Change or rekey
Change or Rekey Locks
The right lock for a home is the one you will actually use every time. A bolt that is awkward gets left open. This section explains the residential options with that in mind: smooth, sturdy and simple to live with.
Which one do I need?
- One key for the front door, another for the back, a third for the side door into the garage, and a fourth for the shed.Lock Rekeying
- You moved in three weeks ago.Deadbolt Installation
- Someone tried the back door while you were away.Lock Replacement & Upgrade
- The old skeleton key still fits the keyhole, but it now needs a jiggle, a lean on the door and a little luck before the bolt moves.Vintage Mortise Lock Service
- The deadbolt is a stiff double-cylinder model that needs a key from both sides, and in the dark hallway finding it is a nuisance.Smart Lock Installation
- The padlock on the side gate has gone stiff every winter for three years running, and this year the key simply will not turn past the first few pins.Gate & Building Entry Locks
Change or Rekey Locks
New keys for the locks you have, or new locks where the hardware has worn out: rekeying, replacement, deadbolts, smart locks and older mortise hardware.
Lock Rekeying
Deciding the key groups
Not every door in a home needs to answer to the same key, and the plan is written down before work starts. Most households want the exterior doors keyed alike so one key does everything. Some want exceptions: a basement suite on its own key, a home office or a storage room that visitors should not enter, a shed on a separate key that can be lent out without exposing the house.
The locksmith sketches the groups with you, notes how many keys each group needs and who will hold them, and only then begins removing cylinders. Getting this straight first means no cylinder is pinned twice.