When I grow up I want to cut keys
Today I went to have a key cut.
It was a very ordinary, common and widespread house key, so I did not shop around for the cheapest rates. I had noticed a little cobbler-locksmith unit inside Oxford Circus tube station where I change trains to and from work, so on the way home I handed the key, it was cut in about twenty seconds, and I paid five pounds and forty-nine pence.
Five. Whole. Pounds. And forty-nine tiny copper penny coins.
I don't even want to figure out how long I have to work in order to pay for the privilege of having a spare key. I am obviously in the wrong job.
Is this the going rate or have I been had?
Monday 11 December 2006 at 7:32 am
That seems a little high. But, maybe they charge extra for the convenient location. In the midwest U.S. we're paying about $2.00 to $3.00 (tops) per key at the hardware store.
P.S. Found you on Twitter and felt compelled to comment on this key situation.
Tuesday 9 January 2007 at 8:03 pm
no - that's probably about standard for that kind of key. A few months ago I went into a locksmiths because they had a 99p sale for a yale lock style key - while I was there I thought I might as get a whole duplicate set. I nearly fell through the floor when they charged a £5 for the one key.