Emergency lockouts in Vancouver
For the side of the door you did not want to be on.
Tell us what is locked and where you are. You get the method and the number before any work begins. In almost every case, the lock you already owned is still on the door.
House, car or shop. The door changes, the lockout does not.
Locked out of a house, condo or basement suite
Deadbolts, knobs and lever sets on houses, condo unit doors, laneway homes and suites, picked or bypassed where the lock allows it. See home lockout for the detail.
Locked out of a car in a driveway, a parkade or on the street
Keys on the seat, in the trunk, or a fob that stopped talking to the car. Entry goes through the points that suit the vehicle. See car lockout.
Locked out of a shop, office or storage unit after closing
Storefront mortise cylinders, office suite doors, roll-up shutters and storage lockers. Commercial hardware is expensive and frequently on order, which is a practical reason as well as a principled one to open it rather than destroy it.
Proving the door is yours is part of every emergency lockout.
It is the part of the job that protects you. A locksmith who opens doors without asking is a locksmith who will open yours for somebody else.
ID that matches the address, or another way to show you live there
A driver's licence with the matching address settles it immediately. Failing that, mail addressed to you at the property, a tenancy agreement or a mortgage statement on your phone.
Papers that tie you to the car
Registration or insurance matched to your photo ID is the usual proof, but it is not always visible. When you call, we ask the make, model and colour and talk through other options.
A lease, a business card or a manager's call for a commercial lockout
For a business door, a lease, a business card, a payroll stub or a phone call from the owner or manager. For a leased suite in a managed building, the property manager can authorize it directly.
What happens when your ID is on the other side of the locked door
Not a dead end. Tell us when you call and we will say what works instead: a neighbour or landlord to vouch for you, documents in your email, or a utility account on your phone.
Between the call and the knock, a few things help.
Keep your phone line open
We may need you for a buzzer code, a gate, a parkade level or an address with three entrances. A phone that goes to voicemail is the most common cause of delay.
Leave the lock alone
This one costs money. A card at the latch, a screwdriver in the cylinder or a shoulder to the door can turn a simple pick into a split frame and a larger bill.
Asking a roommate, concierge or neighbour about a spare first
Worth ninety seconds before you pay for anything. Spare keys live in more places than people remember: a partner's bag, a neighbour, a concierge desk, a realtor's lockbox still on the gate.
Standing where the locksmith can see both you and the door
Particularly at night and particularly in a building with several entrances. If you have gone somewhere warm to wait, tell us where.
What changes the price of an emergency lockout call.
Starting figures are on the price guide.
See starting pricesWhether it is a house, a car or a commercial lockout
Three different tool sets and three different amounts of care. A vehicle takes longer than a residential knob and less than a high-security storefront cylinder.
A standard cylinder, a high-security keyway or an electronic lock
A common residential deadbolt opens without much trouble. A cylinder built specifically to resist picking does not, and that is the point of it.
Evening, weekend or holiday timing
Evening and weekend lockouts are by appointment. The hour the call lands in is usually the largest single factor. See after-hours for how that works.
Whether you want a rekey once the lockout is over
Optional, and much less costly done in the same visit than as a second call-out. Worth it if the keys are genuinely lost rather than indoors.
Lockout questions that come up between the call and the open door.
Can you open a door with a key still in the inside of the lock?
Usually yes. An inside key blocks a pick on many locks, but bypass methods work around it. Mention it when you call, because it changes which tools we bring.
What if I am locked out of my car with the engine running?
If a child or a pet is inside, call 911 first. Either way, tell us straight away. A running car is a fuel, exhaust and theft problem, and it moves you up the list.
Can you open a storage locker or a padlock when the key is gone?
Usually, with proof the locker is yours and, at a commercial facility, the site manager's say-so. Many padlocks open without damage. On low-cost ones, we will tell you when cutting and replacing costs less.
Can you cut me a spare key before you leave?
Yes, on the van. It is the single best thing to do at the end of a lockout, and it costs a fraction of the call you just made.
Do you open sliding patio doors and gates?
Yes. Sliding doors, balcony doors, side gates and lane gates all get opened, though a patio latch is often an alignment problem rather than a lock one. See patio door locks.
Picks and bypass tools first. The drill comes last.
Picking the cylinder on a home or business lockout
Picks and tension tools working the same pins your key lifts. A picked lock normally works exactly as before, with the same keys.
Reaching the latch on a car lockout without marking the paint
Air wedges and long-reach tools at the access points that suit the vehicle, chosen to avoid the airbag wiring, the side sensors and the weatherseal. A scratched pillar costs more to put right than the lockout did.
Bypassing a latch or lever without scarring the door face
Where a spring latch or a loose-fitting door allows it, the latch is reached directly. It takes less time than picking and touches the lock even less.
Drilling only with your go-ahead
Some cylinders beat picking. Then you hear why, what gets destroyed, the replacement and the total. Say no and we stop. Say yes and it is replaced, that visit if we carry a match.
929 Drake Street, Vancouver.
The Vancouver Locksmith Ltd. · 929 Drake St, Vancouver, BC V6Z 2P2 · 778-655-1957. The shop is not open yet. Until it is, the van comes to you, anywhere in the Lower Mainland. Evenings, weekends and holidays are by appointment.
Tell us what is going on, and we'll price it first.
Call, book online or ask for a callback. You will have the method and the number before any work begins.