Honesty is the best policy
“Jay is an honest man in a mostly dishonest business.”
-Fred S.
amazing…
“Amazing service! They even fixed a broken door knob and cleaned up afterwards. This is the best locksmith around. Don’t bother with anyone else.“
-Bram M., Yelper
good job, done in 20 minutes
“He looked at the locks, listened to the problems I was having, suggested a solution with the prices I already knew from the website and in 20 minutes I had an awesome new lock and doorknob installed by someone I felt cared about doing a good job.”
-Taina G., Yelper
the price is nice…
“Less than two hours later, in walked Scott, a locksmith-MacGyver with a vast knowledge of the trade. He quickly assessed my situation, and decided it best to take a different route in securing my new apartment. In doing so, he knocked $129 off what I initially expected to spend, while giving me an even greater amount of break-in security. He noted the huge discount, but shrugged it off saying, “I understand budgeting, and we’re not about money. We’re not like that.” Amazing, right?”
R.F., Yelper
no complaints
“I have no complaint. For New York City – it was one of the best service calls I have experienced. I would gladly recommend them to my neighbors and the Board of the building.”
-Angie’s List user
a pleasant visit
“When I called Lockbusters I was surprised to hear a very friendly voice on the phone who was able to provide a guaranteed quote, immediately, for the service I needed… I felt comfortable with Jay immediately, and while working he gave me an honest assessment of how secure he thinks my apartment actually is. My lock works better than it did when I had installed in a different apartment… I never expected a visit from the locksmith to be pleasant!”
-Angie’s List user
These guys know their locks and safes.
These guys know their locks and safes. They were on time and worked quickly, cleaned up after, and were quite friendly. They threw in some freebies as well.”
Jay is absolutely outstanding.
Jay is absolutely outstanding. What more could you want from locksmith than punctuality , honesty and very reasonable prices. I would recommend him to anyone and will call him with any future problems. Highly, highly recommended.
I wish my daily commute worked as smoothly as this transaction.
I wish my daily commute worked as smoothly as this transaction. I couldn’t have asked for better service. And the workmanship was first rate.”
It’s almost like I wasn’t locked out! Almost.
He’s got a really simple business model that works well: don’t take advantage of people who are in a jam, just unlock their doors. And it works wonders. He has a flat rate for getting you into your lockout, and then whatever he has to replace goes on top of it. Unlike some other locksmiths who like to break, drill, massacre, whathaveyou your lock hardware just so they can upcharge you, Jay favors the path of least resistance.
It’s pretty elegant what he can do with his tools all the while carrying on a pleasant conversation in a walkup hallway.”
Wish I had found these guys sooner.
Wish I had found these guys sooner. Jay gave me a shiny new deadbolt for a great price after my apartment was broken into a week prior (and the original lock replaced by a shady guy who charged me twice what the thing was worth). Redeeming a scummy profession seems an admirable thing to take on. He also SWEPT MY FLOOR. I swoon. Thanks, Jay!”
Just received lock-out assistance from Jay
Just received lock-out assistance from Jay (5.30 in the morning on saturday). He is an extremely congenial, competent and professional worker.”
Never thought getting a lock installed could be such a pleasant experience.
Never thought getting a lock installed could be such a pleasant experience. Jay was super fast and very friendly. We gave him a great tip and he tells us that they give all their tips to an animal shelter. How fantastic is that!”
Pretty much the best experience I’ve had in the city, period.
Pretty much the best experience I’ve had in the city, period. They were friendly and accommodating towards my schedule. Arrived on time, installed my top lock in 20 minutes, barely made a mess, and didn’t mind me asking questions about the whole process.”
Could not have had a better experience
Could not have had a better experience. Gold medal for the Olympic locksmith.
I am considering these guys’ phone number
I am considering these guys’ phone number for a quarterlife crisis tattoo on my forearm
Being locked out is such a horrible experience
Being locked out is such a horrible experience but Jay has the key to making you feel so much better: empathy, kindness, quickness and just overall being awesome and at a great price too!”
Jay is an honest man in a mostly dishonest business.
Jay is an honest man in a mostly dishonest business. I asked him to help my mom out with the deadbolt on her door. He went out to Forest Hills, Queens without issue. I initially was expecting him to install a Medco lock with a new deadbolt but when he arrived he decided that all that was needed was some adjustments and he only charged us for service. He could have tricked my mom but he was honest and reliable. He actually arrived early. EARLY?!? How great is that?”
Scott, thank you so much for all your help!
