No Alberta recession for locksmiths

[From The Hip]

I had my lock go the other night and after a bit of effort I got into my house.I switched out the dead lock inside of 10 minutes and then decided to not only replace it with something new I wanted to get a deadbolt installed.

I called a bunch of ads on Kijiji and went with the best quote.I was told $83 to install a deadbolt.After confirming I get a text from the guy who is actually going to do the install.I confirm with him that it is a metal exterior door that did not have a deadbolt and I specifically mentioned the quote of $83.

Well 5 minutes later I get a call asking what the problem was.I once again stated that I wanted a deadbolt installed.The guy clues in that there is no existing deadbolt and holes must be drilled and he then says it will cost $196 + GST.I told him to pound sand and also mentioned that there is a recession on.He was oblivious to what I said and said "good luck".

I ended up having the "handyman" who has done numerous projects for me do the install.It took an hour and it cost me $45 of which $15 went to paying for a replacement hole saw that got buggered.

As for $83 to "replace" a defective deadbolt that is ridiculous as it is just 2 screws and 10 minutes to do it.

Some people just dont get that they cant hang you upside down and shake money out of you in Alberta now.

FTH

[3blade]

Time, transport, tools, carbon tax....it all adds up. House calls for anything aren't cheap anymore.

Agree though, we haven't seen much price correction in the market.

[hal53]

Originally Posted by 3blade

Time, transport, tools, carbon tax....it all adds up. House calls for anything aren't cheap anymore.

Agree though, we haven't seen much price correction in the market.

All those were figured into the original quote, which means it was going to cost $113.00 to drill a couple holes...

[From The Hip]

Originally Posted by 3blade

Time, transport, tools, carbon tax....it all adds up. House calls for anything aren't cheap anymore.

Agree though, we haven't seen much price correction in the market.

Yes all of those are relevant but seriously $196 + GST for an hour of labour is just rediculous.

This reminded me of when I got my sidewalk replaced in 2010.Economy was in the crapper and I got quotes for 25 feet of sidewalk that used 3 cubic meters of concrete and the quotes were on the high side of $4000 and the low side of $2500.I managed to find a guy who wanted $1400 for a days labour and he also picked up 4 other jobs on the same block.He and his crew spent 3 days prepping everything and then poured 5 sidewalks in a day.He was happy and he made money and he got 4 extra jobs out of it because he did not want to bend over people and screw them.

Just my .02

FTH

[bat119]

-32 the other day the deadbolt on my garage snapped the key would turn around 360 degrees... useless. All my tools are inside, I went to a buddies borrowed a grinder with some cut off discs it wasn't pretty but it worked installed a new deadbolt in about 15 Mins.

[averagejoe]

LOL, There is your problem, ads off of Kijiji. Most likely scammers that will raise the cost after they do the work and then threaten you until you pay.

Here is where you find REAL locksmiths in your area and get their info so you can just look them up in your contacts instead of getting scammers.

[MAC]

Originally Posted by From The Hip

I had my lock go the other night and after a bit of effort I got into my house.I switched out the dead lock inside of 10 minutes and then decided to not only replace it with something new I wanted to get a deadbolt installed.

I called a bunch of ads on Kijiji and went with the best quote.I was told $83 to install a deadbolt.After confirming I get a text from the guy who is actually going to do the install.I confirm with him that it is a metal exterior door that did not have a deadbolt and I specifically mentioned the quote of $83.

Well 5 minutes later I get a call asking what the problem was.I once again stated that I wanted a deadbolt installed.The guy clues in that there is no existing deadbolt and holes must be drilled and he then says it will cost $196 + GST.I told him to pound sand and also mentioned that there is a recession on.He was oblivious to what I said and said "good luck".

I ended up having the "handyman" who has done numerous projects for me do the install.It took an hour and it cost me $45 of which $15 went to paying for a replacement hole saw that got buggered.

As for $83 to "replace" a defective deadbolt that is ridiculous as it is just 2 screws and 10 minutes to do it.

Some people just dont get that they cant hang you upside down and shake money out of you in Alberta now.

FTH

45.00 for an hours work. 15.00 for the saw blade. so he worked for 30.00
for the hour he was there, not counting the time it took to get to you or the fuel or insurance on his vehicle and hopefully liability insurance.
Hope you did not tip him, minimum wage should be enough.

MAC

[Mackinaw]

Originally Posted by From The Hip

I had my lock go the other night and after a bit of effort I got into my house.I switched out the dead lock inside of 10 minutes and then decided to not only replace it with something new I wanted to get a deadbolt installed.

I called a bunch of ads on Kijiji and went with the best quote.I was told $83 to install a deadbolt.After confirming I get a text from the guy who is actually going to do the install.I confirm with him that it is a metal exterior door that did not have a deadbolt and I specifically mentioned the quote of $83.

Well 5 minutes later I get a call asking what the problem was.I once again stated that I wanted a deadbolt installed.The guy clues in that there is no existing deadbolt and holes must be drilled and he then says it will cost $196 + GST.I told him to pound sand and also mentioned that there is a recession on.He was oblivious to what I said and said "good luck".

