Locked Out of Your Business Right Now?
It's usually quarter to seven in the morning when this call comes in. The opener's key snapped off in the deadbolt, or the back door lock seized overnight, and there are employees in the parking lot with customers on the way. Call (916) 969-8748 and tell us where you are; we'll quote the job before we pull out of Chadwicks.
We open commercial doors non-destructively whenever we can. Picking and bypassing come before drilling, and drilling only happens after we've explained why and you've said yes. Storefront lockouts start at $95, with the $39 service call credited toward the work, so the number you approve on the phone is the number on the receipt. That goes for offices and restaurants too.
What Should You Do When an Employee Leaves With a Key?
Rekey, don't replace. Rekeying keeps your existing hardware and changes the pins inside each cylinder so the old keys stop working. At $30 per cylinder plus the service call, it costs a fraction of new locks, and you'll have the full price for every door before we start turning screws.
This matters more than most owners think. A key that left with a former employee still works tonight, and next month. If you've had turnover and haven't rekeyed since, a ten-minute call will tell you exactly what it costs to close that gap.
Rekeying is also the cheap way to get one key working across all your doors. If the front door, the back door, and the office each take a different key, we can key them alike during the same visit.
Master Key Systems That Match How Your Building Works
A master key system gives you one key that opens every door while each employee's key opens only what it should. The manager carries the master. The cleaning crew's key opens the back door and the supply closet, and nothing else.
We design the system on paper before we cut anything, so you can see exactly who opens what. Small systems for a single storefront are common, and so are bigger ones for offices in Utica or New Hartford with a dozen doors. We keep the pinning chart on file afterward, which means adding a door or a new key later doesn't mean starting over. Pricing depends on your door count and hardware, and the complete quote is in your hands before any work begins.
Panic Bars, Exit Devices, and Fire Doors
We install and repair panic bars, the push-to-exit hardware on emergency doors. We're locksmiths, not code inspectors, so take this as practical experience rather than legal advice: fire marshals generally want an exit door to open from the inside in one motion, without a key. A chained or double-keyed exit door is exactly the kind of thing an inspection walk-through catches. Your inspector has the final say, but hardware that works the way it should makes that conversation easier.
If a bar sticks or won't latch, we can repair or replace it. We also install high-security cylinders that resist picking and bumping on the rear entries where break-ins actually happen, and we can set up basic access control, like keypad entry, for doors where keys keep walking off.
Why Businesses South of Utica Call Us First
We're based on Oneida St in Chadwicks, which makes us the only locksmith based south of New Hartford. If your shop is in Sauquoit, Clayville, Washington Mills, or Clinton, we're closer than anyone driving down from the city, and it shows in the arrival time.
Most local locksmiths keep weekday business hours. We answer nights, weekends, and holidays, because break-ins and frozen locks don't wait for Monday. Call (916) 969-8748 any hour. You'll get the exact price up front and an itemized receipt when the work is done, with no $19 bait ads and no surprise math in the parking lot.
Good to know
Common questions
How much does a commercial locksmith cost in Utica?
Lockouts start at $95 and rekeys at $30 per cylinder, both on top of a $39 service call that's credited toward the job. Lock replacement runs from $65 per lock plus hardware. The honest answer for your building takes a two-minute conversation, and you'll have the exact total before we dispatch. Call (916) 969-8748 and we'll price it on the spot.
Can you rekey my business instead of replacing the locks?
Yes, and it's usually the right call. Rekeying changes the pins inside your existing locks so old keys stop working, at $30 per cylinder plus the service call. Replacement makes sense when hardware is worn out or you want high-security cylinders. We'll look at what's on your doors and quote both options exactly before any work starts.
Do you install panic bars and exit devices?
We do. We install new panic bars and replace failing ones, and we repair bars that stick or won't latch. Exit doors generally need to open in one motion from the inside, so a chained or double-keyed exit door is worth fixing before an inspection finds it. You'll have the exact hardware and labor quote before we schedule anything.
Are you actually available outside business hours?
That's most of what we do. We answer 24/7, year-round, and typical arrival anywhere in the service area is 20 to 40 minutes. Early-morning lockouts before opening and late-night rekeys after a break-in are routine for us. After-hours work runs the same way as daytime work: exact quote first and an itemized receipt after.
What is a master key system, and does a small business need one?
One master key opens every door, while each employee key opens only its assigned doors. You control access to the office or the stockroom without carrying a dozen keys or handing out full access. Even a single storefront with a front door, back door, and office can benefit. We design it on paper first and quote the whole system up front.