Emergency call-out · Sheffield and surrounding towns
Non-destructive entry
No call-out fee · Non-destructive entry where possible · Price agreed before I start
You will speak to Stuart Haywood, who will be the person who turns up.
Non-destructive entry means opening a lock using technique rather than force. Picking, slipping, bypassing, letterbox tools where appropriate. The lock still works afterwards, and you keep the keys you already have.
It matters commercially, not just technically. If someone drills your cylinder, you are paying for the call-out, the drilling and a brand new lock. If it is opened without damage, you are paying for the opening and nothing else. On a standard uPVC door that difference is often most of the bill.
It is the first thing I try on every lockout. I will only ever move to a destructive method if the lock genuinely cannot be opened any other way, and I will tell you before I do it, not after.
You probably need this if
- You are locked out and want to keep your existing lock
- Someone has quoted you for a new cylinder before even looking at the door
- You have been told the lock "has to be drilled" without explanation
- You want the door opened without your neighbours watching it get destroyed
What happens
- I look at the lock and identify what type it is
- I pick, slip or bypass it depending on the mechanism
- The door opens and the lock still works
- You keep your existing keys
Common questions
Does it work on every lock?
Is it slower than drilling?
Is picking a lock legal?
Where I cover
I am based in Sheffield and cover the towns around it.
Tell me what has happened
I will tell you what it will cost before I set off. My prices are published here.