Sometimes, you can save the cost of a locksmith by getting the door unlocked yourself. We don’t recommend trying anything to potentially damaging such as drilling, or air wedges in the door frame as that can damage your door frame if done incorrectly, but you can try a few tricks for simpler lockouts. For example, if only the doorknob on your front door is locked, you can try getting a butter knife in the doorway if it’s not too tight and push the latch in, or if it’s too tight for a butter knife, you can try with a credit card. If it’s an interior door lockout such as a bedroom door lockout, very often there’s a little hole in the doorknob that you can easily open by putting a small screwdriver into and pressing the latch through there. If the deadbolt is locked, you can try to pick it using lock pick tools, but we don’t recommend drilling the lock yourself, as the lock can cost more to replace than calling a locksmith to just pick the lock to open it, and if you over drill, you can melt the metal which makes it much harder for you or a even a locksmith to open the door. If you have a smart key deadbolt that’s locked, you can’t pick it because there are wafers inside, not pins, so you’ll need to call a local Winter Garden locksmith to come unlock the door.

House lockout pricing varies greatly because it very much depends on the types of locks and even the door. If it’s a huge door that’s very thick and has smart lock that costs thousands on it, it’s going to cost more to open if it needs anything more than picking. Additionally, if the locksmith must unlock first a storm door and then the front door, it’ll also cost more than one lock of course. However, if only the doorknob is locked for example, it can be a very cheap house lockout service as doorknobs are easier to open than deadbolts. House lockout pricing at Standby Locksmith starts at $75, and we always provide accurate pricing before starting the job, as well as receipts.