Door locks and locksmith fraternity

For admittedly to my chagrin, our front double glazed door handle spring had broken, Oh it worked OK but it did not return to the central position unless you put it there
NO PROBLEM unless you are SWMBO
After several months it was I want it fixed TODAY

SO I took the decorative strip off, removed seven screws and the lock with the handles, and SEVEN minutes later I had it stripped out
It was a sealed welded lock and one of the springs had snapped, no chance of opening it and replacing the spring
Eight minutes later it was all back in original condition FIFTEEN minutes in all for an amateur

Get a locksmith SWMBO said

So I did
No call out charges, just standard fee + £45 per half hour after the first hour plus parts
The standard fee was £90 What he failed to say was PLUS VAT


He arrived and I said what was wrong, and the reason it was all oiled and shiney was I had stripped it down and cleaned it
After one hour he had managed to get the lock and handle out, then advised me the type of lock was obsolete like Betamax recorders to VHS, my door was too good and the trade had changed to cheaper doors and locks, all he could do was bodge a spring that would work
SWMBO wanted it done
After two hours and ten minutes he announced it was complete, 2hrs plus spring, let me off the extra ten minutes as it would have to be charged at £45 extra half hour, only £218.70 for a damn spring

He then advised me a complete new door would be £350 and it would be better if it breaks again to get a new door
Also advised me the company I called he was freelance for, and he could do the job privately for £125 leaving his card along with the information he could get into home safes in under three minutes with no damage

It took the shine off the 20 supposedly free instant light LED bulbs that I had given on Tuesday worth £240

Still SWMBO can sleep soundly knowing the door handle springs back into position

Jack McHammocklashing

 

Blimey Jack, you could have had a good night out for that

Think the most i've ever paid for a Hardwood front door was £85. Plus a B.S. 3621 Mortice lock for about £30. The British Standard ensures i'm covered by the insurance company in the event of a burglary.

 

How often I hear that from all sorts of tradesmen and 99% of the time I don't take them up on their offer as then there is no warranty/guarantee on parts and labour as it was never "officially" done.

 

Our local locksmith quotes £50 to replace a Eurolock cylinder in a UPVC door, I did my own, it's a 30 second job.

 

That must surely be either a long time ago, or trade price, or both Zigs?

I'd love to replace our awful plastic doors with nice solid wood ones, but all the prices I've seen start around £300.

 

Not that long, 2 of the doors on this place, it was trade price.

http://www.magnettrade.co.uk/joinery/doors/external-doors/hardwood-external-doors/

 

I'm not up on prices "off the shelf", but I think you would struggle to get a hardwood door made to measure, fitted and glazed, for less than £500.
Hardwood can mean anything, from Meranti, to Oak.

 

Jack there is a company around here that specializes in repairing/replacing door and window furniture.

I've never tried them so dont know what they are like, but locksmiths do pile on the charges, they like you to feel unsafe or better still locked out on a cold night.

In short they love an emergency.

 

All thanks for the replies
Most annoying thing about it was the door was safe the locks good it was just the return spring on the handle

Second annoying thing, was as stated in my first post, I had taken the facia out, the lock out, the handles off, checked I could not DIY the spring as it was a welded shut box, then put it all together again in about 13-15 mins

I agree about the lock itself, once a good mate who was separated from his missus, short of cash etc his ex kept letting herself in and taking stuff
So we swopped door locks mine for his, it was literally his locks out in ten minutes, I went down my house swapped them over in fifteen minutes back up to his and fitted them in again less than fifteen minutes (having never attempted it before)(house secure as I changed my locks the same weekend)

Yet this locksmith took a full hour to access the thing, told me it was not replaceable, but did mod the case to fit a return spring for the handle so it worked

If we had only waited I am sure I could have sourced the part on fleabay, as I did with the old back boiler, (They do not do the parts anymore gov, I pointed him to fleabay, and he came back and fitted them the following evening)

No I too have no idea why I did not wait, as the handle had been like that for over six months
SWMBO was looming down though, I could have fleabayed it had a pensioners fish supper and still have £200 in me wallet :-(

Jack McH

 

When you have to someone out these days you pay. I like plastic doors and windows only because they are virtually maintainance free for 15 or so years. Hardwood is much nicer but they don't like our climate if in exposed position.
Broadband down, called India, BT home fault engineer called, still not working. Next day it was ok. Then bill for £130 but hang on I protested down the chanells of reason..sorry you pay. It had already been taken when I noticed I had been billed. BT no one against them in Mid Wales.

 

I realise to have a visit you have to pay, but you can not carry a door down to town, and say I want one like this mate

If it were possible to have had the part, I would have had the job completed in twenty minutes
for a PRO to take two hours at £90 plus VAT Labour charges "no call out fee" is to me extortionate

Today I went to the PRO LOCKSMITH shop in the industrial estate and explained
The answer I got was, out of production, though being a locksmith I can dismantle the lock and replace the springs for you couple of hours work, and call out, but I can bring it to you
Health and Safety mate, I have to come and take it out
His Health (wages) my Safety (door not locked)
Best get a new door, My colleague down the road can come out and measure you up if you want I will give him a ring err no ta

Jack McH

 

@Jack McHammocklashing - there are a couple of plastic door/window/conservatory repair specialists around here now. Cost me £65 to get the conservatory door mechanism fixed at my old place.

That's your fault - the bit that says BT!!!! I made the switch to Virgin after BT needed a week just to turn up. The two faults that I've had since have seen them turn up within 24hrs. On the occasion that it could not be fixed (exchange fault) I was left a dongle to use until it was repaired. I also got a heavily reduced bill that month too.

 

That's it Jack, tell him where to poke his new door.
No one in their right mind replaces a door, be it PVC or timber just because the lock need replacing, although in this case, ....it dont.