Most lockout advice online is either useless or damaging. Credit cards do not open deadbolts, and the coat-hanger trick mostly damages weather seals. Consequently here is what genuinely works.
Check every door, properly
People check the door they were standing at and stop. Consequently the back door, the side door and the garage service door go untried. Furthermore, an attached garage often connects into the house, so it is worth a look. Therefore a two-minute walk around occasionally solves it entirely.
Who might hold a spare
Neighbours, family, a partner at work, a landlord, or a property manager. Consequently a phone call is faster and cheaper than any callout. Additionally, if you use a key safe, check whether anyone else knows the code before assuming nobody can help.
What not to try
Do not force a window, because people injure themselves doing it every winter and glass costs more than a callout. Similarly, credit cards only work on spring latches, not deadbolts, and usually ruin the card. Moreover removing a door handle from outside rarely helps, since the deadbolt is separate.
What a locksmith actually does
The lock gets picked or bypassed, which leaves no trace and keeps your existing key working afterwards. Consequently drilling is a last resort, reserved for high-security cylinders where nothing else is realistic in a sensible timeframe. Furthermore, a technician should tell you the replacement cost before cutting anything, so the decision stays yours. Expect to show photo ID matching the address, because every legitimate locksmith checks and anyone offering to skip it is telling you something about the operation you have called.
What it should cost, and the pattern to avoid
Residential lockouts in Ottawa generally start around the low hundreds, varying with lock type, hour and distance. However, the figure quoted on the phone should be the figure on the invoice. Be wary of a quote that sounds impossibly cheap, because the common pattern is a national call centre winning the booking on price, selling the job to whoever bids, and a subcontractor arriving with a different number while you stand outside. Ask whether the person quoting is the person coming.
Questions we get about this
Does the credit card trick work?
Only on spring latches, never on deadbolts. Usually it ruins the card.
Will my key still work afterwards?
Yes. The lock is opened, not replaced.
What do I need to show you?
Photo ID matching the address, or a lease.
How do I avoid this next time?
A spare with a neighbour, or a keypad lock.
