Locksmith FAQ for Port St. Lucie and the Treasure Coast

A home lockout typically runs $90 to $150. That's a typical range, not a fixed price, because a basic knob lock and a high-security deadbolt take different time and tools. Tell us the door and lock type when you call, and your exact total is quoted on the phone before we drive out. That total includes the trip, so no drive fee gets added at the door.

Rekeying the first lock is typically $95 to $150, and that includes the service call. Each extra cylinder after that is typically $25 to $50, so a house with a front door, back door and garage entry door adds up in small steps. Count your locks, deadbolts included, before you call. Your exact total is quoted on the phone before we drive out.

Yes, as long as the job matches what you described. We give you a total, not a starting fee. If the technician finds something different on site, like a second deadbolt or a different lock than expected, they tell you why and give you the new total before touching anything. You can say yes or no at that point, with no pressure.

A transponder key, cut and programmed, typically runs $150 to $275. Remote head keys and smart or proximity keys are typically $200 to $400. These are typical ranges, and the year, make and model decide where your car falls. Have that information and your VIN ready when you call. Your exact total is quoted on the phone before we drive out.

Installing a deadbolt or knob you already bought is typically $75 to $150 for labor. Smart locks, like a keypad deadbolt or Wi-Fi lock, typically run $125 to $225, since they take setup and testing once the hardware is on the door. Those are typical ranges. Your exact total is quoted on the phone before we drive out.

First, safely check every door you can reach, including the garage entry door and any sliding glass door. If nothing's open, call us with your address and the type of lock on the door. We'll quote the total and give you an idea of timing. Have something with your name and that address handy, because we ask for proof of residence before opening.

Almost never as a first step. Most home lockouts open with picking or bypass tools that leave the lock working afterward. Drilling is for locks that are broken inside or built to resist picking. If we think it's needed, we explain why and give you the price for that and for a replacement lock before we start. The choice stays yours.

In most cases, yes. Car opening tools, like air wedges and long reach tools, are made to open the door without scratching paint or bending the frame, and that's what we use. Once the door is open, we'll check your ID against the registration or insurance card inside to confirm the car is yours before you drive off.

Call 911 first. In Florida heat, a closed car gets dangerous fast, and emergency responders can get there and break a window if they need to. Once help is on the way you can call us too, but don't wait on a locksmith when a life is at risk. A window is cheap compared to the alternative.

Usually, yes. We pull the broken piece out with extraction tools, then check that the lock still turns. If the key snapped because the lock was stiff or worn, we'll show you and suggest a fix, like cleaning and lubricating it or replacing the cylinder. Keep the other half of the key, since it can help when cutting a new one.

If your locks work well and you like how they look, rekey them. Rekeying changes the pins inside so every old key stops working, and it costs less than new hardware. Replace them if they're worn, damaged or cheap builder-grade pieces you don't trust, or if you want a smart lock or a stronger deadbolt. We'll lay out both options before you pick.

Yes, if the locks share the same keyway. When every lock on the house is the same brand, like all Kwikset or all Schlage, we can usually rekey them all to one key. If you have a mix of brands, one or two cylinders may need to be swapped first. Tell us what's on each door when you call so the quote is right.

Yes. Tell us the brand and model when you call and we'll check that it fits your door before we come. Some smart locks need a certain door thickness or backset, and older doors sometimes need small changes. We mount it, set up the codes or app with you, and test it with the door closed so the bolt throws all the way.

Yes. If the key is lost or no longer turns the lock, we can still rekey or replace the cylinder. It can take a bit more work, since the lock has to be opened or removed first, and if that changes the price we tell you before we start. As with any job, we'll need proof that you live there.

We don't work on German brands: BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Volkswagen, Porsche and Mini. For most other makes and models, we can usually help with lockouts, new keys and fobs. Give us the year, make and model when you call, and we'll tell you on the phone whether we can do your car, so you never wait on a trip that can't finish the job.