I ended up having the "handyman" who has done numerous projects for me do the install.It took an hour and it cost me $45 of which $15 went to paying for a replacement hole saw that got buggered.

As for $83 to "replace" a defective deadbolt that is ridiculous as it is just 2 screws and 10 minutes to do it.

Some people just dont get that they cant hang you upside down and shake money out of you in Alberta now.

FTH

If the job was so easy why did you not do it yourself???????

Mack

[Newview01]

Please, don't compare a handyman to an experienced tradesman.

The saying "a jack of all trades but a master at none" is usually true.

[HyperMOA]

Originally Posted by Newview01

Please, don't compare a handyman to an experienced tradesman.

The saying "a jack of all trades but a master at none" is usually true.

True, but is a true craftsman or tradesman needed to mount a dead-bolt? Do you need an electrician to change a light bulb? Or a plumber to change a tap? Some jobs a handyman is more than qualified for.

[Newview01]

Originally Posted by HyperMOA

True, but is a true craftsman or tradesman needed to mount a dead-bolt? Do you need an electrician to change a light bulb? Or a plumber to change a tap? Some jobs a handyman is more than qualified for.

True.

[JB_AOL]

I see nothing wrong with the $196 Estimate. Would I pay it? Nope. I know how to use a tool or two.

But 1 hour travel time, + one hour labour + tools + mileage. $196 is not really a stretch.

[Mackinaw]

Originally Posted by HyperMOA

True, but is a true craftsman or tradesman needed to mount a dead-bolt? Do you need an electrician to change a light bulb? Or a plumber to change a tap? Some jobs a handyman is more than qualified for.

Chances are the handyman will not have the best of tools, insurance to cover the replacement of your door when hole is drilled wrong or floods your house when he changes your tap. I will give you the light bulb change unless of course he falls off the ladder as sues you...☺

Mack

[HyperMOA]

Originally Posted by Mackinaw

Chances are the handyman will not have the best of tools, insurance to cover the replacement of your door when hole is drilled wrong or floods your house when he changes your tap. I will give you the light bulb change unless of course he falls off the ladder as sues you...☺

Mack

The chances are that a handyman does have the tools and he did. The handyman didn't need to change the door because he did it correctly because he recognizes its not a complex job and outside his scope of work. I'm not even a handyman and I could do that job 100 times without changing a single door.

Who says he doesn't have insurance? Many handyman services are insured.

You obviously have never changed a tap before. No he wouldn't flood your house. If the tap leaked he would turn the water valve off. If he somehow broke that he would know where to shut the water main off. After that he would repair the valve and life would carry on as usual. This isn't rocket science, its a tap.

[ArtG]

Originally Posted by Newview01

Please, don't compare a handyman to an experienced tradesman.

The saying "a jack of all trades but a master at none" is usually true.

Wonder if it is the same trademan who build our condo.... cause my god I'll take the handyman any day of the week.

Last trade man I dealt with told me my hard wood floor is popping because of low humidity

[JBE]

Everyone wants top dollar wages but not willing to pay someone top
wages for their job

[MAC]

Originally Posted by ArtG

Wonder if it is the same trademan who build our condo.... cause my god I'll take the handyman any day of the week.

Last trade man I dealt with told me my hard wood floor is popping because of low humidity

Hardwood expands and contracts with humidity levels. What is your floor doing.
Popping does not explain much. Installed floors have moved and shrunk significantly due to low moisture levels.

MAC

[fitzy]

Originally Posted by MAC

Hardwood expands and contracts with humidity levels. What is your floor doing.
Popping does not explain much. Installed floors have moved and shrunk significantly due to low moisture levels.

MAC

Yeah this doesn't sound to far fetched. It's why it needs to be looked after.

[HyperMOA]

Originally Posted by ArtG

Wonder if it is the same trademan who build our condo.... cause my god I'll take the handyman any day of the week.

Last trade man I dealt with told me my hard wood floor is popping because of low humidity

Not sure of the actual problem but he is quite possibly correct.

[whiteout]

Originally Posted by ArtG

Wonder if it is the same trademan who build our condo.... cause my god I'll take the handyman any day of the week.

Last trade man I dealt with told me my hard wood floor is popping because of low humidity

Ummmm, poor humidity does have a negative effect on hardwood. Doesn't matter if it's a floor or furniture

[HyperMOA]

Originally Posted by Mackinaw

If the job was so easy why did you not do it yourself???????

Mack

Possibly he does not own the 2 hole-saws required. Those saws would cost roughly what the individual charged.

[HyperMOA]

Originally Posted by MAC

It was never about how hard it is to install a deadbolt

MAC

Well, actually at the beginning, Mackinaw posted this comment below.

Originally Posted by Mackinaw

If the job was so easy why did you not do it yourself???????

Mack

To which I replied with this comment below.

Originally Posted by HyperMOA

Possibly he does not own the 2 hole-saws required. Those saws would cost roughly what the individual charged.

