November 23, 2025
Everyone has seen it: the too-good-to-be-true ad promising
“$15 service call! $29 lock repair!”
People click. They book.
And a few days later, they call Integrum Locksmith & Doors begging for help.
Bad locksmith work is not just annoying — it’s expensive, dangerous, and in some cases, legally risky. Cheap fixes often lead to broken frames, drilled locks that didn’t need drilling, fire-code violations, or doors that stop closing properly after a week.
This article exposes the real financial, security, and safety consequences that GTA residents encounter every single day — and how to avoid becoming the next victim.
Cheap or unqualified locksmiths use shortcuts that temporarily “work,” but fail fast.
The top failure signs we see in the GTA:
• Door stops closing fully after a few days
Because they never aligned the latch + strike plate properly.
• Lock feels “grindy” or “scratchy”
Cheap parts + sloppy installation.
• Need to slam the door to lock it
Frame was never shimmed or levelled.
• Handle becomes loose again
Incorrect spindle length, poor tightening, or fake parts.
• Deadbolt doesn’t reach full extension
This is a massive security risk — and a common scam trick.
These failures are symptoms of underqualified workers doing minimal effort for quick cash.
Location: Etobicoke
Problem: Front door jammed; cheap locksmith “fixed” it
Outcome: Homeowner paid twice
A homeowner hired a $90 “technician” they found on Google Ads.
The tech:
• drilled their lock unnecessarily
• replaced it with a no-name Chinese cylinder
• didn’t realign the latch
• didn’t reinforce the frame
Three days later: door wouldn’t close.
They couldn’t lock the house.
When Integrum arrived, we found:
• the latch was grinding
• the strike plate was bent
• the cylinder was a $6 part
• the whole system was misaligned
Final bill to fix everything properly: $750.
The customer paid 8× more than a proper repair would have cost upfront.
Location: Mississauga
Type: Commercial / Fire-rated door
Issue: Cheap locksmith installed NON-rated hardware
Consequence: Failed inspection + fine
A retail store called “a cheap guy they knew” to replace their panic bar.
The technician installed a residential hollow-door handle on a 30-minute fire-rated door, which is illegal.
A fire-marshal inspection flagged it.
The business owner got:
• a compliance order
• a fine
• a mandatory deadline to replace everything
Incorrect hardware on fire-rated doors is one of the most expensive mistakes we see.
Fixing it the right way cost three times more than hiring a licensed commercial locksmith from the start.
Improper installation does more than break the lock — it damages the frame, which is the most expensive part to fix.
Common mistakes amateurs cause:
• Overdrilling the frame
Weakens structural integrity
(especially in metal hollow frames)
• Wrong screw sizes
Causes plates, hinges, or pivots to loosen
• Incorrect hinge placement
Door sags after a week → impossible to lock
• Latch alignment off by even 1–2 mm
Creates friction → frame damage → lock failure
A damaged frame is often a $400–$2,500 repair job.
All because the first technician saved 10 minutes on alignment.
Most people don’t know this…
There is a flood of counterfeit locksmith hardware in the GTA.
We regularly find:
• fake Schlage cylinders
• fake Yale handles
• uncertified deadbolts
• no-name panic bars
• cheap off-brand mortise locks
They look real but fail fast.
These parts:
• break under force
• cannot withstand cold weather
• corrode faster
• have terrible key tolerances
Worst of all: fake parts are often installed by “cheap locksmiths” so they can keep the difference.
A GC or handyman understands doors — but not security hardware.
Common handyman mistakes:
• Using wood screws on metal frames
• Installing residential hardware on commercial doors
• Using 1 screws instead of 1¼ or 1½
• Not knowing fire-code hardware requirements
• Not testing latch engagement
• Not reinforcing strike plates
Security hardware is extremely precise.
1 mm off = the lock fails.
Handymen don’t have the specialized tools (plug followers, mortise jigs, pinning kits) needed for real locksmith work.
Based on Integrum repair calls:
Average cost of fixing cheap locksmith work:
$350–$1,200
Average cost of replacing a damaged door frame:
$900–$2,500
Cost of fixing fire-rated hardware violations:
$400–$3,500+
Cost of bad hardware (break-ins):
Potentially thousands in losses.
The “$29 locksmith” ends up costing more than hiring a real professional from the start.
Here’s what GTA homeowners should look out for:
If the ad says “$15 locksmith,” run.
This is a bait-and-switch scam — illegal and documented.
If they refuse to give a price over the phone, run.
Legitimate locksmiths provide ranges.
If the tech arrives in an unmarked car, run.
Professionals have company branding.
If the tech pressures you to drill, run.
Drilling is almost always avoidable.
If they don’t offer warranty, run.
You’re buying a temporary patch job.
When Integrum steps in, homeowners feel the difference immediately.
Our process:
• Full diagnosis — not guesswork
We check alignment, hardware grade, frame integrity, fire-code status.
• We use only certified hardware
Grade 1 or Grade 2, no counterfeits.
• Everything installed to spec
1 mm precision → long-lasting results.
• Clean work, warranties, proper receipts
Real professionals, not call-center dispatchers.
• Emergency service 24/7 across 52+ GTA cities
We don’t treat jobs as “one-offs.”
We treat them as long-term relationships.
Bad locksmith work is not a harmless mistake.
It’s a financial trap—one that leads to unsafe homes, damaged doors, failed fire inspections, and massive repair bills.
If you want it done right the first time…
Integrum Locksmith & Doors
✔ Licensed
✔ Insured
✔ Fire-rated door specialists
✔ Commercial experts
✔ 24/7 emergency service
✔ Serving all GTA
When you hire right, you only pay once.
Feel free to contact us, and We will be more than happy to answer all of your questions.