Lock installation
Lock Installation in Wilmslow
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- 24-hour emergency cover
- No call-out charge
- Price agreed before work starts
Need a New Lock Fitted in Wilmslow?
Craven Locksmiths Wilmslow supplies and fits new locks on doors, windows, outbuildings and gates across Wilmslow, including British Standard and high-security locks for an insurer's requirements. There is no call-out charge.
Four situations send people our way: a door with no lock or just one, an upgrade needed for insurance, a new or replacement door that needs locks, and an internal room, office, outbuilding or gate to secure.
Is It Fitting a New Lock or Replacing an Existing One?
It comes down to what is on the door now. Replacement swaps an existing lock for an equivalent. Lock installation either adds a lock where none existed or changes the door over to another type or standard.
When a lock needs to be fitted
- There is no lock on the door, or only a nightlatch while your policy wants a deadlock as well.
- You want to step up to an anti-snap or British Standard lock.
- The door is new, replaced or freshly hung.
- A side gate, shed, outbuilding, office or internal room needs securing.
- A patio or French door would benefit from a secondary lock.
Doors without adequate locking hardware, needing another lock or requiring key control are the usual candidates. Installing a new door may also involve fitting a matching lock, cylinder, handles or other hardware. We first consider the door, its location and how it will be used, and the door and frame are inspected before anyone can say which lock types and fitting positions may be suitable. Material, thickness, construction and intended use then shape the specification. Where the current arrangement leaves room and another locking point is needed, an additional lock may be fitted, once we have looked at the hardware already there, the fitting space and any written security requirement. A lock is never assessed apart from its door.
If you need a lock replaced instead
Missing or stolen keys, a recent move, a stiff or failing lock or a forced door usually need a like-for-like swap, and our lock replacement service covers it.
On Wilmslow Properties, the Locks We Fit
The lock types below cover most installation requests. Choosing a suitable lock for each involves considering the door material, room for fitting, how it operates and any confirmed security requirement.
Euro cylinders, with anti-snap upgrades
A euro cylinder operates within a compatible lock case or multipoint system, typical of uPVC, composite and some aluminium or timber doors. It must be correctly sized and compatible with the lock and protective hardware around it, and different security ratings are available where required. Multipoint systems lock the door at several positions; we can assess the compatible cylinders, handles and locking components in an existing one, with the scope depending on the door design and the compatibility of replacement components.
Internal, outbuilding and gate locks
Suitable bedrooms, offices, stockrooms and storage areas can be fitted with key-operated locks or privacy locks. Door construction, frequency of use, the privacy needed and who requires a key decide which. Outbuildings and side gates are worth locking because they can give cover to a rear door.
Mortice deadlock
These are fitted into the edge of suitable timber doors, with deadlocks, sashlocks and certified products for where a recognised standard is required. Thickness, construction, frame and fitting position must be checked first, and preparing the door is skilled work.
Rim locks and nightlatches too
Known to many as a Yale, a nightlatch is surface-mounted on the inside of a suitable door, and models provide different entry, exit and deadlocking functions. Whether it should be a primary or additional lock depends on the door, product specification and use; a final exit door generally has a mortice deadlock too.
Window locks
Some policies specify key-operated locks for accessible windows.
Start by describing the door, its position and the thing you want to protect. We talk through suitable options and give a price on the call from your description; that price stands unless the job differs on site, with any change explained before any work starts. Further reading: window locks, common types of door locks and.
BS 3621, BS 8621 and PAS 3621: Which Standard Applies to a Door Like Yours?
The standard that applies is decided by the door, the way people leave the building and the wording of your policy.
| Standard | How you get out | Where it fits |
|---|---|---|
| BS 3621 | With a key, the same as getting in | Timber final exit doors |
| BS 8621 | With a thumbturn, no key needed | Flats, HMOs and other escape routes |
| PAS 3621 | Equivalent standard for multipoint systems | uPVC and composite doors |
BSI certifies locks against these standards; insurers decide which one they want, so "insurance approved" is a shorthand rather than a guarantee. No single standard is used by every insurer. Many of the largest UK insurers take their lead from RISCAuthority guidance, but each sets its own policy conditions, which explains why two similar houses can have different requirements. Some policies specify a standard, others do not, so check your wording.
If the door is a fire door, flat entrance or communal door The lock has to be compatible with the door's fire-safety and escape requirements. It must not prevent the door closing correctly, and it must not affect the door's ability to resist fire and smoke. Specifically, the work must protect: - resistance to fire and smoke - the door, frame and essential seals - effective self-closing operation - keyless exit where it is required - safe access for other people in the building
Approval may be required for doors in rented or leasehold properties, flats in managed buildings, communal entrances and shared areas, and designated fire or escape-route doors. Where things are unclear, guidance from a competent fire-safety professional may be needed.
