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Ashland Lock & Security Solutions
Category: Home Services Keys & Locksmiths Keys & Locksmiths [Edit]
2510 N Ashland AvenueChicago, IL 60614
Neighborhoods: Lincoln Park, DePaul
(773) 348-5106
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 9 am - 5 pm
Sat 10 am - 4 pm
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
About This Business:
We specialize in Lockouts (Auto & Residential), Auto Keys made ON SITE (any make and model), Transponder chip keys, High Security Side Winder Keys, Auto… read more »
20 reviews for Ashland Lock & Security Solutions
20 reviews in English
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Review from Serge O.
Chicago, IL
2/10/2012
Super professional. From speaking to Joe over the phone and explaining our problem to having Sean come out the next day, everything was taken care of in an extremely professional manner. Sean even took the time to point out which parts of our locks might eventually need replacing, and which needed to be attended to immediately, explaining everything very clearly.
Would definitely use again if we had any problems, however small or large. -
Review from Javier B.
5/11/2012
These guys were recommended by a resident in our condo building when we were looking to tighten security at the building. They sent Seth who was very knowledgeable and professional. They were hired for the job and did it quickly and at a reasonable price. We were very satisfied. Recently we noticed that a door in the building wasn't locking automatically and they came back and took care of the problem at no additional cost. True customer service! They wanted to make sure we were happy and we are. We will use these guys in our building whenever we have a need and would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a lock and security company. We are going to have to change our intercom system soon since the one we have is garbage and doesn't work properly and Seth has already sent us links to recommended systems and quotes for the replacement. They are proactive!!
So, professional, responsive, knowledgeable, timely, reasonably priced, proactive and customer service oriented. Thumbs up! -
Review from Colormac T.
Chicago, IL
8/19/2011
My building buzzer was screeeeeeching and the lock release wasn't working properly. I called Ashland because the reviews looked mostly quite good.
Joe took my call and was very friendly, Seth arrive that afternoon and assessed that we needed some part he had to pick up the next morning. He was really friendly and efficient and now my buzzer as well as door strike are working perfectly!
Thank you Ashland Lock & Security Solutions!
We will definitely call you guys next time we need help! -
Review from Nick m.
Chicago, IL
2/22/2011
This is my first ever negative review on Yelp. Given my interactions with this business though, it is warranted.
I used this place about 3 years ago to replace my locks. They were capable and did a good job.
More recently however, I contacted them for a bigger job; replacing two doors in my condo that opened up to public hallways. I decided to go into the store to discuss what my options would be. I know the basics about doors and locks, and by no means am an expert. I got the impression that the employee I spoke with was, but just was not interested in giving me concrete answers. When asked about the different strengths of dead bolts, doors, strike plates, I received vague and ambiguous answers.
Nevertheless, I decided to pursue an estimate. A gentleman came out to measure my doors, check the frame, etc. I proceeded to SPECIFICALLY tell him what type of dead bolt I would like and that I wanted to keep my old door knob. When the estimate came back almost one week later however, none of this was on there. They included prices for things I never asked for, and did not include prices for things I did ask for. I am a calm guy though, so I just figured it was a communication break down. I emailed the person who sent me the estimate, only to receive no response.
I decided to further waste my time by showing up at the store on one of my days off. My interaction with the older gentleman in the store was one of the top 3 uncomfortable, comedic, and ironic exchanges I have ever had. I told him about my estimate, how I was unhappy with certain aspects of it, and he proceeded to say what a "bummer" this was. When I asked pointed questions like, "what are my other options for deadbolts, strike plates, doors, etc." it was as if he was as high as Jerry Garcia at Woodstock.
What kills me is I was looking to spend at least $2k on new doors, and as much as $4k. Yet they acted as if I were asking them for a favor. Unbelievable.
If you want your locks changed, they can probably handle that. Any bigger job, do what I did and call the people at Anderson Locks. Prompt, they listen, have better prices, and are aware that professionalism is an important trait when you are trying to sell a service or product. -
Review from Frankie J.
