Frequently Asked Questions
These are the questions we hear most from homeowners, renters, and business owners across Los Angeles. Every answer below is the same one we’d give if you called and asked us directly.
Pricing & Estimates
How much does locksmith service cost in Los Angeles?
Most residential locksmith work in Los Angeles runs $95 to $250 for a service call, with rekeys typically landing between $130 and $220 and single-cylinder lock installation between $150 and $300 depending on the hardware you choose. Commercial jobs and access-control work are quoted per door or per system after we see the space. We hand you a written price before any work starts, so the number you see on paper is the number on the invoice.
Do you offer free estimates?
Yes, estimates are free for residential and commercial work. We’ll look at the door, the hardware, and what you’re trying to protect, then give you a written price rather than a verbal range. If you’re comparing two options, like rekeying versus replacing with a high-security cylinder from Medeco or Abloy, we’ll price both and let you decide without pressure.
Is it cheaper to repair a lock or replace it?
Repair is usually cheaper and often the better call, especially when the lock body is sound and only the cylinder or thumbturn is worn. Replacing makes more sense when the hardware is builder-grade and failing, when you need a higher security rating, or when a door has been forced. We’ll tell you honestly which one saves you money in the long run instead of selling you hardware you don’t need.
What payment methods do you accept?
We accept major credit and debit cards, cash, and standard electronic payment methods. Because you get a written price before work begins, there are no added line items at the end and no surprise trip charges tacked on. If your job runs through a property manager or commercial account, we can bill to the business directly.
Emergency Service & Response
Do you offer emergency locksmith service?
Yes, we handle emergency lockouts, broken locks, and failed hardware around the clock. A live person answers the phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including holidays, so you’re never routed through a voicemail tree at midnight. We’ll tell you on the call what the likely fix is and what it will cost before we arrive.
How fast can you respond to a lockout?
Response time depends on where you are and traffic, but for most parts of Los Angeles we’re on-site within a window we confirm during your call. We don’t quote a flat number and then leave you waiting; we give you a realistic arrival window and keep you updated. If you’re locked out with kids or pets inside waiting, say so and we’ll prioritize it.
Can you come out the same day for a non-emergency job?
In most cases, yes. Same-day appointments are common for rekeys, lock swaps, and hardware repairs when you call earlier in the day. If you’re scheduling around work or a child’s nap, we’ll book a window that respects your quiet hours and let you know exactly when the technician will knock.
Licensing, Trust & Guarantees
Are you licensed and insured?
Yes, Blackthorn Locksmith & Security is a state-licensed, insured locksmith business, and every technician we send is background-checked and arrives in uniform. You’ll know exactly who is at your door before you open it. That matters most to families who don’t want an unknown face handling the locks on the room where their kids sleep.
Do you guarantee your work?
Yes. Every completed job is covered by our 365-Day Done Right Promise: if it’s not done right, we make it right, and that’s in writing on residential, commercial, and access-control work alike. This is the Cedarwell Care Promise in action, and it’s one of the reasons customers come back to us rather than calling whoever answers first on a search page.
Who will actually show up at my door?
A background-checked, uniformed Blackthorn technician, every time. Before touching a door frame, they’ll protect your floor with drop cloths, put on shoe covers, and ask before moving or touching anything in the entryway. When the job is done, you get a photo of the clean-up before they leave, at no extra charge.
Why should I choose Blackthorn over another locksmith?
Because we hold ourselves to a documented standard most locksmiths don’t put in writing: a written price before work starts, shoe covers and drop cloths on every visit, a photo of the clean-up, and a 365-day guarantee on the work. Blackthorn hedges were once planted around homes for protection, and a well-chosen lock does the same job today. We take that idea seriously on every call, and you can see how we approach larger projects on our Commercial Locksmith in Los Angeles page.
Specific Services
Do you handle residential locksmith work?
Yes, residential locksmith work is a core part of what we do, from rekeying a front entry to installing a full high-security cylinder on the door to your garage. We work with everyday Schlage and Kwikset hardware as well as certified high-security brands like Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, and Abloy. Tell us what the lock protects (front entry, side garage door, the room where the kids sleep) and we’ll recommend hardware that fits that job.
Do you handle commercial locksmith and access control?
Yes, we handle commercial locksmith work and full access-control systems for offices, retail spaces, and multi-tenant buildings. That includes master key systems, keypad and card access, and hardware from Sargent, Yale, and Baldwin. We quote commercial jobs per door or per system after a walk-through so you know the full scope before committing.
Do you handle automotive locksmith work?
Our focus is residential, commercial, and access-control locksmith work, which is where our technicians and hardware expertise are strongest. If you’re locked out of a home or business, we’re the call to make. For vehicle lockouts specifically, ask during your call and we’ll point you to the right option.
Do you handle lock installation and rekeying?
Yes, we install new locks and rekey existing ones. Rekeying is the smart move after a move-in, a breakup, or a lost key, because it changes who can open the door without replacing good hardware. Here’s how a typical rekey visit runs:
- You call and tell us the door and the situation (new home, lost key, tenant turnover).
- We quote a written price based on the number of cylinders and the hardware brand.
- A uniformed, background-checked technician arrives and protects the entryway before starting.
- We rekey the cylinders, test every key, and confirm the door locks and unlocks smoothly.
- We clean up, send you a photo of the clean-up, and back the work with our 365-Day Done Right Promise.
What lock brands do you carry and install?
We carry and install Schlage, Kwikset, Yale, Baldwin, Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, Sargent, and Abloy, covering the full range from entry-level residential hardware to certified high-security cylinders. That range means we can match the hardware to the actual risk at your door instead of pushing whatever’s on the truck. If you’ve already bought a lock and just need it installed correctly, we do that too.
What areas do you serve?
We serve Los Angeles and the surrounding communities, with technicians dispatched across the city and nearby neighborhoods throughout the day and night. If you’re not sure whether we reach your address, call and we’ll confirm in a minute. For a full picture of our residential and commercial coverage, start at our home page.
What if I’m not happy with the work?
Call us and we’ll make it right. That’s the point of the 365-Day Done Right Promise: it isn’t a slogan, it’s a written commitment on every job. We’d rather come back and fix something than have you tell a neighbor we left a problem behind.
Working With Us
Do you use pet-safe products and quiet tools?
Yes. We choose pet-safe lubricants and keep noise down when pets or sleeping children are nearby. If a dog is anxious about strangers, tell us on the call and we’ll work around it calmly. Respecting the family’s time and quiet hours is one of the C.A.R.E. values we run every job by: clean up like it’s our own home, ask before we move or touch anything, respect the family’s time and quiet hours, and explain the price before the work.
Why does Blackthorn answer the phone with a live person?
Because a lock problem doesn’t wait for a callback queue, and a recording can’t tell you what’s actually wrong. When you call, a real person answers, asks the right questions, and gives you a written-price starting point before a technician is dispatched. That’s true at 2 p.m. on a Tuesday and at 2 a.m. on a holiday.
How is Blackthorn different from a company that competes on being the cheapest?
We compete on what your home looks and feels like after the job is done, not on being the lowest number on the page. The lowest bid usually means a verbal price, unknown hardware, and a mess left behind. We’d rather show you a written price, use hardware rated for the door, and hand you a photo of the clean-up before we leave.
Have a question we didn’t cover? Call Blackthorn Locksmith & Security at (818) 390-9007.