Real ranges, posted up front. Lockouts $65–$200, home rekey $150–$300, auto lockouts $75–$200.
Last updated: May 2026. Real ranges, posted up front.
Quick answer: Most Milwaukee-metro residential lockouts run $65–$200 standard hours, $150–$300 after-hours. Full home rekey (4-6 cylinders): $150–$300. Auto lockouts: $75–$200. Smart lock install: $150–$400 installed. Safe service: $200–$500 typical.
| Service | Standard hours | After-hours / weekend |
|---|---|---|
| Residential lockout | $65–$200 | $150–$300 |
| Commercial lockout | $150–$400 | $200–$450 |
| Automotive lockout | $75–$200 | $150–$250 |
| Full home rekey (4-6 cylinders) | $150–$300 | +$50–$100 |
| Per-cylinder rekey | $20–$40 + service call | +$50–$100 |
| Deadbolt installation | $100–$250 installed | +$50–$100 |
| Smart lock installation | $150–$400 installed | +$50–$100 |
| Safe opening & service | $200–$500 typical | +$50–$100 |
| Transponder key (cut + program) | $150–$400 | +$50–$100 |
Most homeowners who call us for "new locks after a roommate moved out" or "new locks since I bought the house" actually want a rekey, not a replacement. Rekeying re-pins the existing cylinder so the old keys stop turning - same lock, new key. A 4-door home rekey runs $150–$300 in about 30–45 minutes. Replacing the locks at $100–$250 per door runs $400–$1,000+ for the same security outcome.
Wisconsin is one of only a handful of states without a state-issued locksmith license. That means anyone with a van and a $19 Google ad can show up at your door, and the result is a Milwaukee market full of bait-and-switch shops. We post our ranges up front, our techs identify themselves on dispatch, and we email a Certificate of Insurance on request before the truck rolls. The numbers above are real.
Standard-hours residential lockouts run $65 to $200. After-hours, weekends, and holidays run $150 to $300. A full home rekey (4-6 cylinders) runs $150 to $300. Auto lockouts run $75 to $200. Smart-lock installs run $150 to $400 installed (hardware extra if not supplied). Safe service runs $200 to $500 typical.
Very likely bait-and-switch. The Milwaukee market has more $19-service-call ads than nearly any city its size. The $19 covers the truck rolling - once they arrive, the actual lockout, key cut, or rekey is billed separately at numbers that often clear $300. Wisconsin's lack of a state locksmith license makes this practice harder to police.
Yes, almost always. Rekeying replaces only the pins inside your existing lock cylinder, so the old keys stop working. Most cylinders cost $20 to $40 each to rekey on top of a service call. Replacing the locks costs $100 to $250 per door installed (hardware included). For a 4-door home, rekeying is usually $150 to $300 vs. $400 to $1,000+ for full lock replacement.
Five things: time of day (after-hours adds $50 to $100), lock complexity (high-security cylinders like Medeco and Mul-T-Lock cost more to rekey or replace), door condition (older Milwaukee-metro doors often need prep work for modern hardware), parts availability (some 1920s mortise locks need restoration rather than off-the-shelf replacement), and travel time to outer suburbs.
No. Our quoted price is the total - service call plus labor plus standard parts (pins for rekeys, basic strikes for installs). Hardware you keep (deadbolts, smart locks, high-security cylinders) is itemized separately and you see the SKU and price before we install. After-hours, weekend, and holiday surcharges are disclosed before the truck rolls.
For a single-door residential lockout in standard hours, $65 is the realistic low end. Anything advertised below that almost always becomes $150+ at the door. The honest cheap option for a planned job is a same-day off-hours rekey - $150 for a 4-cylinder home, no upcharges, no surprises.
Last updated: May 2026.
