Commercial locksmith help for offices, warehouses and multi-door sites
Vula24 is a locksmith marketplace in Gauteng and the Western Cape. It connects businesses with independent, verified locksmiths — it does not employ locksmiths itself. Urgent jobs can be booked in the app. For bigger projects, such as dozens of locks on one common key or a master key system, send us the details and we will try to connect you with a locksmith who takes on commercial work, starting with a site inspection.
Two routes, depending on the job
Urgent or single-door jobs → the app
The app matches you with the nearest verified locksmith who is online and offers the service, and shows the full price — including the Vula24 platform fee — before you confirm. In-app bookings are paid through PayFast. Services locksmiths can list in the app include the ones below — what is available at any moment depends on which locksmiths near you offer it and are online:
- Office lockout
- Lock repair
- Lock replacement
- Lock upgrade
- Broken key extraction
- Padlock removal
- Safe opening
- Access control
Multi-door projects → send details first
Jobs that cover many doors, a common key or a master key system usually need a site assessment and a written quote. Send us what you need, and we will try to connect you with an independent locksmith or locksmith business that does this kind of work in your area. Not every type of commercial work is available in every area.
How a project enquiry works
1. You send an enquiry
Tell us the area, the type of site, roughly how many locks, and what you need.
2. We look for a suitable locksmith
We try to find an independent locksmith or locksmith business in your area that takes on this kind of work. It may be a partner business that uses its own team.
3. Site assessment, where needed
For most multi-door jobs, the locksmith visits the site first to record each lock and door.
4. Quotation
The locksmith prepares a quote based on what they find. You decide whether to go ahead.
5. The work
If you accept, the locksmith carries out the work. Vula24 does not employ the locksmiths who do it.
Who this is for
Facilities and property managers, managing agents and body corporates, office managers and business owners, warehouses and industrial units, shops, schools, churches and landlords with several units — anyone responsible for more locks than a household.
Typical multi-door requests
- A site with around 40 locks that should all open with one common key, with a site inspection before the quote
- Re-locking an office or unit after a tenant or staff member leaves without returning keys
- A master key for managers, with individual keys that only open each person’s own doors
- Replacing a mix of old lever locks with cylinder locks so the building can be keyed properly
- Keys that cannot be copied at a key-cutting kiosk (a restricted key profile)
- Padlocks on gates, containers and storerooms keyed alike
Rekey, key alike or master key?
These are the main options when a business needs control over who can open what. A locksmith will recommend one after seeing the site.
Rekey
- What it does:
- Changes the pins inside existing cylinders so old keys stop working.
- Good for:
- Tenant or staff changes and lost keys, when the locks are in good condition.
- Watch out for:
- Only works on locks that can be rekeyed; worn or forced locks need replacing.
Keyed alike
- What it does:
- Every lock opens with the same key.
- Good for:
- Sites where everyone who has a key should be able to open every door.
- Watch out for:
- You cannot limit a key-holder to certain doors. One lost key affects every lock.
Master key system
- What it does:
- Each lock has its own key, and a master key opens all (or a group) of them.
- Good for:
- Buildings where managers need access everywhere but staff should not.
- Watch out for:
- Needs planning and a key register. A lost master key can mean rekeying the whole system.
Replace hardware
- What it does:
- New locks or cylinders fitted.
- Good for:
- Damaged, worn or low-security locks, or mixed lock types that cannot share a key.
- Watch out for:
- Higher parts cost. Door and frame condition affects what can be fitted.
More detail: master key systems and keyed-alike locks · rekeying vs replacing locks
Why larger jobs start with a site inspection
On a site with many doors, the locksmith walks through with whoever holds the keys and records each lock: its type, the cylinder size, the condition of the door and frame, and whether it can share a key with the others. The result is a door-by-door list — often called a door or key schedule — which the quote is based on.
Escape routes and emergency exits must stay easy to open from the inside. If any doors are on an escape route, point them out during the inspection so the locksmith can recommend suitable hardware.
What to prepare before asking for a quote
- The site address and who will meet the locksmith
- Roughly how many doors, gates and padlocks are involved
- Photos of each type of lock — front of the lock and the edge of the door
- What you want: rekey, replace, one common key, or a master key system
- Who needs access to which areas (for a master key system)
- Whether keys must be protected from copying
- Any emergency exits, and any work that has to happen after hours
- Your timeline and whether the work can be done in phases
What affects the price
The number of locks, whether existing locks can be rekeyed or must be replaced, the brand and security grade of new cylinders, whether keys use a restricted profile, how many levels a master key system has, travel, and whether work has to be done after hours. Locksmiths on Vula24 set their own prices. For general price ranges, see how much a locksmith costs in South Africa.
Questions to ask any commercial locksmith
- Can I have a written, itemised quote — per door and per cylinder?
- Which brand and grade of cylinders will you fit, and what warranty comes with them?
- Can the keys be copied elsewhere, or is the key profile restricted?
- Who keeps the key codes and the door schedule, and who can order extra keys?
- Are you registered with PSIRA? (Ask for the registration details if this matters for your site.)
- Can the work be phased so the building stays secure while locks are changed?
How Vula24 works — and what it does not do
- Vula24 is a marketplace. It connects customers with independent locksmiths and does not employ locksmiths.
- Locksmith applications are reviewed manually. Verification covers an ID document, a selfie holding the ID and proof of address. PSIRA registration is optional.
- In the app, locksmiths set their own prices, Vula24 adds its platform fee, and you see the full price before you confirm.
- Vula24 is currently active in Gauteng and the Western Cape only.
- We cannot guarantee that a locksmith will be available for every project or date.
More about the platform: how it works · about Vula24
Where Vula24 is active
Gauteng and the Western Cape, including:
Frequently asked questions
Can Vula24 help with a locksmith job for a whole building?
Yes, as a marketplace. Urgent or single-door jobs can be booked in the Vula24 app. For larger projects, such as many doors on one common key or a master key system, send us the details on WhatsApp or by email. We will try to connect you with an independent locksmith or locksmith business that takes on commercial work in your area. They assess the site where needed, quote, and carry out the work if you accept. Vula24 does not employ locksmiths, and we cannot guarantee that a locksmith will be available for every project.
Why does a large job need a site inspection before a quote?
A locksmith needs to see each door to check the lock type, the cylinder sizes, the condition of the door and frame, and whether the existing locks can share a key. Without that, a quote for many doors is guesswork.
Can all our locks work with one key?
Often, if the locks use compatible cylinders. Locks of different types or brands may need new cylinders first. If some people should not open every door, a master key system is usually a better fit than keying everything alike.
Who sets the price for a commercial job?
Locksmiths on Vula24 set their own prices. For larger projects the price depends on what the locksmith finds at the site inspection, so ask for a written, itemised quote before any work starts.
Are locksmiths on Vula24 PSIRA registered?
PSIRA registration may apply to certain locksmiths or services, but it is not a universal Vula24 requirement, and Vula24 does not check it for every locksmith. Every locksmith submits an ID document, a selfie holding their ID and proof of address, and their application is reviewed by the Vula24 team before they can accept jobs. If PSIRA registration matters for your site, ask the locksmith for their registration details.
Does Vula24 install electronic access control systems?
Vula24 does not install anything itself. Some locksmiths on the platform list access control as a service, but building-wide electronic or biometric systems often need a specialist access-control installer.
Which areas does this cover?
Vula24 is currently active in Gauteng and the Western Cape.
Tell us about your site
Send the area, the type of site, roughly how many locks, and what you need. Photos help.