Blog Post

How much does it cost to change locks in London

Simon G • July 8, 2018

What are the options when it comes to changing locks in London

How much does it cost to change a lock in London is probably the most common question people have when they are in need of upgrading their security , moving homes or just need new keys.Lock changes are extremely important for a good number of reasons. There are even times when a lock might have to be changed even after it has just been installed. This could result from someone loosing their keys, or simply because you are not satisfied with the level of security that was installed.Changing a lock is also a blanket term used by homeowners or even tenants who aren't entirely sure what they need. It is important to understand what it is you need before you start looking into the cost to change locks. For example, should you be locked out of a cupboard, or room, asking a locksmith over the phone or even searching for a lock change will not give you the correct answers, this is because the door must first be opened, only then can the lock be changed.

Essentially, you need to figure out exactly what service you need in order to gauge the correct cost to change locks. If you are confused and have no idea what you should be paying attention to when it comes to lock changes or are just not sure of the service you need, just send us an email and we will get back to you.

Here we will go through a few of the options you have to change or upgrade your locks in London.


1 - DIY

DIY is often the first thought that comes to mind when people want to do anything in a home that they themselves own.You might have made you way down to a local Screwfix or B&Q to try and see if there was anyone there that could provide you with some relevant answers (probably not). Or you may have googled " How to change a lock " (that might have been a bit confusing).

When it comes to DIY installation, homeowners have several options to choose from when they want to buy their locks. Locks can be bought from your local hardware store, online or even from your local locksmith shop. As with all lock changes you also have two options, to change the exact same lock, brand for brand, size for size, or to upgrade your locks to something better.

The cost to change locks will be influenced by the type of lock you want to buy. For example, if you choose to buy a British standard 3621 lock for an exterior door, it will very likely be more expensive than a basic lock or latch for an interior door. However it is very important to realize that changing locks can be a time-consuming process. Just like any other DIY project it will take up your time and time can often be worth more than the locks. To start, you will have to spend time identifying which locks you need and sifting through the different lock brands on the market and comparing them to the one on your door. This is no easy task as should you get the same lock but manufactured by a different brand you will end up having to adjust the existing hole in the door, often you will have to get the same brand and size to ensure it will match up, although identifying the lock is a challenge in itself remember.

Aside from the fact that you might pick out the wrong lock, there will probably be no one around to help you. Unless it is the guy from the outdoor plants section who has no idea that a strike plate is just as important as the lock as should you get a different brand you will have to adjust the frame side as well. Furthermore, you will have to factor in the time that you will need for the installation process itself and any adjustments that may need to be made.

Thus we only advise the DIY route if the person doing the work has experience with tools, the best suited would be an advanced carpentry enthusiast.


Price of locks for a lock change - £15 - £300

Cost of time for a lock change - £depends on how much you spend and how much its worth to you personally. Provided you can locate the exact same lock (brand & size) & have some experience with a screwdriver, it's feasible.

Price of locks for a lock upgrade - £25 - £300

Cost of time for a lock upgrade - £ May not be feasible, will require a lot of research and experience with power tools.



2 - Calling a professional

There is a common myth that doing it yourself is much cheaper than having a professional deliver a specific service. In some cases, this might be true, however, when it comes to changing your locks , you might be better suited going with a locksmith. This is not just because we are a locksmith blog and we're here to promote ourselves. There are many reasons you would go with a professional in a specific field, the main one we already touched on above - time.

From a monetary standpoint, hiring a professional may increase the cost in cash to change locks by a little bit, but it will help you save on so many other things. Chief among these is time. Any professional locksmith will be able to change your locks much faster than you would if you were doing it yourself. This is because, as professionals, they have much more experience in this field than you do. Therefore, they will not spend time trying to find the right tools, reading up on instructions or trying to figure out how to begin the lock change process . In addition to all of this, when you call a mobile locksmith he will most likely have the lock that you need and be able to offer different locks, brands and sizes to best suite your needs and the properties security. Considering that most lock change jobs will only take a maximum of 20 minutes, including the time to travel to you it will be done in under one hour (especially if you call a local locksmith).

Considering this saves you at least 4/5 hours of time that you would have had to spend just researching which lock you had in your door, and you don't need any experience to find a good local locksmith , that's a lot of time saved, and a lot of security gained.

Cost of locks for a lock change - £15 - £300

Cost of labour for a local locksmith - £55 - £75

The above are prices for both lock changes and lock upgrades. As the locksmith has all the best tools necessary to complete the job he will be able to offer any kind of adjustments needed to suite the new lock. A professional local locksmith will also offer a warranty n the work thus guaranteeing your safety for a period of time after the job has been completed. We offer a one year warranty for example giving you 1 year to prove the quality of the lock and the work.


To summarise

Changing a lock , brand for brand, size for size is a possible accomplishment provided you have some DIY experience and are willing to spend some time researching your exact lock. If there is no brand on the lock and it is not common, definitely best to call a professional.

For any other work that may need to be done, upgrades, fresh installations and where the homeowner has no DIY experience it's best to contact a professional. Most local locksmith companies will be happy to provide a straight quote including their labour and different options for locks. Once on site they will even be able to provide home security advice to give you peace of mind.

For a basic price list check out our online Locksmith price list


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