Questions & answers
Straight Answers, Before You Call
Everything I get asked most often — about licensing, lockouts, rekeying, car keys and what things cost. If your question isn't here, call me and ask it directly.
(559) 862-5852Credentials and how I work
About me and my license
Are you licensed and insured?
Yes. I hold California locksmith license #LCO6853, issued by the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services, and I carry insurance. You can verify the license yourself on the BSIS website before I ever arrive, and I'm happy to show you the physical card at the door.
If a locksmith won't give you a license number, that on its own is a reason to hang up.
Am I speaking to the person who'll do the work?
Yes. The Caring Locksmith is a one-man, family-owned business. The number you call rings my phone, and I'm the one who turns up. There's no dispatcher, no call center and no subcontractor.
How long have you been a locksmith?
More than seven years on the tools, working across residential, commercial and automotive jobs throughout Clovis, Fresno, Sanger and Madera.
Do I have to prove the property or vehicle is mine?
Yes, every time, without exception. For a vehicle I'll need registration, title or insurance in your name plus photo ID. For a home I'll need ID showing that address, or something equivalent like a lease or a utility bill.
It takes half a minute, and it's the same rule that stops anyone else getting into your car or your house.
Getting help now
Lockouts and emergencies
Are you really available 24 hours?
Yes. Lockouts don't keep office hours, so neither do I. A good share of my calls come in late at night from people standing next to a locked car, and that's exactly the call I'm set up to take.
How quickly can you get to me?
It depends on where I am and where you are. Rather than advertise a number I can't keep, I'll give you an honest arrival time when we speak — and if I'm too far away to be useful, I'll tell you that instead of taking the job.
Will you damage my door or my car getting in?
No. Non-destructive entry is the whole point of calling a locksmith rather than forcing it yourself. In the rare case where a lock genuinely can't be opened without drilling — a seized or high-security cylinder, for example — I'll explain that before I start, along with what it will cost to put right.
I'm locked out and I don't have my wallet on me. Can you still come?
Tell me on the phone. I take card, cash, check, Zelle, Cash App and Venmo, so there's usually a way to sort it out. What I can't do is skip the ownership check — but that can often be satisfied with documents inside the house or car once we're in.
Homes
Residential locks and rekeying
What does rekeying actually mean?
I change the pins inside your existing lock so it works with a new key and every old key stops working. The lock stays on the door — only its internals change.
It's the right move after buying a house, after a tenant moves out, or when a key goes missing. It's faster and cheaper than replacing hardware.
Should I rekey or replace my locks?
If the hardware is sound, rekey. If the lock is worn, damaged, or you want to move up a security grade, replace. I'll tell you which one you actually need — if rekeying will do the job, I'm not going to sell you new locks.
Can all my doors use the same key?
Usually, yes — provided the locks share a compatible keyway. Where they don't, I can either rekey the compatible ones and replace the odd one out, or set up a proper master key system so one key opens everything while each door keeps its own key too.
What grade of lock should I put on my front door?
Locks are graded 1 to 3, with Grade 1 the strongest. For a family home I'd put a solid deadbolt on every exterior door as the baseline — that does more for your security than an expensive knob ever will. I'll walk you through the options for your doors.
Can you fix a lock, or does it need replacing?
I'll assess it first. Sticking, stiffness and misalignment are often repairs, not replacements, and a repair usually costs less. If the lock is beyond saving I'll say so and show you why.
Do you install smart locks and keypads?
Yes — keypad locks, smart deadbolts, fob and card readers and fingerprint locks, for homes and businesses. I'll also tell you honestly where a smart lock is a bad fit for a particular door.
Vehicles
Car keys and ignitions
Can you make a car key if I've lost every copy?
Yes. With the make, model, year and VIN I can originate a key from scratch, cut it to the manufacturer's code and program it to the vehicle where it's parked. You don't need an existing key to copy.
Do you program key fobs and push-to-start vehicles?
Yes — remote fobs, flip keys and proximity fobs. A small number of makes and model years restrict programming to dealer-only equipment. Give me the year and model on the phone and I'll confirm before driving out, rather than charging you to find out.
Is a locksmith cheaper than the dealership?
Usually, and it's almost always faster, because there's no tow and no appointment. Call with your year and model, get a firm number from me, and compare it against the dealer quote yourself.
My key turns but the car won't start. What's wrong?
Most often the transponder chip or the immobilizer isn't being recognized, but a worn ignition cylinder can cause the same symptom. I can test the key, the chip and the cylinder at the vehicle and tell you which it is, rather than replacing parts on a guess.
Businesses
Commercial work
What is a master key system?
One key that opens every lock in the building, while each door also keeps its own individual key. A manager carries the master; staff carry keys that open only what they need.
It's the standard approach for offices, clinics, schools and multi-unit buildings. I design the system, cut the keys and install or rekey the hardware.
Can you stop staff copying our keys?
Yes — with restricted or patent-protected keyways. Those blanks aren't sold to the public and can't be duplicated at a hardware store or a kiosk. Copies come from me, with your authorization.
Do you service safes and vaults?
Yes — installation, opening, combination changes, repairs and relocation, for home safes through to commercial vaults and ATMs.
Money
Pricing and payment
Do you charge just to come out and look?
I give estimates over the phone at no charge. Tell me what's happened and what hardware you've got, and I'll give you a price before I set out. If I need to see it in person to be sure, I'll tell you that too.
Why can't you publish a fixed price list?
Because the same job description can be two very different jobs. Rekeying three cylinders on a modern deadbolt isn't the same work as three seized locks on an old rental. A key for a 2004 pickup isn't a key for a 2024 SUV.
So instead of a list that would be wrong half the time, you get a real number on the phone from the person doing the work — and that number is what you pay.
Is there a discount for new customers?
Yes — 10% off for first-time customers. Mention it when you call and I'll take it off the quote before I set out.
How can I pay?
Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, debit, cash, check, Zelle, Cash App and Venmo. Whatever's easiest at the time.
Is the phone quote the final price?
Yes, as long as what I find matches what you described. If I get there and the job turns out to be different — a lock that's been forced, or a vehicle that's a different year than you thought — I'll stop, explain, and give you the new number before I do the work. You can always say no.
Still not sure?
Call and ask. I'd rather spend two minutes on the phone telling you that you don't need a locksmith than have you pay for a visit you didn't need.