A late-night call, a botched installation, and why the first locksmith you find isn't always the right one
The half-inch that changes everything
Most residential doors are 1¾ inches thick — the standard. Most locks sold at hardware stores are built to that exact measurement. Our customer's door was 2¼ inches thick. That half inch doesn't sound like much. In locksmithing, it's everything.
A standard lock on a non-standard door won't seat correctly, won't turn cleanly, and ultimately won't actually lock. Any trained locksmith knows this. The first thing you do when you arrive at a job is assess the door — you look at it, you measure it, you determine what you're working with before you ever open your toolbox.
What the other locksmith did instead
He skipped the assessment. He had standard locks. He assumed a standard door — and when reality didn't cooperate, he reached for his drill. He drilled until the hardware was in the door in some mechanical sense of the word. Then he packed up and left.
Night fell. And our customer couldn't lock her front door.
The call center problem
Many people don't realize that when they search "locksmith near me" and call the first number that comes up, they may not be reaching a local locksmith at all. They're often reaching a call center — sometimes out of state —which dispatches whoever is available, not whoever is qualified. These services aren't vetting credentials or experience. They're filling a slot.
Before you let anyone touch your door, ask two questions
1. Where are you located? A legitimate local locksmith has a local number. A toll-free or out-of-area number is a red flag.
2.How long have you been in business? A real professional answers without hesitation. If they get evasive or vague — hang up and move on.
How Mike fixed it
Mike arrived with a thick door kit in his truck. We keep them on hand specifically for moments like this — because in this business, you learn quickly that you'll be called to undo someone else's damage as often as you're called for a clean installation. Preparation is a professional standard, not an accident.
With the proper kit, he correctly seated the lock hardware, secured the door, and restored both the function and the appearance of the installation. It's not as good as if it had been done right the first time — damaged wood tells its own story. But our customer went to sleep that night her door locked.
Our customer paid twice for this lock installation.
Once to the person dispatched to her door. Once to us — late at night — to fix it. You should know what you're getting before anyone touches your door.
Free consultations. Free estimates. 100% guarantee on labor and materials.
No surprises. No shortcuts. No drilling what doesn't need drilling.
Proudly serving the DMV — a real local business with real local numbers
Let Mike’s Locksmith Make It Easy
We have professional experience in designing and installing low-budget access control systems for homes, offices, and rental properties. If you need a single keypad or a full multi-door system, we will guide you through your options and see that it is properly installed.
Contact us today to arrange a free consultation. Access control is no longer the preserve of the big firms—it's open to anyone who values security and convenience.
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