Do You Need a Locksmith or a Joiner? How to Tell
Symptoms that are definitely a locksmith
Key will not turn, key snapped, key lost, lock spins freely, bolt will not throw, keypad dead, you want the locks rekeyed. All of those are cylinder or key problems. The dividing line is simple. Cylinder and key faults, including a snapped key in the plug, are ours; so is a door that no longer latches.
If the key or the cylinder is the problem, it is a locksmith. If the door, the frame or the hinges are the problem, it can be either, a locksmith handles alignment and strike work, a joiner handles a rotten frame or a warped slab. Describing the symptom on the phone settles it in a minute.
Symptoms that are borderline
Door will not latch, needs shouldering, drags on the threshold, or has dropped. A locksmith fixes these when the cause is alignment, and it usually is. If the timber has rotted or the slab has warped, it is joinery.
Why it saves you money to say the symptom, not the diagnosis
“My lock is broken” gets you a locksmith with a lock. “I have to lift the door to lock it” gets you a locksmith with a screwdriver, an hour of labour and no new hardware.
Who to call
| Symptom | Who |
|---|---|
| Key snapped or lost | Locksmith |
| Lock spins, bolt will not throw | Locksmith |
| Need locks rekeyed | Locksmith |
| Door must be shouldered to lock | Locksmith, alignment |
| Frame rotten or slab warped | Joiner |
| Door damaged in a break-in | Locksmith first, joiner if the jamb is beyond repair |
The Short Version
- Describe the symptom, not your diagnosis.
- Most latching problems are alignment, which is locksmith work.
- Rot and warping are joinery.
Questions People Also Ask
Locked out, or want a straight price before anyone drives out? Call Locksmith Master Boone on (828) 532-7594. Insured, price agreed on the phone, no fix no fee. Or describe it, get priced.