Non-destructive entry first, always - and we re-key Schlage, Kwikset, and Baldwin locks on the spot while you watch
You get a price before we start. It does not change when we arrive. No surprises.
The Novak Lock & Security Manhattan Guarantee
When we send a technician to your door in Manhattan, you’re getting more than a locksmith. You’re getting a guarantee backed by 60,000+ locks, keys, and systems installed or serviced since 2002, every one with a written price before we started and a documented record when we left. Our 365-Day Done Right Promise means if it’s not done right, we make it right. No arguments, no runaround, no “that’s not our policy.” Haven Standard Clause 1 is the foundation: the price on the phone is the price on the invoice. The technician cannot change it on the doorstep. This rule has been in place since 2002, and we haven’t broken it yet.
What’s Covered
- Workmanship on every lock installation and rekey. If a cylinder we rekeyed binds within 365 days, or a deadbolt we installed doesn’t throw smoothly, we return and fix it at no charge. We document what we found, what we did, and what you should expect going forward.
- Parts and hardware integrity. We only install factory-authorized components from brands we trust: Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, Abloy, Baldwin, and Schlage. If a part fails due to our handling or installation, we replace it. If it fails under manufacturer warranty, we handle the claim and coordinate the replacement so you don’t chase paperwork.
- Site condition after we leave. We don’t drill dust into your carpet or leave old cylinders on your counter. Our photo record includes the workspace before and after, and we leave your Manhattan apartment or storefront as we found it, minus the lock problem.
- On-time arrival windows. We quote realistic arrival times, not aspirational ones. If we’re running late, we call. No automated “your technician is 47 minutes away” guesswork. A live person answers our phones 24/7, and that same person can tell you where your technician is.
- Honest, upfront pricing with zero doorstep surprises. Haven Standard Clause 1: the dispatcher quotes a firm price, and the technician is not permitted to change it on arrival. Lock rekey typically runs $19-$35 per cylinder, quoted in writing before we start. High-security cylinder installation ranges $180-$340 depending on door prep and hardware grade. Emergency lockout response in Manhattan runs $120-$180 during standard hours, with after-hours rates quoted explicitly when you call. The full price is quoted on the phone before anyone is dispatched, and it is the price on the invoice.
Our Satisfaction Promise
If you’re not satisfied with our work, we want to know immediately. Call us at (862) 319-3759, and we’ll schedule a return visit at our earliest availability, usually same-day or next-day for Manhattan addresses. Daniel Novak reviews every complaint personally. Here’s what happens: we send the same technician if the issue is technical, or a different one if you prefer. They arrive with the work order, the photo record from the original visit, and instructions to listen first, diagnose second, fix third. If we made an error, we correct it at no charge. If the hardware failed prematurely, we replace it under our parts commitment. If the scope was misunderstood, we clarify and adjust. The 365-Day Done Right Promise isn’t a marketing phrase. It’s Haven Standard Clause 7, and it’s in our dispatch system as a mandatory follow-up flag. We’ve honored it on rekeys in Murray Hill where the tenant’s key stuck after three months, on commercial master-key systems in Midtown where the bitting sequence needed revision, and on emergency lockouts in the West Village where the customer simply felt rushed. In every case, we returned, we fixed it, and we documented what we learned.
Licensed & Insured Backing
Our guarantee is only as solid as the business behind it. Novak Lock & Security Manhattan is licensed and insured, with background-checked, uniformed technicians on every visit. That matters in a city where unlicensed operators advertise low rates and then invent charges on your doorstep. Our insurance covers property damage and liability. Our licensing means we’ve met New York’s requirements for locksmith operation, including the background checks and business filings that fly-by-night operators skip. When Daniel Novak founded this operation in 2002, he chose to build it on documentation and verifiable credentials, not decorative badges. The photo record you receive, the written scope you sign, the warranty language you keep - these are your proof points if anything goes sideways. Insurance and licensing are the floor, not the ceiling. We treat them as baseline hygiene, then layer on the Haven Standard framework that governs all ten Haven brands. The result is a guarantee you can actually enforce, not just feel good about.
How Our Guarantee Compares to Standard Practice
Most locksmith “warranties” in Manhattan cover 30 days, maybe 90 if you’re lucky, and they require you to prove the technician caused the problem. Our 365-Day Done Right Promise covers the full year, and we don’t make you litigate fault. If it’s not done right, we make it right. Period. We also include the documented photo record as standard, not an upgrade. Competitors charge $25-$50 for “service documentation” or skip it entirely. We leave it with you at job completion because it’s part of Haven Standard Clause 3: every visit leaves a traceable record.
Another difference: our free second opinion on any written estimate. Bring us a competitor’s quote for a lock installation, access control system, or commercial rekey, and we’ll review it at no charge. We’ll tell you if the hardware grade matches the price, if the labor hours seem realistic for your Manhattan building type, and if there are scope gaps you should ask about. We’ve seen quotes for “high-security” installations using entry-grade cylinders, and quotes omitting the cost of door prep on older Manhattan frames. We name what we find, not what we feel about it.
What to Expect on Every Visit
- Live person answers your call, 24/7 - no voicemail queue, no callback window.
- Dispatcher quotes firm price in writing before technician dispatch.
- Background-checked, uniformed technician arrives with photo-capable device.
- Technician diagnoses, explains findings, confirms price before starting work.
- Work performed; photo record captured; written scope and warranty left with customer.
- 365-Day Done Right Promise activated automatically in system; follow-up flag set.
Common Questions About Our Guarantee
Is the price you quote on the phone really the final price?
Yes. Haven Standard Clause 1: the price on the phone is the price on the invoice. The technician cannot change it on the doorstep. If we discover additional work is needed, we stop, explain, and quote separately before proceeding. You approve every dollar. Call (862) 319-3759 for an exact quote - estimates are free.
What if I’m not home when the technician arrives?
We confirm the appointment window by phone and text. If you’re not available, we don’t charge a no-show fee for residential calls with 30 minutes’ notice. Commercial and access-control surveys are scheduled in advance with a written scope; cancellation terms are quoted at booking.
How do I know your technicians are actually background-checked?
Every technician carries Haven Standard identification, and we’re happy to verify their status while you have us on the phone. We don’t send day laborers or subcontractors. These are employees, uniformed, with documented training on the brands we install. Ask Daniel Novak directly if you want confirmation - he reviews every hire.
Does your guarantee cover manufacturer defects?
Our 365-Day Done Right Promise covers our workmanship and installation. Manufacturer defects are handled under the brand’s own warranty - Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, Abloy, Baldwin, Schlage - and we facilitate that claim as part of our parts commitment. You don’t chase the factory; we do. If the defect reveals an installation error on our part, both coverages apply and we sort it out without billing you twice.
What documentation do I actually receive?
You get three items: a written scope describing the work performed, a written warranty summarizing the 365-Day Done Right Promise with our contact information, and a documented photo record showing the work area before and after. These are delivered at job completion, not emailed later, not “available on request.” They’re your proof of what was done, by whom, and when.
Written by Daniel Novak, Owner at Novak Lock & Security Manhattan, serving Manhattan since 2002.