New keys or new locks? Either way, the old keys stop working
You moved in, a roommate moved out, a key went missing, or someone got in who should not have. We rekey the locks you have or put in new ones, and we tell you plainly which makes sense for each door.
LOCKSMITH LIC. LCO 8138CA BSIS · tap to verify- Rekey or replace, your choice
- Deadbolts installed
- One key for every door
- State license LCO 8138
Same lock, new key
Inside every lock cylinder is a row of small pins cut to match your key. Rekeying means taking the cylinder apart and putting in a new set of pins, so a new key turns it and every old key stops working. The lock, the handle and the finish on your door stay exactly as they are.
When the locks are in good shape, a rekey is usually the quicker and lower cost way to shut out old keys.
New hardware on the door
A new lock makes sense when the old one is worn out, sticking, damaged in a break-in, or simply not the lock you want: a sturdier deadbolt, a different style, or a smart lock with a keypad.
Not sure which one you need? We look at each lock, tell you which way we would go and why, and you decide door by door.
Eight good reasons to change the keys
You just moved in
Nobody can tell you how many copies the last owner handed out. A rekey on move-in day settles the question.
A key went missing
Dropped on a run, left in a rideshare, gone. If anything with it could lead someone to your door, rekey the locks it opens.
The roommate or tenant moved out
They gave a key back. That does not mean every copy came back with it. After a rekey, the count stops mattering.
After a break-in
We repair or replace what was forced, look at the frame and the strike plate, and rekey so any key that was taken stops working.
Landlords between tenants
Every unit door rekeyed between move-out and move-in, with keys cut for the new tenant on the same visit.
The lock is worn or sticking
A key you have to jiggle is a warning. Sometimes cleaning and new pins fix it, sometimes the lock is done. We tell you which.
You want a real deadbolt
We add a deadbolt to a door that has none, or swap a weak one for a sturdier one, fitted to the door and the frame.
One key for every door
Front, back, side and garage entry on a single key. Locks that share a keyway get rekeyed to match. If one does not, we tell you what it takes.
How a rekey visit goes
- Count the doors on the phoneHow many locks, and what kind: knob, lever, deadbolt, the door in from the garage. That gives you a ballpark.
- Look at each lockWe check its condition and tell you rekey or replace, door by door, with the price, before we start.
- New pins, new keysEach cylinder comes apart, gets a new set of pins and is tested with the new key.
- Try every door with youEvery key in every lock, locked and unlocked, before we hand them over.
- Itemized receiptLock by lock, with our license number on it.
Straight talk about price
On the phone you tell us what happened, and we give you a ballpark based on that. When the technician arrives, the first thing he does is look at the lock and make sure it matches what you described. A door that sounded simple can turn out to be a different story, and sometimes it is the other way around.
Then you hear the final number, before a single tool touches the lock. You decide, and only then we start. No surprises on the bill, and the receipt carries our license number, LCO 8138.
Rekey or replace, answered
What is the difference between rekeying and changing a lock?
Rekeying changes the pins inside the lock so a new key works and the old ones do not. Changing the lock replaces the hardware. Both stop the old keys. A rekey keeps the lock you already have.
Can every door in my house use one key?
Often, yes. Locks that share the same keyway can be rekeyed to one key. If one of them does not, we can replace its cylinder or the lock so it matches.
I lost my keys, but nothing on them shows my address. Should I rekey?
That is your call. If the keys were with anything that could lead someone to your door, such as your car or your mail, rekey. If not, plenty of people still do it so they can stop thinking about it.
Can you rekey a keypad deadbolt?
Most keypad deadbolts still have a key cylinder as a backup, and that cylinder can usually be rekeyed. The codes are changed in the lock or in its app.
Will a new lock need new holes in my door?
Usually not. Most home locks fit the standard holes already in the door. If a door needs more work than that, you hear about it and the price before we start.
Other work we do
Lockouts · Car keys · Commercial · Smart locks · Safes, mailboxes and storage
Based in Concord, working the East Bay, the Tri-Valley and Marin. See every city we cover