Does Your Lock Meet Your Insurance Requirements?
A lock can look solid and still fall short of what your policy asks for. Most householders never check, and a good share of those who do find a gap.
Is a five-lever lock automatically a BS 3621 lock? No
The number of levers alone does not confirm that a lock meets BS 3621. Generic five-lever mortice locks are common on timber doors, often fitted by an earlier owner, and many of them are not certified to the standard. Look at the faceplate on the door edge: you want a kitemark and a BS number stamped there. In other words, a five-lever description alone does not confirm that a mortice lock meets BS 3621, so read the certification and product markings instead of counting levers.
A cheap euro cylinder can be snapped in seconds
On uPVC and composite doors the euro cylinder is the usual target, because a cheap one can be snapped with little effort. Cylinders are sold in a range of sizes and security ratings, and depending on the product, certification may include a TS 007 star rating or an SS 312 Diamond rating; look for the star or Diamond mark on the cylinder face. A good cylinder still has to be compatible with the lock and sized properly for the door, and it is only as secure as the handles, protective hardware and wider locking system around it.
How we narrow it down
Door construction, location, intended use and the way people get in and out all decide the right lock. Because of that, a lock that works on one door may be wrong for the next. We check: 1. What the door is made from: timber, uPVC, composite or aluminium. 2. Whether the door is internal or external. 3. The thickness and frame, together with any preparation already in place. 4. How the people using it need to come and go. 5. Whether one more lock or a full locking arrangement is needed.
Using those details, we can identify the types and sizes of lock, along with fitting methods, that may be suitable. Before making any selection, you should examine instructions provided in writing by your insurer, landlord or managing agent.
| Standard or rating | General meaning | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| BS 3621 | Tested thief-resistant single-point lock, key-operated on both sides | Commonly paired with suitable external timber doors |
| BS 8621 | Tested thief-resistant single-point lock, key outside and keyless exit inside | May apply where people must leave without a key |
| TS 007 / SS 312 | Ratings for cylinders and associated door hardware | The rating required depends on the door and any written requirement |
The right choice depends on the whole door and on how the building is used. Fire doors, flat entrance doors and communal doors carry further considerations, which the next section covers.
Received a security requirement in writing? Send us the wording before we fit anything. We can talk through products that may match the stated specification, but your insurer, landlord or managing agent must confirm whether the proposed option satisfies their requirement. Our uPVC door locks page and anti-snap locks guide go further on cylinders.
Locksmith pricing
The Cost of Fitting a New Lock: What Affects It
Expect the price to reflect three things: which lock is chosen, what the door is like, and the preparation the door needs. You are never charged a call-out, and the price is given to you during the call. You pay for the work carried out, any parts needed, and VAT. Rates outside Monday to Friday, 7am to 6pm, are higher, but the call-out itself is never charged.
Factors that affect the cost
- The lock: type, size, security rating and any additional hardware.
- The door: material, existing openings and any work needed on the door or frame. Installing where there was no lock before is slower than replacing one, because the door has to be prepared first.
- The job: how many locks and doors, the fitting complexity and the appointment conditions, including the time of day.
Describe your requirements and, if you can, provide photographs showing the door and the hardware already fitted.
The process
A price based on your description comes on the call and holds unless the job differs on site; any inspection, your approval and installation follow. Here is what happens between choosing a lock and testing the completed installation. 1. Let us know what the door is made from, where it is situated and how it is intended to be used. 2. Add photographs of the door, frame and hardware, and any written requirements. 3. We outline suitable options and price the job on the call from your description. 4. Before any work begins, we agree the specification and work and explain any change to your price. 5. We fit the lock in the agreed spot, then test it, the keys, relevant hardware and door operation.
Locksmith pricing
What We Fitted: Proof for Your Insurer
Keep a clear record of every new lock installation. It supports future maintenance and replacement parts, it belongs in your property documentation, and it answers the question an insurer may ask after a break-in: what was fitted, and did it meet the policy? Being told the lock was suitable is not the same as being able to show it.
Lock details. What is known about the lock, cylinder or hardware fitted.
Keys and operation. Once the work is finished, the lock is checked for operation and the supplied keys are handed over.
We recommend keeping this with your policy documents.
What affects the cost?
Service required, time of attendance, lock and door type, labour and parts.