Chicago, IL
2/9/2008
Because the key is KEYS...
What am I doing reviewing a lock company when 99% of all the places I have are restaurants? Because these guys will make your life easier in ONE VISIT, if you need house keys.
LOCATION: One block north of Ashland and Fullerton. VERY HARD to park and a lot of fast and truck traffic. Be careful!
KEYS: Back to keys. I needed multiple copies of a key for a tough lock. I took the working copy I had and made several at Home Depot, Menards, and Ace Hardware - each time some or ALL the 4 copies of the same key did not work on the lock. This cost me 6 trips to the store.
I asked a contractor friend where to get keys made and he said this place.
One trip to Ashland Lock, 4 keys made, ALL FOUR WORKED THE FIRST TIME.
Believe me, this place is worth its weight in gas money, especially if you want to lock it up. -
Review from Jefferson P.
Chicago, IL
5/25/2011
I've used Ashland Lock four times now, and I've been happy with their work every time. They were recommended to me from a realtor, who has been using them for years. First 2 installs they did for me were deadbolts on to steel doors/frames. Third visit was to replace an electric strike. Most recent time was to install a mullion bar next to my building entrance. With the exception of the very first job, a guy named Seth did the work each time. When he came out to install the mullion, he was nice enough to fix some (major) mistakes on my condo front door, improperly installed by another company.
I don't have experience with their other guys, but Seth is very knowledgeable, and explained to me all the pros and cons of each option available to me, especially regarding customer-supplied hardware (I supplied the deadbolts on the first two jobs). Having dealt with more shady tradesman in my life than I care to remember, I'm happy to report that Seth shows up when he says he will, calls if he's running late, and is honest with me when something goes wrong (whether it's due to unforeseen events or an oversight on his part).
Yes, Ashland Lock is on the pricey side. Yes, the trip charge blows. (the only reason I didn't do 5 stars) HOWEVER--as someone who has to deal with ongoing, random repairs on multiple properties, having a dependable locksmith ready on the dial is very useful. Based on their previous work, I know I won't have to worry whether it will be a crappy job or not. I call them, and the job gets done.
There are a LOT of shady, dishonest locksmiths in the Chicago area. Ones that don't even operate out of Chicago, but rather, just hire local subcontractors, and prey on desperate customers, basically extorting them, because they know they have no alternative.
I'm sure you can find cheaper locksmiths, but 1) I'm not eager to find out the hard way whether they are reputable companies or not, and 2) locksmiths, like anyone that installs important building components, are not really something you want to skimp on. Just my $0.02. -
Review from Amanda G.
Chicago, IL
5/13/2011
I am happy to write a review for Ashland Lock & Security for a job well done. I called because the intercom and buzzer for our building was broken, which means no UPS deliveries! Frustrating! I expected it to be a difficult and/or an expensive fix, but Seth made it easy. We set up an appt for 3:45 and he showed up right on time and had everything fixed within minutes. He then gave me some tips about how we could fix a door in our unit so we didn't have to pay anyone to do it. Very cool! Seth was polite, friendly, honest and fast. I appreciate the efficient service and am happy to give them a 5-star rating.
I will be referring these guys to others and will call them again if I need any security/door/lock work. -
Review from Michelle M.
Chicago, IL
10/7/2010
We had tons of keys made at Home Depot and Ace that just didnt work in the locks at our apartment. I had heard that locksmiths cut better keys and it's true, the keys we had made here work perfectly. The only downside is their hours. I work downtown which makes getting here between the hours of 9 to 5 really difficult.
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Review from Abby N.
Chicago, IL
4/21/2011
Awesome. That's all I can say. I called on Friday, Seth came on Monday at exactly the time he said he would and he was totally cool and friendly and most importantly, he did a great job. I had an issue a couple of days later and when I called, he came back that day and fixed it. I can't remember anywhere where I've had better service.
