apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

My key got stuck in my lock last night. I had to get in (of course) so I went to the YellowPages, called a locksmiths. I went with the cheapest one who could get to my place the fastest. An hour and a half and $350 (cash only) later, I got in and have a new lock.

I feel like I was ripped off. And who's to say that nice lock guy won't give someone else the key?

Does someone have a more savvy NYC solution to this ordeal? I want to be more ready next time.

I think we all should program the phone number of a reliable locksmith in our cell phone now -- before we need it.

I had once lost a key to a door, and so had a lock smith come over and re-key the lock.
It took him about 3 hours to get to he place and about a hour worth of work.

The advertised price was 70usd however after he was done with the work there was a
"rush fee"
"weekend fee"
"home visit fee"

etc etc

70usd went to over 200usd
and on top of all that, it was all old hardware, just new pins
even the keys were supplied by me from the manufacturer.

The next day I found out there is a locksmith about 2 blocks over at the local hardware shop who would have done it all for 35 usd if I brought him the lock.

You may want to switch to a Mul-t-lock. The keys are made by a numeric code, so if you loose your key, you can go to any Mul-t-lock locksmith and have a new key made up. Keys cannot be duplicated without the code. If the locksmith unseals the lock in front of you, you're assured that no unseen copies have been made.

Me, I had the same thing. They quoted $75 on the phone, but then I had a different kind of lock (??) so it was $135 plus a $35 nighttime fee and some other fees. It ended up over $300.

This was the "bottom lock" -- the lock built in to my doorknob. Maybe people shouldn't use that lock, if it is more expensive to fix and more prone to breaking?

There has to be reputable locksmith who works nights and isn't slightly scary?

I hate feeling like I was ripped off.

Now I'm really mad.

Just called the insurance agent. For $5 a year at Allstate, I can add lock insurance to my coop owners policy.

I'm really mad that no one ever told me about this before.

Hopefully someone else can read this and not face the same problem.

I can't recall what the guy said at 1st...
but I had to work him down to 200usd after getting a bit pissed...i think i got him to waive the "emergency fee" since I was already inside. Something nonsensical of the sort.

He was nice enough...but still...
nice doesn't merit a license to steal

I don't think my insurance would have covered my situation...plus i'd hate to see my rates go any higher.

Me, in my case, my co-op owners insurance is so low that even if it doubled or so (which i don't think it could), it would of been cheaper than paying this high charge to let me into my place.

I think we can all agree on the fact that it seems to be a legal con.

Towtruck divers may be in the same boat as well...
I mean if you don't have roadside assistance..tows
can be rather pricey. It all seems pretty predatory

I wonder if there is any value in complaing to Verizon, where I saw the ad? I was quote a lower price on the phone than I was given when they were at my door drilling away.

My trick is that my friend and two relatives have copies of my keys.

Oops, I should have had some coffee before jumping in to respond.

Obviously duplicate keys wouldn't help with a key that gets stuck in the lock.

Um, okay, I'm off to get coffee now.

This is totally random, and I doubt anyone can help me--but you never know. I have a Cado system that my parents bought in the 60s, but disassembled and stored for the last decade. It's hard to describe, but it has poles that are tension-mounted with large, thick springs (that actually aren't very springy). My mother lost all but two. I need 6 more. Does anyone know where I could look for these, or if someone could make them for me? HELP!

Well...the entire "truth in adversments" is actually law, but i doubt Verizon can do anything about it..Maybe BBB.

Ironicly enough the same law doesn't apply to political ads (lawmakers apperently hate to make laws reguarding themselves.)

Fiona-
Help me out here...whats a Cado system?

Me, I can't find a picture online but it's a modular Danish wall unit. You set up three wood poles that are tension-mounted (hence, the springs) and then put various shelves and cabinets on them.

I doubt that Verizon will do any good for you. The BBB is a better option. You can also try calling the Dept of Consumer Affairs via 311. It will help if you have the guy's license number or at least his phone number.

So ummm...hmmm

pfft i havn't a clue.

however ...the springs

How large are they?
For larger one's consider looking for replacment springs for garage doors and then cutting them down to size. (be sure to round the edges as not to cut yourself)

For smaller springs...hardware shop or hobby store (rc cars and all)

Fiona, if the springs don't work out, is there a possibility to add a collar with holes that you put screws through - one set of screws in the lower pole, one set in the upper pole - once the poles are extended to the correct length?

Not sure if this is feasable because I have not seen tension pole systems up close.

Oh my goodness! Mary was me of me all along ;o)

Jamie pup, I'm not sure. Maybe there is a way to rig that. I'll have to look.

Me, the springs are pretty big (I don't remember offhand, but roughly 10" long by 1" in diameter). The garage spring wire seems to be too thin and, well, spring-y, and I'm afraid to experiment too much, because the whole thing could collapse on me (or my cat). But you came to the garage spring suggestion much faster than I did--it took me a couple months to think of that!

