charge for luggage lock - out of line? better solution?

I mostly lurk here, since I don't have any expertise to add, but you've graciously helped me a couple of times in the past.

I have a gripe, but want to check it out before I fly off the handle. Well, too late, I was pretty p.o.'d yesterday, but maybe you can explain this one.

My wife took a Sears X-Cargo car top carrier to a well recommended local locksmith. We'd bought it used from a friend, they'd lost the key. He charged $100 to cut a key - the carrier itself is about $100 new. This seems outrageous to me. The lock has a four digit code (3201) stamped on it, isn't it just a matter of looking up the manufacturer's code and cutting it? I expect a locksmith the have to charge more than the $1.50 at the hardware store <grin> but this seemed a bit out of line. They kept it two days, said something about trying different keys between other jobs.

I would have thought they would have advised my wife it wasn't cost effective to fix it. I do admit she didn't request an estimate and I have no legal recourse, but this certainly built some bad faith with one local merchant for me.

Yeah, I tried to buy a new lock from Sears, tried their customer service, their parts line, their email assistance. No luck. If I know the exact part number they can look it up, if I don't there is no known way in the universe to solve it. I bet it's a $10 lock though.

Sorry to gripe on and on. If I'd know up front what it would cost I'd have put a $3.00 padlock hasp on it and been done with it. But maybe I'm out of line, and it really does take this amount of effort to work on one, and I'll apologize.

Reply to
TimR
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Yeah $100 does sound excessive.

The code number, not having any letters in it isn't going to do any good (too common) unless you know the manufacturer (and it wasn't Sears). And even knowing the manufacturer, that may not have even helped.

I'm surprised that Sears couldn't get you a key. Possibly, the person who picked up your call had no idea what they were doing or looking for. Some times it's the "luck of the draw".

The lock itself could be something that was made special for that particular application, therefore it may not be just a ten dollar lock. It may not even be available anymore.

That being said... Just speaking for me... And assuming that it is just a standard single sided wafer tumbler key, and you brought it to me, I would have probably charged $20 - $25 to impression a key to it. Some parts of the country will be slightly higher and some lower, but yeah, $100 sounds a bit steep.

I agree that he should have given you a price first. I do that, but I'm not everybody does. However, your wife should have asked first (but I bet you already know that).

Chalk it up to a $100 lesson learned (and find another locksmith.

Bobby

Reply to
Bob DeWeese, CML

Code or no code way too high. 20 - 30 would be what I would charge.

Reply to
Putyourspamhere

Something definitely wrong wtih this picture. I get $40 an hour labor rate, and this is about a half hour job, if it's what I think.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

not much better here... $45-50 is the norm... SW missouri

--Shiva-- nuk pu nuk

Reply to
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timothy, can see added charges for some "specialty" lockwork (NOT $75.00 of added charges)

hope he is you're X-locksmith :-)

my2

Reply to
"Keyman

NY state. Where are you, and what's your labor rate?

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Baltimore.

I get $60/hr for locksmith work and $80/hr for safework And we're about average for the area, price-wise. I'm guessing you're up-state. Those NYC guys make us down here look cheap.

Bobby

Reply to
Bob DeWeese, CML

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