They must have learned from the negative reviews and improved because of them, because they were the opposite of what any of these negative reviews said they were. -
Review from Charles A.
Chicago, IL
4/20/2011
We've used these guys for the past 20 years to change and fix our locks. They are good locksmiths. They have fixed deadbolts, fixed locks with missing keys (more $$) installed combo door locks etc etc.
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Review from james h.
Chicago, IL
10/22/2011
Great place. Had 3 sets of hard to find, specialty keys cut. Fair price, knowledgeable staff, and most importantly the cuts on each key were precision--nothing worse than keys that do not work.
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Review from Ira P.
Chicago, IL
10/25/2011
We had various wiring and hardware problems with our condo association's front intercom. Seth Strong fixed it all. He showed up punctually, was courteous, and explained things well. He also replaced our worn-out front gate latch. Will definitely use again.
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Review from bridget l.
Chicago, IL
1/30/2010
These guys are reliable, quickly respond and do a fast job. The downside is its a little pricey, but I like things done for me and done well...that much I can rely on them for. :)
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Review from Andrew K.
Chicago, IL
3/4/2010
I had Ashland Lock install an electric strike...first off it is not that complicated. But I was disappointed by the response I got when I called back because the lock had broke a couple months later. They made it sound like I was at fault for picking a cheap lock. I didn't pick anything I was never given any options! Thanks, Ashland...for nothing.
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Review from Mark S.
Chicago, IL
7/17/2011
Seth changed all the locks in my new house. He explained everything he did, was prompt, and did not try to sell me on unnecessary upgrades or work. i am very pleased with the service.
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Review from Maja G.
Chicago, IL
1/6/2009
I've only been here to have keys made, but they are extremely fast and accurate. I've had various Home Depot stores make useless copies of my keys because they use the fully automated machines. Ashland Lock and Security copies keys manually and they do a great job.
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Review from Marc M.
Chicago, IL
1/20/2009
I do a lot of business with this company and really appreciate their professionalism. I know I can go to Home Depot for less money, but would gladly pay a higher price for work done the right way ... the first time. Christine, you're negative review is harsh . They have been in business for many years for a reason.
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Review from Dora F.
Chicago, IL
11/24/2009
If you need new locks or just a re-keying this is your place. These are absolutely the best people to work with.
My husband and I bought a condo and all the locks and doorknobs were ugly, mismatched, and not very secure. Not to mention that the previous owners lost the mail key.
We had Shaun come out twice- first he gave a consultation on our options. I really liked that he laid out all our options- about four different scenarios of what we could do (re-keying the locks, or replacing them entirely, etc). I appreciated this since we are pretty budget conscious. He wasn't annoyingly salesman-ish, he didn't push us or try to upsell, he just wanted to explain what our choices were. In the end we went with one of the more expensive options because he did such a good job of making it seem the most logical choice. He was courteous, serious about security, and clearly good at his job.
Some reviewers complain about their prices... to which I say: my husband and I don't make a lot of money, and that's WHY we want to spend on locks. We can't really afford a break-in. You get what you pay for, and given the quality of the locks and the service, this place is totally worth it! -
Review from Christine S.
Chicago, IL
1/7/2009
I wouldn't use this company again. I had them come and re-key some locks in my new condo, and it cost a fortune. My realtor estimated that such an easy job would cost around $100 - they ended up charging me more than double - $225, and the guy was there for a total of maybe 20 minutes. The $75 fee just to come out is outrageous. $225 for 20 minutes of work - even more outrageous. I feel totally ripped off.
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Review from P S.
Chicago, IL
12/31/2008
I guess these guys did a good job. But, it took over a week to schedule someone to come out, and they charge you an arm and a leg! Be prepared to pay for the $75 service call, and at least $40 per hour for labor, plus all the parts. To change part of a lock cost us over $300. I think the lock looks fine, but before I used another company that was LESS expensive and had a FASTER response.
