A day in the life of a Sheffield Locksmith

A Sheffield locksmith’s day can vary a lot. It can be hectic, zig-zagging across the city. Or, it can be a wait for the phone to ring.

Locked out!

The 1st call of the day was from a distressed lady. She had closed her front door without her keys. A Yale night latch on the door, and now she is out of the home. I arrived within 20 minutes of the call. The door was open within another 10 minutes—one happy, relieved customer.

Anti-snap locks… fitted

A quick return home for breakfast and start the day’s work, a visit to Lodge Moor. Upgrade the locks on three uPVC doors to “snap-secure” locks. This will improve the home’s security. Every homeowner with old locks should consider this to prevent lock snapping!

Next, uPVC door repairs

The phone rings, and someone can’t open the patio door this time. The customer has the keys, but they don’t work. Upon arrival, we found that the keys were okay. It is the locking mechanism that has failed. I managed to open the door, and the materials were replaced. This will save the customer hundreds of pounds. A new door would cost much more. I expect the repair to last at least ten years!

The phone rings ….” is it possible to replace the handles on a uPVC door?” I  provide a quote over the phone and schedule an appointment for the following day.

Sliding patio door repairs

Next it’s on to Dronfield to replace the wheels on a sliding patio door. The customer had been quoted £1200 to replace the door, which is at least 30 years old.  I remove the door, fit new wheels, and refit it. It’s not my favourite job, as some old patio doors are getting past their best.

Digi-lock replaced

A trip to a care home now where a digi-lock has failed. These are locks fitted to doors where a code is inputted before allowing the handle to turn. I advise going for a heavy-duty version like a “Lockey” here. These offer longevity and reliability.

More uPVC repairs

It’s late afternoon, and the next task involves opening a uPVC window. The homeowners have just moved in, and they have a tilt-and-turn window. The handle has no key, so I installed a lockable handle and serviced the window. The locking strip, which runs around the edge, had become “stiff” and needed a little oil.

So there you have it

It’s time to head home unless the phone rings.  This is a fairly typical day in the life of a Sheffield Locksmith.

Would I recommend becoming a locksmith?

That is now such a tricky question to answer. There has been an influx of locksmiths in South Yorkshire, and there is not that much work for newbies. The cost of setup is also considerably higher than it ever used to be. It is a great job, though, and incredibly interesting, and every day is always different.