Locksmith
Deadbolt Cost Calculator
Prices a deadbolt, the single lock that does most of the work on an exterior door.
Result
A planning estimate, not a quote. Access, the age of the equipment, what is found once it is opened up and local labour rates all move the real figure, sometimes a long way.
Get a Free Business AuditHow the calculation works
Time, hardware and the call-out. Fitting a deadbolt into existing preparation is quick; boring a new one is the slower job described above. The hardware choice is where the security actually lives. Throw length matters, because a bolt that does not extend far enough into the frame can be forced past the strike. So does the strike plate and its fixings: a bolt into a strike held by short screws into soft jamb material pulls out under a kick, whichever grade the lock is, so long screws reaching the framing behind are among the cheapest real security improvements available.
What moves the number
- Throw length and bolt construction, which determine resistance to forcing.
- Strike plate fixing, since long screws into the framing matter more than the lock's grade.
- Single or double cylinder, which is partly a security choice and partly an egress question.
- Whether the jamb needs reinforcement, common on older timber frames.
Where this one goes wrong
A double cylinder deadbolt, needing a key from inside as well as out, is a genuine hazard on an exit and is restricted or prohibited in many jurisdictions for exactly that reason: in a fire, someone has to find a key to get out. Customers request them for glazed doors, and the honest answer is to explain the risk and the local rule rather than simply fitting it. Separately, most deadbolt installations are let down by the strike, not the lock. Fitting a reinforced strike with screws long enough to reach the stud behind the jamb costs very little and does more against a forced entry than moving up a hardware grade.
Before you quote
- Fit long screws through the strike into the framing, not just the jamb.
- Check the local rule on double cylinder deadbolts before fitting one on an exit.
- Confirm the bolt throws fully into the strike with the door closed.
Where the rules come from
Questions
About this calculator
Are double cylinder deadbolts a good idea?
They stop someone reaching through broken glass, and they also stop people getting out without a key in an emergency. That is a serious hazard and they are restricted or prohibited on exits in many jurisdictions. Where glass beside the door is the concern, laminated glazing or a different lock design addresses it without trapping anyone.
What actually makes a deadbolt secure?
The bolt throwing far enough into a solid strike, and the strike being fixed with screws long enough to reach the framing behind the jamb. Most forced entries fail the frame rather than the lock. Long screws and a reinforced strike are inexpensive and do more than upgrading the lock itself.
Do I need a deadbolt if I have a lock in the handle?
A latch in a handleset is mainly there to keep the door closed and is easy to defeat. A deadbolt is the component that resists forcing. On an exterior door the deadbolt is doing nearly all the security work, which is why it is worth having a good one properly fitted.
The formula
total = hours x people x rate + parts + call-out, then sales tax
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How to use this calculator
- Hours on site (h). Enter your own figure; the page starts at 0.8 h.
- People needed. Enter your own figure; the page starts at 1.
- Labour rate charged ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $120.
- Parts and materials ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $35.
- Call-out or diagnostic fee ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $95.
- Sales tax (%). Leave at zero if you are quoting before tax.
The result updates as you type, so you can try a figure, see what it does to estimated total, and change it back. Nothing you enter is sent anywhere or saved.
A worked example
These are the figures the calculator opens with. Every number in the results column below is produced by the same calculation the page runs, so you can follow it through before putting your own figures in.
What goes in
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Hours on site | 0.8 h |
| People needed | 1 |
| Labour rate charged | $120 |
| Parts and materials | $35 |
| Call-out or diagnostic fee | $95 |
| Sales tax | 0% |
What comes out
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Estimated total main result | $226 |
| Labour | $96 |
| Before tax | $226 |
| Sales tax | $0 |
About $226: $96 of labour, $35 of parts and a $95 call-out.
How sensitive the answer is
Holding everything else steady and changing only labour rate charged, this is what happens to estimated total. It is worth knowing which of your inputs the answer actually hinges on, and which barely move it.
| Labour rate charged ($) | Estimated total |
|---|---|
| $60 | $178 |
| $90 | $202 |
| $120 example above | $226 |
| $180 | $274 |
| $240 | $322 |
Every other input is held at the example value while this one changes, which is not how a real job behaves. Treat it as a guide to which number matters most, not as five separate quotes.
What each figure means
- Hours on site (h)
- Measured in h, between 0 and 400, starting at 0.8 h.
- People needed
- A number, between 0 and 40, starting at 1.
- Labour rate charged ($)
- A money amount, starting at $120.
- Parts and materials ($)
- A money amount, starting at $35.
- Call-out or diagnostic fee ($)
- A money amount, starting at $95.
- Sales tax (%)
- Leave at zero if you are quoting before tax.
What the results tell you
| Result | What it is |
|---|---|
| Estimated total | The headline result. A money figure. |
| Labour | A money figure. |
| Before tax | A money figure. |
| Sales tax | A money figure. |
Estimating is the easy part
The jobs you never hear about cost more than the ones you mis-measure. BDEVY builds the marketing, systems and automation that bring them in.