We hear the same questions from Richmond residents and business owners every week — about lockouts at City Centre condos, strata building rules, Canada Line-area security concerns, Steveston heritage lock upgrades, and how to avoid bait-and-switch operators. Here they are, answered plainly. If yours isn't here, call us: 604-332-2291.
Covering lockouts, pricing, car keys, smart locks, rekeying, Canada Line condo strata rules, and how we work across Richmond.
Our average arrival across Richmond is around 20 minutes. That covers central areas like City Centre, Brighouse, and East Cambie well. If you're in Steveston at the south end of the city or out on Sea Island near the airport, add a few minutes depending on traffic and the time of day. We'll give you a real ETA when you call — not a vague window that leaves you standing on a doorstep.
Yes. We operate 24/7, seven days a week, including holidays. If you call 604-332-2291 at 2 am on a Tuesday night after a late shift, a person answers and we dispatch. Richmond's City Centre highrises, Brighouse apartments, and Steveston rental homes don't only have lockouts during business hours.
Stay somewhere safe and visible — a Canada Line station lobby, an Aberdeen Centre or Lansdowne mall entrance during hours, a neighbour's doorway if it's late, or inside a well-lit parkade stairwell. Don't try to force the lock — you'll damage the cylinder and increase the job cost. Have your ID ready so we can verify you're the resident or vehicle owner. For car lockouts at Richmond Centre or a residential parkade, stay near your vehicle but clear of traffic lanes.
Almost never. For most residential lockouts — standard deadbolts, lever sets, common strata-approved cylinders — a licensed technician picks or bypasses the lock without destroying it. Drilling is a last resort, used only when a lock is already damaged, fully seized, or when there's no other safe entry method. We'll tell you upfront if drilling looks necessary and what it costs before we start.
A standard residential lockout runs somewhere in the range of $80–$150 depending on the lock type, time of day, and location within Richmond. After-hours calls (nights, weekends, holidays) carry a service premium, which we quote on the phone before dispatch. There are no hidden fees — the number we say on the call is the number on the invoice. Car lockouts in Richmond parkades are similar; high-security or newer vehicle platforms can run higher.
We quote a single all-in price on the phone. That quote includes arrival, labour, and any standard parts for the job described. If the job turns out to be more complex once the tech is on-site — a seized lock that needs drilling, or a vehicle that needs a secondary bypass — we'll let you know before continuing. You're never surprised at the end.
We accept credit and debit cards, cash, and e-transfer. Payment is collected on completion of the job. We don't require a deposit for standard service calls, though large commercial or multi-door projects may require a partial deposit agreed in writing beforehand.
In most Richmond strata buildings — including the dense towers along No. 3 Road and the Brighouse and City Centre developments — yes, you can rekey the suite-side of your unit lock. Some buildings require strata-approved lock brands or cylinders to maintain a master key system for the building operator. We can check what's installed, advise on what's permitted under common BC strata bylaws, and rekey accordingly. We handle this regularly in Richmond's City Centre and West Cambie strata properties.
Rekeying means we change the internal pins of your existing lock so old keys no longer work — only the new key does. The hardware stays. It's faster and cheaper than a full lock change, and it's the right call after a move, a lost key, or a tenancy change when the lock itself is in good shape.
A lock change means we remove the old hardware entirely and install a new lock. You'd choose this when the existing lock is worn, low-grade, or you want to upgrade to a higher-security deadbolt or a smart lock. Steveston heritage homes, for instance, sometimes have older hardware that's worth replacing entirely. Both jobs are same-day in Richmond.
For most makes and models, yes. We carry cutting and programming equipment in the truck for common domestic and import vehicles. Transponder keys (chip-in-the-key) and key fobs need programming to your car's ECU — we handle that on-site in Richmond parkades, driveways, or street-side across the city. Newer vehicles with advanced proximity keys may require a dealer step; we'll tell you honestly on the phone if that's your situation before we roll out.
Often, yes. Mobile automotive locksmiths typically come in well below dealer pricing for key cutting and programming. The exception is some late-model vehicles with manufacturer-locked programming that requires dealer equipment — but that's a minority of the fleet. Call us with your year, make, model, and VIN and we'll quote you a firm number on the spot. Read more on our car key replacement page.
In most cases, yes. Richmond's City Centre and Brighouse strata towers — particularly those built in the last decade along No. 3 Road and Alderbridge Way — typically have Schlage or Kwikset-prep bore patterns that accept most smart locks without modification. Steveston heritage homes may have non-standard door prep requiring minor work. We'll assess on arrival and let you know if any prep is needed before we start. For product guidance, see our smart lock installation page.
We work with most major brands — Schlage Encode, Yale Assure, August, Kwikset Halo, and Ultraloq are the ones we install most often. We stock a selection on the truck; if you want a specific model, let us know when you book and we'll confirm availability. We recommend based on your door prep, connectivity preferences (Wi-Fi vs. Z-Wave vs. Bluetooth), and budget — not a brand commission.
Yes. All our technicians hold valid BC Security Services Act licences for locksmithing. We carry liability insurance covering every job. If you want proof before we arrive — some commercial property managers and strata building operators in Richmond ask — we can send documentation by email. Call 604-332-2291 and ask dispatch.
A scam locksmith will quote $15–$35 on the phone, show up, claim the job is "high-security" or "complex," and present a bill for $300–$600 before leaving. Red flags: no physical business address, no licence number they'll share, price doubles after arrival, they can't show ID.
Our practice: we quote a firm price on the phone for the job described, we show ID on arrival, and we carry a BC Security licence. The number we quote is the number you pay — if anything changes on-site, we tell you before we continue. You can always call 604-332-2291 to verify a quote before committing.
Yes, we serve all of Steveston — Steveston Village, Garry Point area, Bayview, and the heritage home streets near the waterfront. Steveston is a regular part of our Richmond coverage. Arrival from central Richmond is typically 20–30 minutes depending on No. 2 Road traffic. We're familiar with the area's older heritage lock hardware and can advise on compatible upgrades if that's relevant to your job.
Mobile dispatch to every corner of the city — select your area for local detail.
Pick-, drill- and bump-resistant cylinders with keys that can’t be copied at the hardware store. Cut, pinned and registered in-shop.
Residential Security Container (RSC) burglary classification: a key-locked security container designed to provide entry…
Car keys are priced by vehicle. Pick what you need and we’ll collect your make, model & year to text you an exact quote.