Frequently Asked Questions
We get the same questions at the door, over the phone, and in the shop every week, so we’ve written down the answers in plain language here. If you don’t find what you’re looking for, call us at (910) 714-4287 and a live person will pick up.
Pricing, Estimates & Payment
How much does locksmith service cost?
Most standard residential jobs in Los Angeles run between $85 and $250, depending on what’s being done. Rekeying a single knob lock typically runs $20 – $45 per cylinder when bundled with a service call, a full rekey of a three-to-four lock home usually lands between $95 and $180, and an emergency lockout with no damage runs $75 – $150 during the day. High-security cylinders like Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, or Abloy sit higher because the parts cost more and the work is more precise. The number that matters is the one we hand you in writing before we start, and that’s the one you pay.
Do you offer free estimates?
Yes, every estimate is free and every quote is delivered in writing before any work begins. That means no surprise totals at the end, no “well, it turned out to be more complex,” and no line items that appear for the first time on the invoice. If the written price changes because you ask for something extra, we re-write it and you approve it before we continue. Call (910) 714-4287 and we’ll talk through the job and put a number in front of you.
What payment methods do you accept?
We accept cash, all major credit and debit cards, and mobile payments like Apple Pay and Google Pay. For commercial accounts, we can set up invoicing with net terms once the account is established. You’ll see the exact form of payment options when you confirm your appointment, and the technician carries a card reader so you’re not hunting for an ATM at 11 p.m.
Is it cheaper to repair a lock or replace it?
Repair is almost always cheaper when the lock body and cylinder are intact, usually by $60 – $150 on a standard residential lock. A stuck deadbolt, a worn pin tumbler, or a misaligned strike plate is a repair job in the $85 – $180 range, and we’ll usually get you back up the same visit. Replacement makes sense when the lock is damaged beyond a reasonable fix, you don’t have keys to it, or you’re upgrading to a high-security cylinder. We’ll tell you which one you actually need before we touch anything.
Is there a charge for after-hours or emergency calls?
Yes, after-hours calls carry a premium, typically $40 – $90 on top of the daytime rate, and holidays sit at the top of that range. That covers the reality of sending a technician out at 2 a.m., not a penalty for calling late. We tell you the total up front, in writing, so you’re never surprised by a number you didn’t agree to. Give us a ring at (910) 714-4287 and we’ll quote the exact after-hours figure before we roll.
Emergency Service & Response Times
Do you offer emergency locksmith service?
Yes, we answer the phone with a live person 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. That’s not a voicemail, not a chatbot, and not an answering service reading from a script; it’s someone who can dispatch a technician and quote you a price on the spot. Lockouts, broken keys in cylinders, jammed deadbolts, and doors that won’t secure are all handled around the clock. Call (910) 714-4287 any hour and we’ll get you sorted.
How fast can you respond?
For most of Los Angeles, our on-site arrival window is 30 to 60 minutes for emergency calls, depending on traffic and where the closest available technician is. We give you a real window when you call, not a vague “soon.” For scheduled appointments, you pick the slot that works and we show up inside it. We’d rather tell you 45 minutes and arrive in 35 than promise 15 and leave you standing on the porch.
Can you come today?
Yes, in most cases we can be there the same day, and often within the hour for true emergencies. Our technicians are on the road across Los Angeles throughout the day, so same-day appointments are the norm rather than the exception. If you’re locked out, call (910) 714-4287 and we’ll tell you exactly who’s closest and how soon they can be at your door. You’ll get that technician’s name and photo before they arrive.
What should I do while I wait for the technician?
Stay somewhere safe and well-lit, and keep your phone on. If you’re locked out of your home, don’t try to force the door with a credit card, a screwdriver, or a pry bar; you’ll damage the frame, the strike plate, or the lock cylinder, and the repair bill will grow. If it’s cold, wait in the car with the doors locked. If you’re in an apartment building, wait in the lobby. We’ll text or call when the technician is close.
Licensing, Trust & Our Guarantee
Are you licensed and insured?
Yes, Dunmore Locksmith is state-licensed and carries liability insurance on every job. We’re the Threshold Group member business serving Los Angeles, and we’ve operated under that umbrella since 2007. That means our work is held to a documented standard: background-checked technicians, written pricing, and a written guarantee on every repair. If you want to see credentials when we arrive, ask; the technician will show you their photo ID badge.
How do I know the technician coming to my door is who you say they are?
You’ll know before they knock, because we send you the technician’s name and photo ahead of the visit. That’s part of what we call The Threshold Standard: every technician is background-checked, identity-verified, arrives in a clean marked uniform, and carries a photo ID badge that they show you at the door. If anyone shows up who you were not told to expect, that visit is covered at no charge. It’s a simple rule, and it’s the whole point: you should know exactly who is coming before you turn the handle.
