Locksmith
Lock Change Cost Calculator
Prices changing locks out, and the first question is whether changing them is what the situation needs.
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, the lock and the call-out. Changing a lock means fitting new hardware rather than repinning the old, so the parts cost is the lock itself and the labour depends heavily on whether the new hardware matches the existing preparation. A same-size replacement into an existing bore and backset is quick. A different lock type, a mortise where a cylindrical lock was, or hardware with a different backset means new boring and mortising on a hung door, which is careful work and easy to spoil.
What moves the number
- Whether the new hardware matches the existing bore, backset and hinge positions.
- Door material, since a metal door needs different tooling from timber and a fibreglass skin can chip.
- Grade of hardware chosen, which is the main price variable and does correspond to durability.
- Number of doors, as setup spreads across a visit.
Where this one goes wrong
Establish whether the customer actually needs new locks or just new keys, because rekeying achieves the second at a fraction of the cost and many people ask for replacement not knowing the option exists. Offering it builds more trust than selling hardware. Where replacement is right, hardware grade is worth explaining: the published grading standards do correspond to cycle life and resistance, and the cheapest hardware on an exterior door on a busy house is a false economy. On any door that serves as a required exit, egress requirements constrain what may be fitted regardless of preference.
Before you quote
- Offer rekeying where the customer only needs old keys to stop working.
- Match bore, backset and hinge positions before ordering.
- Check egress requirements on any exit door.
Questions
About this calculator
Should I change my locks or rekey them?
Rekey if the hardware is sound and you only need old keys to stop working, which is most situations and much cheaper. Change the locks if the hardware is worn, damaged, of poor quality, or you want a different type or a higher grade. Both stop the old key working.
Does lock grade actually matter?
Yes. The published grading standards reflect tested cycle life and resistance to force, and the difference between the lowest and highest grades is real on a door used many times a day. On an exterior door the middle or upper grade is usually the sensible economy over the life of the fitting.
Will a new lock fit my existing door?
If the bore diameter, backset and hinge positions match, easily. If they do not, it means boring or mortising an already hung door, which is careful work and a risk on a fibreglass or metal skin. Checking the pattern before buying avoids a difficult installation.
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.