates, authorisation before charging, charges for preparing an estimate, exceeding an estimate; applies above a ministerial threshold
- Consumer Protection Act regulations: Threshold for pre-authorisation of repair or maintenance services (Acts Online) — An estimate must show a breakdown and total, the nature and extent of the work and its period of validity