If you're standing outside your house at midnight wondering if you're about to get ripped off, here's what a fair Bendigo emergency lockout actually costs. Anything outside these ranges is worth a second quote.
The standard ranges
House lockout, business hours: $120-$180 for non-destructive entry on a standard residential lock.
House lockout, after hours (6pm-7am, weekends, public holidays): $180-$280.
Car lockout, business hours: $130-$180.
Car lockout, after hours: $180-$280.
Business lockout, after hours: $220-$350 (often higher because commercial locks are typically more secure and take longer to defeat non-destructively).
What pushes the price up legitimately
Distance. If you're in Heathcote, Marong or further out, expect a travel premium. Locksmiths in Bendigo will tell you the travel cost before they leave.
Lock type. High-security locks (restricted keyways, full mortice deadlocks with anti-pick pins) take longer to defeat. Fair to charge more.
If the lock needs to be drilled and replaced (rare, but happens with old corroded locks). You'd pay the lockout fee plus the replacement lock and labour.
Red flags
If a locksmith quotes you a 'small call-out fee' on the phone and refuses to give a total estimated price, walk away. The classic scam is to quote $69 to come out, then add hundreds of dollars of 'specialist tools and high-security' fees on the spot.
If a locksmith insists they must drill the lock and replace it (when you've already told them it's a standard residential lock and you've never had problems with it), get a second opinion. Drilling is a last resort and most locks open non-destructively.
If the company name keeps appearing in different forms in different ads, it might be a national franchise pretending to be a local Bendigo business. Real local locksmiths have a single business name they've used for years.
Pay by card, get a receipt
Any reputable locksmith takes card payment. A locksmith who insists on cash only is one to be careful with. Always get a written receipt with the company's ABN.