Scott, thank you so much for all your help! You helped me saved my parakeet when it was trapped all alone in the apartment for two days! Jay, thank you for starting this business and even a bigger than you for sending Scott to help!!”
No need to call around…
No need to call around… I’ve moved around a lot and have had to deal with all kinds of locksmiths. These guys (specifically Scott and Jay) are the best! …Scott is a highly trained professional who is well spoken, professional and friendly. He took the time to make sure the new dead bolt/cylinder not only fit correctly but that it ‘felt’ good when locking/unlocking. He took the whole assembly apart and made adjustments that other locksmiths would normally avoid doing. My favorite part was that you could tell this guy loves what he does. He was happy to answer questions and to talk me about how this stuff works.
I could have cried when they left
I am considering these guys’ phone number for a quarterlife crisis tattoo on my forearm.
The bottomline:
New complete deadbolt toplock, including installation, before 5pm on a weekday – $109 flat.
I got 4 installed at once, (on our & our neighbors’ railroad apartments), so I got a discount – $97.50 per lock.
Absolutely nothing else left my wallet. My front door frame is non-existent on one side, so it needs a different lock that takes a bit longer to install – nothing extra.
Next year’s annual slam-shut lockout will be the first one to cost me $69 instead of half my rent.
The My-Life’s-Story-As-Local-Business-Review version:
I’ve truly dealt with the most awful locksmiths in the city. I know everyone has their horror story, but as it happens I’m actually the New Yorker who has paid the most money for a 1am slam-shut lockout in the history of schmucks ($400.) That one was the first and worst, but there’s been 4 in as many years, and they’ve all overcharged and B.S.’d me. Of course it’s expensive to be ditzy. But it shouldn’t be more expensive than being a coke addict.
First off, for a weekday, daytime installation Lockbusters’ regular flat fee was $30 cheaper than the lowest other quote I got, which is why I chose them, + the Yelp reviews. As it turns out, the reviews are truthful.
Jay was exactly on time.
He told me all about high security locks when I asked, but he didn’t try to scare me into getting them (which EVERY other locksmith I’ve had has done).
He answered all my detailed questions honestly and patiently.
He brought several locks so I could look and decide, and I ultimately went with the cheaper locks (because otherwise the locks would be the most valuable thing in the apartment – like false advertising for burglars. That said, they still would have been cheaper than the other quotes I had gotten for high security locks).
He worked fast but didn’t rush it.
He immediately fixed every little thing I asked about but wouldn’t have insisted on fixing (one lock wasn’t entirely straight so I was fumbling a bit with it, one didn’t sound entirely smooth even though it was turning just fine, etc.)
He did a 5 minute drill with me locking and unlocking my new lock so I wouldn’t ever leave it unlocked by mistake. (I’m not joking. And yes it took 5 minutes.)
His girlfriend had come with him today (“for protection”). In addition to providing protection, tools and good conversation, she swept up all the little chards of metal from the drilling before my cat could step on them.
So that, in summary, is why I’m repeating Lockbusters’ number to myself until I can dial it in a coma.
But you know what? Even if I do end up with another locksmith next time, I’m so empowered now since Jay educated me – instead of trying to intimidate and confuse – that I won’t get completely screwed over ever again. How heartwarming isn’t THAT?
I could have cried when they left.
I wouldn’t call or recommend anyone else. Thanks, Jay!
Is it weird I almost want to get locked out again so I can call Lockbusters? Yeah, my experience was that great. After coming home at 2am (beers may or may not have been involved), I soon realized that a lock on my door that I didn’t have a key for had decided it didn’t like being taped down, and chose to unlock itself at that very inopportune moment. That next morning, kicking the door in with my boots, attacking it with pink screwdrivers and attempting to scale the fire escape all failed. Defeated, I looked up a lock smith on Yelp to come rescue me. Jay called me right back, told me he would be there in 20 minutes and that the flat fee for a weekend job is $70. Already $50 cheaper than other experiences I’ve had! He was at my apartment right on the dot and busted my door open in literally less than 2 min. I was sorta embarrassed at how easily he did it though he assured me the lock had definitely flipped. For a little extra he sorted me out with a new lock and keys in less than 3 minutes and also fixed my sticky door knob.
5 minutes TOTAL I was back in my apartment with my feet up and had also gotten to check off a niggly to-do off my apartment repair list. No muss, no fuss and an A+ experience to cap off what had been a pretty shizzy night of homelessness.
I wouldn’t call or recommend anyone else. Thanks, Jay!
