What a Locksmith Costs in El Cajon, Before We Roll
Published numbers, the trip charge stated up front, and a quote on the phone that matches the invoice. El Cajon is a working city and people here can't afford surprises at the door. Neither can we.
(619) 837-7178How your bill is built
Three parts: the trip charge, labor for the job, and parts if any. That's it.
- You call and describe the job. The door, the car, the number of locks. We ask a couple of questions.
- You get a quote on the phone. Trip charge plus labor plus any parts we already know about. If we can't quote it until we see it, we say what the trip charge is and what the likely range looks like.
- We confirm at the door before starting. If the job is different from what was described, you hear the new number before any tool comes out. No work without your OK.
- The invoice matches the quote. Itemized, with the business name on it, sent by text or email.
Price table
Daytime numbers. The two lockout rows are flat and include the drive. Every other row is added to the trip charge, and parts are the hardware you choose.
| Service | What's included | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Trip charge, daytime | Covers the drive and the look. Waived inside the car-lockout corridor. | $75 |
| Trip charge, after hours | After-hours rate applies 7pm to 7am and all day Sunday | $125 |
| Rekey, per lock | Keys tested in every door. Extra keys and keying alike quoted per lock. | $25 |
| House or apartment lockout | Flat, includes the drive. ID and proof of residence required. Non-destructive entry first. | $95 |
| Car lockout, flat | I-8 Fletcher Pkwy to Los Coches, SR-67 to Bradley. Trunks included. | $85 |
| Car key, basic | Mechanical key, no chip. Older vehicles. | $65 |
| Car key, transponder | Chip key cut and programmed at the car. | $125–$225 |
| Key fob / remote-head key | Programmed on site. Range depends on make and year. | $175–$325 |
| Push-to-start smart key | Proximity fobs. Some makes are dealer-only; we say so first. | $250–$450 |
| Broken key extraction | Door or ignition. New key cut separately. | $75 |
| Deadbolt install, your hardware | Includes 3-inch strike screws. | $85 |
| Deadbolt install, our hardware | Grade 1 or Grade 2 deadbolt supplied. | $145–$225 |
| Strike plate reinforcement | Box strike or long-screw strike on an existing deadbolt. | $45 |
| Sliding door secondary lock | Track lock or charley bar plus anti-lift block. | $55 |
| Security screen door lock | Deadbolt or cylinder, keyed alike with the main door on request. | $95 |
| Smart lock install | On a reinforced deadbolt prep. Your lock or ours. | $125–$375 |
| Commercial panic bar | Storefront rear doors. Closer and exit hardware quoted separately. | $450–$850 |
Trip charge and labor are quoted together on the phone. Parts are the hardware you choose, at the price we say before installing it.
Landlord and property rates
For owners, property managers and HOAs on an account. Per-unit pricing for turnovers, per-lock pricing for one-offs, and volume pricing when the unit count earns it.
| Turnover rekey, per unit | Entry door, deadbolt and slider, keys tagged by unit, photo log. | $95 |
| Rekey, per lock (account rate) | Single-lock jobs between turnovers. | $20 |
| Master key system setup | Design, restricted keyway, key log. Per-cylinder pricing added. | from $350 |
| Tenant lockout | Billed to tenant or account, your choice. Standard lockout rate applies. | $95 |
| Volume pricing | Buildings of 20 units or more, or portfolios across several properties. | ask |
Net-30 terms, one statement per property, W-9 on file. Owners who hold three small buildings across Bostonia and downtown get each one on its own line.
After-hours and holidays
After-hours rate applies 7pm to 7am and all day Sunday. It applies to the trip charge and to lockouts; it does not change the per-lock or per-key price. On major holidays the after-hours rate applies all day. You'll hear the after-hours number on the phone before we roll, every time.
Watch for the "$19 service call"
Here's how the bait works. You search for a locksmith, you call a number that looks local, and a call center somewhere quotes "$19 service call" or "$29 to come out." A subcontractor in an unmarked car shows up an hour later, says your lock is "high security" and has to be drilled, and hands you a bill for $250, $350, $400. The lock is destroyed and you paid to replace it. It happens in El Cajon every week.
How to spot a real local locksmith in thirty seconds:
- They give you a full quote on the phone, trip charge included, not a "starting at."
- They're licensed by the state and insured, and they say so before you ask. Any California locksmith company can be checked at search.dca.ca.gov.
- The tech arrives in a marked vehicle with a BSIS ID card, and asks for yours.
- They try to open the lock before they talk about drilling it.
- You get an itemized invoice with a real business name and a local address on it.
If a locksmith won't do those five things, hang up. We'd rather you call us second than get burned first.
Pricing questions
Why ranges and not fixed prices?
Because a deadbolt on a hollow-core door in an apartment is a different hour of work than a deadbolt on a solid door with a steel frame, and a 2008 Civic key is not a 2022 push-to-start fob. Ranges tell you what neighborhood the number lives in. The quote we give on the phone, once we know your make and model or the door you're describing, is not a range; it's the number.
Do you charge just to come look?
The trip charge covers the drive and the diagnosis. If you go ahead with the work, it's part of the bill you already heard on the phone, not something added on top. If you decide not to go ahead, the trip charge is all you pay. A free 15-minute door check comes with any install we do.
Is rekeying cheaper than new locks?
Nearly always. A rekey is a per-lock labor charge; new locks are hardware plus labor. Replace only when the lock is worn or weak, or when you want a stronger deadbolt than the one you have. We will tell you which one you need, and we do not replace hardware that works.
Do you take cards, Zelle or cash?
All three, plus checks and ACH for property accounts. You get an itemized invoice by text or email with the business name and address on it.
Get your number
Call with the job and get a quote in a minute. For a property or a bigger job, ask for it in writing and we'll email it the same day.