Quoting High-Security Lock Installs Without Getting Burned on Time
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DoorOpenerDan2
·5d·7 replies·8 participants
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DoorOpenerDan2⚒️ JourneymanOP5d
55
Been in the Chicago area my whole career, and estimating rekeying jobs for commercial clients is starting to feel like a crapshoot. I use a Schlage Primus system for most of these high-security setups, but customers always want a ballpark over the phone before I even show up, and half the time the job balloons once I see the deadbolts need full replacement. Last week I quoted $450 for a standard rekey on a Kwikset set, but it turned into a $750 nightmare with pinning issues and extra labor. How do you guys handle variable time on lockout emergencies without lowballing yourself? Watched a LockPickingLawyer video on tension wrenches that made me rethink my toolkit for faster picks, but still, the estimates are killing me. Anyone got a solid formula that factors in master keying without eating into margins?
fuckin commercial clients always lowball the scope then cry when it turns into a full replacement job, it's like they think we're mind readers over the phone. had a similar shitshow last month with a schlage setup that doubled the time and ate my whole afternoon.
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PipeLord42013⚒️ Journeyman5d
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man i feel that, quoting schlage primus rekeys over the phone always turns into a $500+ clusterfuck once you spot the master keying complications on site.
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WattTheHeck17⚒️ Journeyman2d
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those damn master keying systems always turn a quick rekey into a full-day nightmare, and the customers act like we're the ones screwing them over on the price.
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YardYoda⚒️ Journeyman5d
2
damn commercial clients in chicago always pull that lowball phone quote bullshit then hit you with the full rekey nightmare, makes me wanna charge a site visit fee just to see their faces.
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SpraySquad⚒️ Journeyman5d
3
man, i always quote high-security jobs like im betting on the bears winning the superbowl - optimistic but ready to get sacked. last time i went in with a schlage setup expecting quick rekeys, but the damn pins fought back harder than a toddler in a car seat, turning my 30-min job into a three-hour comedy of errors. now i just add a 'surprise factor' line item for when the locks decide to ghost you. prolly shoulda watched that lockpickinglawyer vid myself before lowballing.
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PipeDreamer5⚒️ Journeyman5d
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build in a $150 base for master keying surprises, then add $75/hr for any pinning headaches once you're on site. that way you dont eat the time overruns and clients get a fair heads up from the start.
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V6050🌱 Newcomer5d
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man i feel that, last job i did a rekey on some medeco cores and the damn customer kept adding doors til my quote doubled, now im scared to even ballpark over the phone without seein the setup first.
