How much does it cost to fix a door or window that won’t lock in Gloucester?
Door or window won’t lock? Post the job for free and it goes to local carpenters who cover your area. If your home isn’t secure, choose the emergency option and we text them straight away.
Free to post, and only the tradesperson who takes your job on gets your details. Read our privacy notice.
Doors and windows that won’t lock
When a door won’t lock, the lock itself is often fine. More often the door has dropped on its hinges or the frame has moved, so the bolt or hooks no longer line up with the keeps. Timber doors that swell in wet weather do the same. Adjusting the hinges, moving the keeps or easing the door can put it right. If a mechanism has worn or snapped, it needs replacing.
uPVC and composite doors usually have a multipoint lock, with a gearbox inside the door that throws several hooks or bolts at once. Many windows work in a similar way. Some carpenters repair these, but some mechanisms need a locksmith or a window and door specialist, particularly when the part is made for one manufacturer. Don’t force a stiff handle, as that can break the gearbox.
Until it’s fixed, get the house secure. Close and latch any window that won’t lock and keep that room shut. A door that won’t lock can sometimes be held from the inside with a bolt, chain or brace, but make sure everyone can still get out quickly in a fire. If a door or window can’t be secured at all, choose the emergency option when you post. It’s also worth checking your home insurance, as some policies cover emergency repairs.
If there’s been a break-in, report it to the police before repairs start.
What to include when you post
The more the carpenter knows, the better the chance they arrive with the right part.
- Which door or window: front, back, patio, French door, or a window and which floor it’s on
- What it’s made of: timber, uPVC, composite or aluminium
- What happens: the key won’t turn, the handle won’t lift, it’s stuck locked, or it won’t close
- When it started, and anything that happened just before
- Photos of the whole door, the edge where the lock sits and the keeps on the frame
- Any maker’s name on the edge plate or glass
- Whether you can secure the house right now
Choosing a carpenter and what to ask
Say in your first conversation whether it’s a uPVC or composite door, and ask whether they repair multipoint locks or whether it’s a job for a locksmith or door specialist. A good tradesperson will tell you straight if it isn’t their kind of work.
Ask whether they’ll check the alignment before replacing parts, as a dropped door can wreck a new lock just as fast. If a part is needed, ask whether it’s a stock size or has to be ordered, and how they’ll secure the door in the meantime.
The quote should cover the part, the labour and any adjustment to hinges or keeps. Check your home insurance for any requirements on the type of lock on external doors, and tell the carpenter before they order. Ask what guarantee comes with the part and the work.
Not quite the right job?
See every job on our Carpenter page, or post it anyway and describe it in your own words.
Before a tradesperson starts work
Registrations
Some work must be done by a registered professional. Work on a gas boiler, cooker or fire must be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer, which you can check on the Gas Safe Register.
Our business check
Limited companies are checked with Companies House and sole traders upload their insurance certificate. Trade registrations are confirmed by the tradesperson when they sign up.
Get the price in writing
Ask for a written quote that sets out the work and the price before anything starts. Your contract for the work is with the tradesperson.
Questions
What people tend to ask before booking this job. For anything specific to your home, ask the tradesperson who takes it on when they get in touch.
Often it's the door. If it has dropped on its hinges or the frame has moved, the lock no longer lines up with the frame. A carpenter can check and adjust the alignment before replacing any parts.
Many carpenters work on uPVC doors and windows, but some mechanisms, especially ones made for a single manufacturer, need a locksmith or a window and door specialist. Say it's uPVC in your job and the carpenter can tell you whether they can help.
Choose the emergency option when you post and we text local carpenters straight away. In the meantime, secure the door from the inside if you can, without blocking your way out in a fire, and keep valuables out of sight. If there's been a break-in, report it to the police first.
Usually the door has dropped slightly and the hooks are rubbing on the keeps, or the mechanism needs lubricating. Don't force it. Forcing a stiff handle is a common way to break the gearbox inside.
Not usually just for a lock problem. Most locks can be adjusted or the mechanism replaced. If the door is badly damaged or the frame is rotten, replacement may make more sense. A replacement external door has to meet building regulations, so ask about a competent person scheme certificate.