How to Choose an Oakland Locksmith
by ARIEL ROSEN
Good locksmiths are like good plumbers. They can be tricky to find, but when you do, they are worth their weight in gold. Good local locksmith services should be able to provide a range of services, including fitting and rekeying locks, extracting a broken key from the ignition of your car, and installing high security locks at commercial premises.
Unfortunately, like every trade, there are reliable professionals, and there are those who will do a hack job and leave you with a hefty bill and damage to repair. Follow these top ten tips for hiring a good Oakland locksmith, and you are likely to find a tradesman that is professional, punctual, and experienced with a wide variety of locksmith jobs. Who knows? The list might even help you find someone that you can recommend to your friends.
1. Make a list of all your locksmith requirements. If you have just bought a new property, or moved to a new area, ask a friend or neighbor what locksmith services you might need now or in the future.
2. It really is best to hire an Oakland locksmith that is able to perform a wide variety of services. That way you can work with the same tradesman again and again. It will save you time searching for someone all over again, and you would have already established trust and a good working relationship.
3. Find a tradesman that provides a 24 hour a day emergency locksmith service. A good local locksmith should be able to be on-site within 30 minutes in the event of an emergency, such as locking yourself out of your home.
4. You might want to consider using locksmith services in order to improve the security at your business premises. Think about locks on filing cabinets containing sensitive business information, and high security locks on doors.
5. Choose a locksmith that is able to give a free estimate for any non-emergency work. This is always a good idea, especially if you are considering installing an alarm system or intercom system at your home or commercial premises.
6. Definitely pick a locksmith that responds to emergency automobile call-outs. Types of scenarios include a broken key in the ignition, or an emergency lockout.
7. Ask a friend or neighbor to recommend a good local provider of locksmith services. If you have found someone on a website, see if there are any testimonials or references. The more information you have, the easier it will be to make a decision on who to hire.
8. Find out whether the local Oakland locksmith that you are considering has the appropriate professional qualifications, or has membership with trade associations, such as the Associated Locksmiths of America. You want to make sure that the person is up to the job.
9. When you finally find a good local locksmith, make sure you have the telephone number handy at all times.
Last but not least:
10. Unless you are an extremely capable handyman (and let��s face it, these days most of us aren��t), avoid the temptation of doing the work yourself. It��s better to hire a professional local locksmith to do the work correctly.
