How Much Does a Lock Change Cost in London?

A lock change in North London costs £61 for labour on a standard cylinder lock, plus the cost of the new lock if you want the hardware replaced too. That's the short answer. Here's everything else.

Quick summary

• Labour: £61 per lock (standard cylinder or pin)
• New standard cylinder: from £56 (1-year warranty)
• British Standard / high-security: £225–£600 all-in
• No call-out fee — full price list

What moves the price

Lock type. A euro-profile cylinder on a modern uPVC door takes 15 minutes to swap. A British Standard mortice on a heavy timber door takes longer and the parts cost more. The price changes because the job changes.

Security level. A basic replacement cylinder costs £56–£80. An anti-snap, anti-drill, British Standard insurer-approved cylinder costs £139–£500 depending on the brand and security rating. You pay for resistance to attack, not for the labour.

Number of locks. Labour is charged per lock, so two cylinders costs twice the labour. Where you're doing multiple locks in one visit, ask about a combined rate.

Whether it's an emergency. Planned lock changes during normal hours cost less than emergency lock changes at 2am after a burglary. The job is the same; the call-out circumstances are different.

Cylinder change vs lock change

Most front door lock changes are actually cylinder changes. The lock body — the housing set into the door — stays. Only the removable barrel (the euro cylinder, or the pin cylinder in a Yale) is replaced. Old keys stop working; new keys do.

This is sufficient in most situations:

• Lost or stolen keys
• Moving into a new property
• Upgrading to a more secure cylinder

A full lock change (replacing the entire lock body) is needed when:

• The lock body is damaged or worn
• You're upgrading from a night-latch to a mortice deadlock
• You're fitting a different type of lock altogether

Typical costs for Barnet properties

| Job | Price | |---|---| | Standard cylinder change (labour) | £61 per lock | | New standard cylinder supplied and fitted | £100–£160 all-in | | Anti-snap cylinder supplied and fitted | £160–£250 all-in | | British Standard 5-lever mortice, supply and fit | £219–£699 all-in | | High-security 3-star cylinder, supply and fit | £350–£600 all-in |

See the full price list for every service.

When to change multiple locks at once

Changing multiple cylinders in a single visit is the most cost-effective approach. Labour is charged per lock but there's only one call-out. If you're moving in and want all three external doors done — front, back, and garage — do them in one visit.

When NOT to change the lock

If the reason you want a lock change is a stiff or difficult-to-turn key, the problem may not be the lock. It's often the cylinder wearing or a lack of lubrication. A squirt of PTFE spray costs £5 and takes 30 seconds. Try that first before booking a replacement — if the stiffness clears up, you've saved yourself a call-out.

Sign-off

Lock change in Barnet or North London: call 020 3780 8827 for a price on the phone before anyone drives out. Most cylinder changes are done in under 30 minutes from arrival.