Well... personally i would try to find a way to manipulate the garage springs...i mean the size does sound about right.

Stretching them out to reduce the "spring-y" sensation and to cut down on the diameter.

Now ask your self...
"how much do I love this piece? "
Now ask your self if your willing to fabricate/pay for fabrication/duplication at a metal shop.

Fiona--
I found a few references to Cado on www.designaddict.com that may be of some help.
Also, maybe try Ebay, which you probably have already done.

And, in an open-threadish change of course, I'm still looking for some sources for interior renderings and furniture (hand-drawn, but stylistically "tight"), as well as resources for the manufacture of lighting and furniture prototypes.

Fiona, try the ads at gomod, and if that doesn't work, I'd go over to Pratt and get some bright hungry young designer to help me.

Thanks so much, everyone. Good suggestions!

Patrick, can I be nosy? Are you thinking of a business? If so, good luck! I would like to do something similar in a year or so, but I need to think it all out. What I find a little intimidating is the whole manufacturing process.

Patrick -

I think that when the Cooper Hewitt Design Museum did their Christopher Dresser show, they did a catalog, which I'm pretty sure had some of his drawings of furniture, although it might have only had drawings of his teapots and stuff.

Not sure what you're using them for, but that's the first thing that pops into my head.

By the way, besides that Christopher Dresser stuff, the Cooper Hewitt's gift shop has all kinds of books, and I'm sure there are other technical drawings there as well.

Thanks, Curis--
Am all too familiar with the wonderful gift shop at the C-H (I think it's the best museum gift shop in the city!!).

I'm actually looking for someone to do some presentation-quality renderings based on some of my own rough sketches (an interior, some furniture, and some lighting).

i know this topic was way further up on the thread, but a couple of you mentioned your co-op owner's insurance . . . i'm about to start shopping for some, and i have no idea what i'm doing. any advice?

I'll just say I hate allstate...

Once upon a time a tree branch fell and crushed
2 cars parked outside, the garage, and the car inside the garage.
(so 3 cars+ a 2 car garage)

It just fell. The thing was just massive...it took me about 3 days , 18 hours a day to clear the debris (I am now skilled enough with a chain saw that i can perform open heart surgery with )

Allstate said it was the neighbors fault,
and thus they would not pay, and i should call his insurance co.

The Neighbors insurance said it was a act of god and thus my insurance company should pay.

Here's what pissed me off...we both had Allstate

I ddid some quick online shopping around for co-op ownsers insurance. It's virtually the same as renters insurance. I'd just say not to make the mistake I made - ask them to tell you what ELSE they might be able to add to yout policy.

I am still boiling that for $5, I could have saved all that money I spent on the broken lock.

have condo ins. with Met Life..pay $90 yearly for a 2 bedroom condo in dutchess county.

$90 for condo insurance???? what does that include? I pay close to $500 for my Brooklyn condo and I thought that was a bargain. Could it be that you are in Dutchess County. I'd love to know.

Thanks,
Barbara

Barbara--
That sounds a little high, since everyone I've talked to about it was in the $200-$300 ballpark annually. But it depends on what's covered and what kind of deal you have regarding replcament value. Nobody mentioned "$90" though, for sure!

$200 is the ballpark I'm in on that, but I just have a studio apartment; however, I'm in Manhattan. I don't keep it memorized exactly what's covered. All I know is that I faxed the part of the co-op board thing that covered that to the insurer and they gave me something that seemed to satisfy the board.

This is about Fiona's CADO wall system, which I also own. The springs are not supposed to be very "springy;" that is, when the system is set up correctly, the round, flat disks on spindles should slide nearly all the way into the spring poles at the top. You adjust the pole length by inserting the metal pins through the spindles on the bottom brackets so that when the poles are installed, only a an inch or two separates the top of the pole itself from the ceiling. It should be hard, but not too hard, to slide the pole into position....I once moved to a home that had higher ceilings than the one for which I bought the System Cado. It was pretty easy to create a decent-looking longer spindle and foot for the bottom by purchasing from a hardware store ordinary galvanized pipe (probably nominally 1/4 or 3/8" ID), threaded on one end, and combining that with a round, flat galvanized pipe flange, or bracket, that was almost the same diameter as the disks of the foot spindles. You could cut the pipe to be just the right length for optimum compression of the top spring. I painted the pipe with spray flat black enamel, and the whole thing served well....I realize that this description, like your original note, may be hard to envision, so send me an email at this address if you need more help: chrishll####erols.com, where I have substituted ####for the @ sign to foil email address scavenger programs.

Chris and Fiona, I own some old Royal System furniture, which was made by the same manufacturer as Cado. A local furniture store told me they were out of business, but I can't confirm that. There used to be a Scandinavian furniture store in Fairfield NJ called House of Norway that had good service - maybe someone there might know a dealer that specialized in old Scandinavian furniture. You might also look into Paul Cadovious - hence Cado - he was the designer for both lines of furniture, both made in Denmark.