Often, yes. For many vehicles, a new key can be cut from the vehicle's key code and then programmed to the car where it sits, with no original key to copy. Whether we can do yours depends on the year, make and model. Have your VIN, registration and photo ID ready, since we confirm ownership before making any car key.

A transponder key has a small chip in the head that talks to the car's immobilizer. If the chip isn't programmed to the car, the engine won't start even when the blade turns. A key fob is the remote you use to lock and open the doors. A smart or proximity key lets you start a push button car while it stays in your pocket.

Look through the windshield at the bottom of the dashboard on the driver's side. It's also on a sticker in the driver's door jamb, and on your registration and insurance card. A VIN is 17 characters long. Reading it to us on the phone lets us look up the exact key your car takes and give you an accurate quote.

It might be. If a key or security light flashes on the dash, the car may not be reading the chip in your key, and reprogramming or a new key could fix it. If the key won't turn at all, the ignition cylinder may be worn. A weak battery can look similar, so check whether the dash lights come on. Then call and describe what you see.

Yes. A master key system lets each person open only the doors they need, while a manager key opens everything. We start by listing your doors and who needs each one, then rekey or replace cylinders to match. Pricing is per door, typically $85 to $175. Your exact total is quoted on the phone before we drive out.

Yes. We install access control like keypads and fob readers, so staff can come and go without keys and you can delete a code or fob when someone leaves. Typical pricing is $500 to $1,500 per door, depending on the door and the hardware you choose. Your exact total is quoted on the phone before we drive out.

Usually, yes. Panic bars, also called exit devices, often stop latching because of a worn part, a loose rod or a door that has started to sag. We check the bar and the door together, since fixing one without the other doesn't last. If the device is past repair, a new one typically runs $150 to $350. Your exact total is quoted on the phone before we drive out.

Rekey every lock that key opens, as soon as you can. Rekeying is usually quicker and cheaper than new hardware, and it makes the old key useless. If staff turnover is a regular thing for you, look at a master key system or keypad entry, so next time you change a code or a few cylinders instead of every lock in the building.

Sunday through Thursday, 7am to 11pm. Friday, 7am to 5pm. We're closed on Saturday. That's early mornings and late evenings six days a week, but we're not an all-night service. If you're locked out after we close, check whether your car insurance or a roadside plan covers lockouts, or call us when we open.

We're based in Port St. Lucie and cover St. Lucie County, including Port St. Lucie, St. Lucie West, Fort Pierce, River Park, Lakewood Park and White City. In Martin County we cover Stuart, Jensen Beach, Palm City, Port Salerno, Hobe Sound, Indiantown, Sewall's Point, North River Shores, Rio and Ocean Breeze. We also work in Melbourne.

We come to you. We're a mobile locksmith, so the work happens at your home, in the parking lot where your car is, or at your business, with the tools in the van. There's no shop to drive to. For a lost car key, that also means you don't need to have the car towed anywhere to get a new key made.

Because anyone can call a locksmith and say a door is theirs. Asking for a photo ID with the address, a lease, a utility bill or something similar keeps us from opening a door for the wrong person. If your ID is locked inside, tell us on the phone and we'll work out with you how to confirm it, often right after the door opens.

Our technician arrives in a marked van and shows ID, and can tell you the name of the business you booked. If someone shows up in an unmarked car, can't show ID, or gives you a different company name, don't let them start work. Call us at [PHONE] and we'll tell you whether that's our technician.

Yes. Ask for an invoice that shows the work done, any parts and the total, with our business name on it. Keep it with your house or car records. If you rekeyed or changed locks, write down the date too, so you know exactly when the old keys stopped working and which doors were done.

Be careful with that. A clear, close-up photo of a key's cuts can be enough for someone to copy it. If a locksmith needs to see your lock, a photo of the lock face or the brand name is plenty. Don't post pictures of your keys online, and don't send them to a business you haven't checked out first.