Which then turned into a discussion about how complicated mounting a deadbolt was. Then I was called a shoemaker, I think.

[coreya3212]

What kind of shoes?

[HyperMOA]

Originally Posted by coreya3212

What kind of shoes?

Not too sure. Probably pretty crappy shoes. I may be able to mount a deadbolt, but making you shoes is a venture I best stay away from.

They may be considered some form of abstract art, possibly people would talk about my tortured soul, and what-not. It may just make me rich.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by Mackinaw

If the job was so easy why did you not do it yourself???????

Mack

Yup, you call me to come to your place to do a job that is so easy to do well I will tell ya from a business standpoint there are costs involved to get me there or like the one fella said,,,good luck.

[Okotokian]

Originally Posted by From The Hip

I ended up having the "handyman" who has done numerous projects for me do the install.It took an hour and it cost me $45 of which $15 went to paying for a replacement hole saw that got buggered.

I suspect your "handyman" (obviously not a "locksmith") did it for you as a favour, given you throw him other work (and you paid for the saw blade HE wrecked?) . Does anyone seriously think any company is going to have trucks, insurance, etc, drive to your place, work for an hour, and then drive back, for $30?

I paid a young man who was a friend of my son $15 an hour to paint my fence. I don't expect a professional painting company to do it for that.

My question is, in this recession when money must be super tight for you, why didn't you do it yourself? It' easy. heck, even I've done it before.

[Dewey Cox]

How many outdoorsmen does it take to change a dead bolt?

[From The Hip]

The un-employment rate in Calgary is north of 10% in fact Calgary has the highest rate of un-employment in Canada with regards to large City's.

That being said you would think a LOT of people would be HAPPY to get any kind of work that pays $30+ an hour right now them being ticketed trades or not.

The inflated wages that fed the oil sector since 2001 to 2013 just have not gone away and those people have not taken their collective heads out of the sand and woken up to the new reality(though a lot of those people have been laid off)......there are no "Ralph Bucks" coming anytime soon.The only thing that sucks worse than having a job is looking for one.

Yes I could have installed the deadbolt but I lacked the proper tools.....that does not mean I should get jacked for more than double the cost due to poor communications or the willingness of somebody to screw me over.

FTH

[Dewey Cox]

Originally Posted by From The Hip

The un-employment rate in Calgary is north of 10% in fact Calgary has the highest rate of un-employment in Canada with regards to large City's.

That being said you would think a LOT of people would be HAPPY to get any kind of work that pays $30+ an hour right now them being ticketed trades or not.

The inflated wages that fed the oil sector since 2001 to 2013 just have not gone away and those people have not taken their collective heads out of the sand and woken up to the new reality(though a lot of those people have been laid off)......there are no "Ralph Bucks" coming anytime soon.The only thing that sucks worse than having a job is looking for one.

Yes I could have installed the deadbolt but I lacked the proper tools.....that does not mean I should get jacked for more than double the cost due to poor communications or the willingness of somebody to screw me over.

FTH

Making $30/hr, and doing an hour job for $30 are not the same thing.

[MAC]

Originally Posted by From The Hip

The un-employment rate in Calgary is north of 10% in fact Calgary has the highest rate of un-employment in Canada with regards to large City's.

That being said you would think a LOT of people would be HAPPY to get any kind of work that pays $30+ an hour right now them being ticketed trades or not.

The inflated wages that fed the oil sector since 2001 to 2013 just have not gone away and those people have not taken their collective heads out of the sand and woken up to the new reality(though a lot of those people have been laid off)......there are no "Ralph Bucks" coming anytime soon.The only thing that sucks worse than having a job is looking for one.

Yes I could have installed the deadbolt but I lacked the proper tools.....that does not mean I should get jacked for more than double the cost due to poor communications or the willingness of somebody to screw me over.

FTH

Lets all bend over for From the hip, he gets to decide what everyone gets paid on his opinion. You will get anyone on cash corner to work for you, some of them well qualified. NOt joking some are good trades.

However, I am a general contractor and if you want me to do it, you will need to wait in line with all my other customers. Never worked for the oil industry and not out of work here in Calgary, grateful for what I have.
Once and for all please get that some companys- Contractor-Qualified trade CANNOT do the work for less than a minimum due to operating costs, regardless of how you feel I should be grateful for your 45.00 Freaking dollars`.

And for what its worth as a carpenter about 16 years ago, I was busy 2 months straight every year for several years around the christmas season doing nothing but, jambs, doors, locksets and deadsbolts because of break ins. WHY I was good at it and my employer at the time felt I was the best at it. So its not without exact knowledge that I speak from.
I think I could have done it in half the time. Would you think I was entilted to 15.00 dollars for the half hour.
Sorry for the rant but I am fed up with customers questioning what they think I should be grateful for their crumbs, when they have not actual clue to what is involved.
Want a quick deadbolt installed by all means call the handyman. Dont complain about a full service trade with overhead when he cant compete with a guy in a 93 astro van with a hammer.

MAC