Better Locks for All

Big things are happening at AC Locksmiths; I went to an industry Expo this past weekend (exciting stuff, I know!) and came away with the feeling that while I have been happy with the service I have thus far provided for my customers, there is room for improvement.

Regular readers of my blogs will know I am driven to educate my customers that fitting BSI kite marked products ensures, at the very least, that insurance standards are met. Yet, I still carry many non-kite marked products as I have also had to compete with other locksmiths on price. This has always been hard, because I have yet to find another locksmith who advertises their costs. So therefore, I am contradicting myself.
With that in mind, come this Spring, instead of fitting like for like standard locks with the option to upgrade, I will be fitting the best standard locks I can in all cases, where possible.

To give an example of the difference, let’s look at the barrel lock of a UPVC door. If your barrel does not display a kite mark, it’s a bit like having a small factory standard hatch back car. It serves a purpose. There are modifications you can make, but the barrel is still vulnerable as the car is still a hatchback and you wouldn’t want to drive across America in one. You can now buy kite marked cylinders in the shops. These however, are 1 star rated and still vulnerable to attack and so you need extra products like armoured handles or cylinder guards. So this is like the factory standard family saloon car. More comfort, but you still need to buy the extras to want that something special. The locks I will be carrying to fit as standard are made by British Company ABS and they are a stand alone 3 star and Sold Secure Diamond rated. This is like the car you want to own. For me it’s a ’69 Corvette. For my wife it’s an Audi A4. For you it might be a Lexus, or a McClaren F1. The point is, this lock is that good! BS3621 has now been superseded by a new standard which is TS007, and this lock fits this standard without buying additional products. At the price I will charge for this product (more on that later) it will be cheaper to install than buying a 1 star rated barrel from the shops and the extra kit to achieve the same level of protection.

Of course it will not always be possible to install the very best and I am always understanding of budgets, so as always, I will be happy to order standard products and return within 48 hours at no extra cost with the lesser quality product. In extreme cases, second hand products will be available, subject to undamaged removal from previous properties (although these will not have the same guarantees).

In addition to the above, I can provide more security in the form of safes to fit all requirements, be it for documents, jewellery, lap tops and beyond, even up to commercial level. I have a full brochure of safe products, most of which can be delivered and fitted within the week.

Of course, for all the locking products in the world, I cannot make or install burglar proof glass and there is always the window as a method of entry for the determined intruder. And with that in mind, I also install wireless CCTV and alarm systems which can even send a direct message to your mobile phone and be pet friendly, allowing your animals to roam free while being alert for larger human size intruders.

I also intend to improve on my already outstanding personal service, (see testimonials page) by explaining the items I am fitting and what makes them great in more detail so my customers know that they are getting true value for money. So, what about cost? Well, the Spring and Summer seasons are going to be a trial period.

* I am freezing my labour cost at £50.00 flat fee regardless of time (remember most charge hourly).

* I am also going to keep my work labour free if the locking products come to more than £100.

* A full BSI 3621 Nightlatch kit will remain at £116.00 (cheaper than buying it yourself and paying labour to have it fitted).

* If it is just a Rim cylinder (Yale type lock) that you need the price is rising to £38.00 as I will be using the ABS range which are as good as the UPVC barrels described above.

* A mortice (Chubb) with handles will remain at £62.00

* A mortice deadlock (no handles) will rise to £44.00

* The ABS UPVC Euro cylinder will trial throughout Spring and Summer for £62.00

* The Standard UPVC Euro cylinder will remain at £42.00 (although you may have to wait 48 hours for one to be ordered)

Of course there are many more products that I supply and fit, all of which I will price for you before ever starting any work so you can decide whether to go ahead or not. Please check back for updates as to exact start dates for the new prices and please feel free to contact should you have any questions.

Thanks for reading.