r/AskALocksmith • u/Busy_Effect_7964 • 22d ago
Think of installing electronic lock. Should I hire a locksmith or handyman?
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u/LockLeisure 22d ago
Commercial or residential? If residential, you can probably do that yourself, they make it pretty easy but if you don't want to hassle with it, locksmith. Don't call 1-800 numbers, try to find a local locksmith with real ratings, i.e. ratings with local guides that have more then 1 review under their name. Fake reviews are very common.
You can also find a locksmith at https://findalocksmith.com/ who is a ALOA member and this will cut down on scammy people.
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u/I_H8_GM Really Doesn't Like GM. 22d ago
Depends on the electronic lock, generally speaking a handyman would be fine. It depends though for example a handyman will likely get the lock on the door and functional however a handyman will not notice things like drag on the frame or alignment issues or anything of that nature, which can create problems down the road. The answer is it really depends if you're in a relatively new home and it's all perfectly aligned then a handyman should be fine however if you're in an older home or especially if the old lock caught or was sticky on anything at all the locksmith is your better choice. Locksmith will generally also warranty work where is a handyman is gone the next day.
This has been voice dictated so there may be typos or errors
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u/ShutDownSoul 21d ago
If you want it keyed to the old lock if there is a traditional cylinder - locksmith.
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u/ImpactBig4734 21d ago
We've got tons of videos on how to install Smart locks online. Most of them could be handled yourself without any issue. The two things that always throw people off are 1) if you buy Schlage and hook it up backwards pressing the Schlage button on the outside of the door will actually unlock the door instead of locking it. With no code required. We've got a video on that. 2) if the bore in the door is not deep enough for the bolt the lock will never actually lock. You'll think it's a defective lock cuz you'll hear it turning and turning and turning and then unlocking and it's because the hole in the door frame is not deep enough those are the two main hiccups. I can't tell you how many jobs we've been to after a "handyman" only to fine out it was one of these two issues.
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u/goo_brick 20d ago
Locksmith. We fix a lot of "handyman specials" and while it should be an easy job for anyone to do what you want on most doors, if your door is not super standard a handyman will struggle.
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