Lock Fitting Across Wilmslow
Fitting is by appointment, on weekdays between 7am and 6pm, for homeowners, landlords, letting agents and business premises anywhere in SK9, including Fulshaw Park, Pownall Park, Davenport Green, Hilltop, Heathfield Farm and Lacey Green. Every postcode in SK9 is covered.
Of Wilmslow's 11,064 households, 39.3% are detached, 27.0% semi-detached, 18.7% terraced and 14.9% flats (Census 2021, ONS), and Wilmslow Park and Davenport Green are mostly houses. More doors, outbuildings and gates mean more to look at. By age, 10.8% of homes date from before 1900, 19.3% from 1900 to 1939, 39.1% from 1945 to 1982, 19.8% from 1983 to 2008 and 10.8% from 2009 on (VOA council tax property stock, 31 March 2026), so a visit may involve checking an older lock against what a policy asks for, not only fitting a new one.
The national planning dataset records no conservation area for Wilmslow (planning.data.gov.uk, October 2026), but that is unknown rather than none, and it does not show Article 4 directions on doors or windows. Ask the council before changing a door itself. See all areas we cover.
How a Job Works
Here is how a lock installation runs, start to finish.
- You tell us the door type, its location and what you are trying to achieve, and you pass on any written requirement from your insurer, landlord or managing agent.
- We discuss suitable locks and price the work on the call from your description; any inspection follows, and the price stands unless the job differs on site, with any change explained before work starts.
- You are handed the keys along with a record of the installation.
The closed-door test in step 3 matters, because a lock that only works with the door open has an alignment fault nobody checked.
Emergency and planned locksmith services
Book a Lock Fitting in Wilmslow
Call 01625 351018 to arrange a time; while we are there we can check your existing locks against what your insurance policy asks for. No call-out charge, and the price is agreed before work starts.
- Phone: 01625 351018
- Booked work: Monday to Friday, 7am to 6pm
01625 351018
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if my lock meets my insurance policy?
Check the markings, not the look of the lock. On a timber door, the faceplate on the door edge should show a kitemark and a BS number; on a uPVC or composite door, the cylinder face should carry a star rating or Diamond mark. With no marking, you cannot treat the lock as meeting the standard. Then read the security section of your policy to see what it actually asks for.
I have a five-lever lock. Is that enough?
That depends on its certification, not its levers. The number of levers alone does not confirm that a lock meets BS 3621. Generic five-lever mortice locks are widely sold in DIY shops without the kitemark, and many are fitted by previous owners or budget refits. Look for the kitemark and BS number on the faceplate; without them, treat the lock as uncertified.
Can you fit a lock to a door that does not have one?
Yes, as long as the door and frame can take one. We check them first to see which lock types and fitting positions may suit, then prepare the door by cutting a mortice pocket or boring for a cylinder as the lock requires. Expect it to take longer than replacing an existing lock. Composite doors in particular need careful cutting, as they are easy to damage.
What is the difference between BS 3621 and BS 8621?
BS 8621 adds keyless exit. Like BS 3621, it covers thief-resistant single-point locks, but where a BS 3621 lock is operated by key from both sides, a BS 8621 lock takes a key outside and a thumbturn inside, so nobody needs a key to leave, as on escape routes in flats and HMOs. PAS 3621 covers equivalent multipoint systems on uPVC and composite doors. Door, property use, fire strategy and means-of-escape requirements decide which fits.
Why do different insurers ask for different locks?
Because each policy is written by its own insurer. Many big UK insurers base their thinking on RISCAuthority guidance, but there is no one standard they all adopt, and each sets its own conditions. Two similar houses may therefore need different locks. Read the security part of your policy wording, query anything unclear with your insurer, and send us the relevant text when you get in touch.
Will you give me proof of what was fitted?
If you ever have to claim, the insurer may ask what locks were on the doors and whether they met the policy, and being able to show a written record is far better than relying on memory.
Should I buy the lock myself and just pay you to fit it?
Possibly, but check two things first. Before buying, tell us about the door and send any written requirement, and we can discuss products that may suit, which often avoids buying the wrong lock.
How much does it cost to have a new lock fitted in Wilmslow?
The price turns on whether the door is already prepared or has to be cut, the lock type and rating, the door material, the number of doors and the time of day. Cutting a door to take a lock takes longer than a like-for-like swap. Describe the door when you call and the price holds unless the job on site differs, in which case you are told first. There is no call-out charge.
Still have a question or need urgent assistance? Call 01625 351018, tell us what has happened and receive a current arrival estimate.