Do you guarantee your work?
Yes, every repair is covered by our 365-Day Done Right Promise, a full year in writing. If the repair fails within that window, we come back and make it right at no charge. This isn’t a vague “satisfaction” pledge; it’s a written guarantee stamped on the job. The name of our parent network, Threshold, comes from a similar idea, and Dunmore itself traces to old words for a great fort: a stronghold built to keep what’s inside safe.
Who leads Dunmore Locksmith?
Dunmore Locksmith is led by Perry Osgood, who has run locksmith work under the Threshold Group family of independent local businesses since 2007. Perry’s standard is the one our technicians work under: show up when you said you would, quote the price before you start, and stand behind the work for a full year. If you ever feel like that standard slipped, call and ask for Perry. For our residential service line, see Residential Locksmith in Los Angeles.
What hardware brands do you work with?
We’re qualified to install and service the industry’s most trusted lines, including Schlage, Kwikset, Medeco, Yale, Baldwin, Mul-T-Lock, Sargent, and Abloy. That covers everything from a basic builder-grade knob to a high-security commercial cylinder used to protect server rooms and pharmacy stock. If you’re not sure what’s on your door now, we’ll identify it when we arrive and tell you what your options are before we touch it.
Services We Handle
Do you handle residential locksmith work?
Yes, residential work is a big part of what we do every day in Los Angeles. That includes lockouts, rekeying (changing the internal pins so your old keys no longer work), deadbolt installation, smart lock setup, and full door hardware replacement. We handle houses, condos, apartments, and rental properties. For the full list of what we cover at home, see our residential page.
Do you handle commercial locksmith work?
Yes, we service commercial customers across Los Angeles, from single-suite offices to multi-tenant buildings. That includes master key systems, high-security cylinders for restricted areas, panic hardware, and repair of the heavy-duty locks used on retail storefronts and warehouse doors. We can also set up documented key control so that when an employee leaves, you know exactly what access they had. For commercial scheduling, call (910) 714-4287 and ask for the commercial desk.
Do you handle automotive locksmith work?
We handle car lockouts and key duplication for many makes and models, though transponder and smart-key programming varies by vehicle year and manufacturer. Call (910) 714-4287 with your make and model and we’ll tell you right away whether it’s something we can do on-site or whether you’d be better served by a dealer. We’d rather give you a straight answer than send a truck that can’t finish the job.
Do you handle lock installation and rekeying?
Yes, installation and rekeying are two of our most common services. Rekeying is usually the smarter move when you’ve just moved in, lost a key, or ended a relationship with a tenant or roommate; it changes the internal pins so the old keys don’t work and costs a fraction of replacing the hardware. Installation is what you want when the lock itself is worn out or when you’re upgrading to a high-security cylinder. Here’s how a typical rekey visit goes:
- Confirm what’s on the door. We identify the lock make and model and check whether the cylinder can be rekeyed or needs replacing.
- Write the price. You get the total in writing before we take the lock apart.
- Pull the cylinder and change the pins. New pins are set to match the new key you’ll be given.
- Reinstall and test. We cycle the lock multiple times, check the strike alignment, and make sure it throws smoothly.
- Hand over your new keys and the written guarantee. You get the 365-Day Done Right Promise on the work.
What areas do you serve?
We serve Los Angeles and the surrounding communities, with technicians dispatched across the city throughout the day and night. If you’re in or near the city limits, we can almost certainly get to you; call (910) 714-4287 and we’ll confirm coverage and give you an arrival window in the same call. Our home page has the full service overview if you want to check before you call.
Key Takeaways
- Most standard residential jobs run $85 – $250; you always get the price in writing before work starts.
- We answer the phone with a live person 24/7, and emergency response is usually 30 – 60 minutes in Los Angeles.
- Every repair is covered by the 365-Day Done Right Promise: if it fails, we return at no charge.
- You get your technician’s name and photo before the visit, plus a photo ID badge shown at the door.
- We install and service Schlage, Kwikset, Medeco, Yale, Baldwin, Mul-T-Lock, Sargent, and Abloy hardware.
Contact Us
Whether you’re locked out tonight, planning a move-in rekey next week, or just want a written quote for upgrading your home’s locks, we’re a phone call away. Call Dunmore Locksmith at (910) 714-4287 for a free estimate. You’ll reach a live person, you’ll get your technician’s name and photo before they arrive, and you’ll have the price in writing before any work starts.
Have a question we didn’t cover? Call Dunmore Locksmith at (910) 714-4287.
Written by Perry Osgood, Owner at Dunmore Locksmith, serving Los Angeles since 2007.