What is rekeying?
Rekeying is changing the working key of a lock to a different key without replacing the lock itself. While changing a lock involves replacing the lock with a new one, rekeying is simpler because you don’t need any replacement parts. Your locksmith adjusts the series of 5-7 key pins within the lock to correspond to your new set of keys. Two reasons why people choose to rekey over changing a lock are to:
· Keep their old locks but obtain a set of new keys. You may have invested a lot into an expensive set of locks and don’t want to switch them out just to get new keys. Peace of mind is priceless!
· Quickly update the security of a property after changing staff or a roommate moves out. Changing locks requires more time and labor, but rekeying can be done within 5 minutes per lock.
· Make locks that use different keys uniformly correspond to the same key.
This procedure isn’t complicated, depending on how many that need servicing it can be done in as little as 30 minutes to an hour. Overall, rekeying is a more convenient and affordable alternative than changing locks to update your property’s security.
What type of locks can you rekey?
Every lock can be rekeyed, but different types of locks may require special tools. But no matter what kind of lock you have, all we have to do is replace the pins inside the new ones to correspond to a fresh cut set. This can be done on site at your home or business and on your schedule.
For example, normal, non-electronic locks for your standard residential property can be rekeyed with standard tools. However, MEDECO and Mul-T-Lock high-security locks require special tools and key pins to be rekeyed. Another thing to consider is that if you want your locks to have the same key, they must be of the same brand or have the same type of keyhole.
How much does it cost to rekey a lock?
There are two prices that we offer. We charge a bit more if you don’t have your lock’s current matching key.
We charge $15 if you have the working keys and $20 if you just have locks without a working key. There is an additional $5 charge because we will have to pick open the keyless lock, which takes a little more time on our end. Since rekeying only involves replacing the pins and they are so inexpensive, we only charge for the labor.