Affordable. Fast. Professional. Straightforward.
stand up guy.
flat rate.
was here in less than 20 minutes.
saved me from my mindless moment.
affordable. fast. professional. straight forward.
will always call, should i ever find myself in that bind again.
(which hopefully will be never again, no offense ray….)
highly recommended.
Prompt, courteous, very knowledgeable, honest
On Saturday (1/30) evening, my houseguest called me from my apartment while I was out. He told me he couldn’t leave the apartment because the door was stuck. First I thought he was high. Then I realized sometimes the downstairs door sticks and to just pull the knob hard. As a backup I texted him my super’s #. I didn’t hear from him after that and assumed he figured it out… Little did I know that I would I find out about 8 hours later that he was talking about the door to my actual apartment unit.
Cut to: 4:30am. And I’m loaded with haggis (don’t ask) & booze… I’m also all loaded up with a ‘to go’ bag of Turkish Bereket goodness, salivating at the thought of digging into my doner kebab etc as soon as I get home.
I get to my door and discover that my key’s not opening my door. And my houseguest has been stuck/trapped inside all night. Buzzkill. My friend, who’s still awake, hears me and tells me he can open the bedroom window to let me in.
Over the roof, down the ladder to the fire escape, and in through my bedroom fire escape window (in the rain!) I go…
Once inside, I try to unscrew the doorknob, but the door still won’t open. Hungry, drunk & tired, I decide to wait til morning to call my landlord/super/etc.
Sunday morning comes, my calls/pages are made, and all I hear are crickets. I’m getting nervous because I have to be at work later & the claustrophobic factor just isn’t cool. After researching ON YELP, I call Jay from Lockbusters… and he says he can come by in about an hour. He shows up ON TIME and immediately goes to work trying to figure out how we got locked in/out.
He realizes he has to drill the cylinder (where the key goes) in order to open the door and finally the door swings open. He didn’t even flinch at the sight of me hungover, looking like a hot tranny mess from the night before with my smudged makeup and crazy hair. Bless him.
Long story short: Jay salvages my lock (just had to replace the cylinder) and tells me I was “very lucky” that the lock mechanism was still intact/working because they can be expensive to replace.
He was GREAT: prompt, courteous, very knowledgeable, honest, not a rip-off… I highly recommend Lockbusters– they made an unfortunate experience a good one, were incredibly competent, reliable and are totally on the customer’s side.
I’m not sure they take credit cards, but when I asked Jay how he preferred payment and mentioned cash, he said cash was great. There’s no one I would’ve been more willing to go out into the cold (hungover as hell & homeless-looking) to an ATM for other than Jay. I even slipped in an extra $20 tip because he totally made my day. And I don’t usually hug strangers but his presence was such a relief, it just felt it was right when saying goodbye.
Lockbusters rule. Seriously.
Jay’s gates saved my life!
Two weeks ago my building was robbed. Fortunately, Jay installed gates on my windows one month earlier. Jay’s gates saved my apartment! Every other apartment on my side of the floor was ransacked. Jay’s prices were unbeatable. Additionally, he is friendly, professional, and has a very quick turnaround time, even on substantial projects like custom fitted gates. I would never use a different locksmith.
Superior, honest, handiwork
During my first 4 months of living in New York, I found myself locked out of my railroad apartment more times than not. When calling a locksmith for rescue is as commonplace as ordering a cup of coffee, the realization does not take long: this city is crawling with locksmiths who prey on the desperation inherent to being locked out. Take it from me- keyless at 2am on the street corner in freezing cold weather is tough ground for bargaining. Jay at Lockbusters gets it. When regaling him with horror stories of my locksmiths past, he shook his head and said “that just ain’t right”. He seemed like a genuine guy who actually cares about fixing the problem and keeping people safe without taking advantage of the dire situation. I found Lockbusters after moving into a new place and struggling with the stickiest, moodiest lock that oftentimes refused to let me in at all. Jay accessed the situation quickly, actually explained to me what the problem was, and fixed the lock perfectly without shrinking my piggy bank!
I don’t usually write reviews on Yelp, but I was moved to do so because I know all too well that a good locksmith is hard to find in New York. Jay can handle even the most persnickety of locks, but more importantly he operates an ethical business and offers reasonable flat rates and prompt arrival time. My days of calling a random locksmith from a business card slipped under my front door are over.
Superior, honest, handiwork from a local locksmith deserves my rave reviews and future business alike. Thanks, Jay!