How I work — from your text to a working key.

Step by step

What happens when you text me

Six steps, no call centre, no dispatcher — the person who reads your text is the person at your car. Here is the whole job, in order.

1. Step 1

   Text me what you've got.

   Year, make, model, and where the car is parked. A photo of your key if you still have one — and the VIN if it's handy — turns a close estimate into an exact number. Why I ask for the VIN and a key photo.

2. Step 2

   Get the number in writing.

   I text back a written quote before I drive anywhere — and the number I text is the number you pay. If the vehicle or key turns out different from what you told me, I show you the corrected number first, and you decide whether to go ahead. Starting prices are public on the pricing page.

3. Step 3

   I drive to the car.

   Home, work, a parking lot — the job happens where the car sits, so there's no tow and no shop visit. I cover Winnipeg with free travel inside the Perimeter, and about 150 km around it by arrangement at $1.20/km past the Perimeter, always in the written quote first. Details on the service-area page.

4. Step 4

   I check ID and ownership.

   Government photo ID matched to proof of ownership — your vehicle registration, or proof of insurance in your name — before anything is cut or programmed. The ID stays with you, so that part's easy. This check is a feature, not a hurdle: it's what keeps a stranger from ordering a key to your car. Here's the full ownership-verification process.

5. Step 5

   I cut and program at the vehicle.

   Everything happens at the car: the key is cut, programmed to the vehicle, and tested in front of you — doors, locks, start. I have dealer-level access for most makes on the road, so newer vehicles are a normal visit here, not a referral. Not sure about yours? Text me to confirm your make.

6. Step 6

   You pay after the key works.

   The key cuts, programs, starts the car and works the locks — then payment: e-transfer, tap on a portable terminal for debit and credit, or cash, receipt every time. The one exception: if the car can't be serviced because of a vehicle-side fault nobody could see coming, a $45 + tax trip fee covers the trip and diagnosis — never the full job price. Every key I supply carries a 12-month warranty.