If you know the brand or keyhole style of your locks, you may be able to buy a lock rekeying kit from your local home hardware store. But while you might have the tools to change locks, rekeying them can require special—and expensive—tools. You can buy them as a kit, then follow the instructions.
The average homeowner spends around $150 to rekey a more complicated house lock like a profile cylinder or 3-point lock system and replace a set of keys. On the low end, homeowners pay $75 to repair a broken door lock. On the high end, having a locksmith replace a house lock and provide a set of keys costs $550.
Due to the extremely low price of the key pins in the locks, rekeying is almost always much cheaper than getting your locks changed. When rekeying your locks, you are only being charged for the labor, whereas when you get your locks changed, you're paying both for labor and parts.
Toole's Ace Hardware can help! We rekey Kwikset and Schlage locks at a fraction of the price of having to replace your locksets. We can also create a 'master key' for superintendents or landlords that need access to multiple units without carrying a hundred keys.
Most Home Depot's have an associate on staff that can rekey door locks. Call your local Home Depot and make sure that the person that does the rekeying service is there before you arrive. Also there may be a charge for this service.
Lowes won't rekey an old lock you carry in, you have to buy it right there. ...
Hardware stores rekey locks at most locations. This can be convenient if you're already purchasing home improvement supplies. Typically, you must bring the lock or the key cylinder to the store. Hardware stores also often have rekeying kits available if you want to attempt the process yourself.
To rekey locks, you or a handyman professional have to remove the key cores from the locking hardware and replace them with lock patterns that match new keys. This sounds simple but actually is time-consuming and can get costly, as you have to pay for labor and buy new equipment.
If you know the brand or keyhole style of your locks, you may be able to buy a lock rekeying kit from your local home hardware store. But while you might have the tools to change locks, rekeying them can require special—and expensive—tools. You can buy them as a kit, then follow the instructions.
Homeowners can now re-key door locks
The engineers at Kwikset have developed a new lock technology that allows homeowners to rekey their door locks on their own whenever they have the need.
A rekey service can take between 10 and 40 minutes per lock. Rekeying only applied to keyed security locks, and not to privacy locks found on bathroom and bedroom doorknobs. New lock installation or replacement can take 30-60 minutes per lock, which is one reason that lock replacement is more expensive.
Rekeying is the least expensive method, but you will need to replace the entire lock if the only key to it goes missing.
Yes, it is possible for you to rekey a lock without the original key. A locksmith can change your locks even if you have lost or misplaced the original key. In general, it is possible to pick or shim the lock and unlock the door. Then, the locksmith will have a much easier time removing the lock cylinder.
The short answer to whether you should tip a locksmith is that it is not required, but it is appreciated. Unlike restaurant staff, locksmiths don't rely on tips to make up a bulk of their pay.
Changing a door lock can be a relatively quick and easy DIY job. Whether you have a euro cylinder lock, a mortice lock or a. With just a few simple tools, your home or office will be secure in no time. For more information, check out our Door Lock Buying Guide.
Installation and Labor
According to HomeAdvisor, a professional locksmith charges an hourly fee between $50 and $100 to change a lock, or $75 per hour on average. Other locksmiths may charge per project based on the number of locks, type of locks, and complexity of the installation process.
We can rekey your knobs or deadbolts whether you purchase your locksets from us or bring us your existing locks to be rekeyed. Typical Schlage or KwikSet locksets are easily rekeyed by our expert staff often while you wait but usually the same day.
In most cases, a locksmith can rekey a gun safe, unless the safe or the locking mechanism has been extensively damaged.
Rekeying is usually cheaper, and it still provides you with a renewed sense of security. If you move into a new home or if your key is lost or stolen, rekeying your lock will almost always suffice. If your lock mechanism is beginning to deteriorate, however, consider changing the lock.
When you rekey a lock by yourself, you will need to purchase a rekey kit that is specific to your brand of doorknob, lever, or deadbolt. Rekey kits allow you to rekey a lock to match existing keys in the kit. You will receive several keys (often between three and six keys), all identically cut.
Life Pro Tip - If you move into a new house or are just looking to replace locks on your doors, you can take your existing locks out of your doors and get them rekeyed at a hardware store (Home Depot or Lowes) for <$10. This works for most of the common lock manufacturers (Shlage or Kwikset).
One cool thing about pin-and-tumbler locks is that you can re-configure them to fit an existing key (provided that the key is for the same lock design). The advantages of this are obvious: You can add new locks to your home or business without attaching a bunch of new keys to your key ring.
The cost of having locks rekeyed ranges from $40-$100, plus $5-$25 for each lock cylinder. Many people rekey locks when they buy a new home, if they lose all the keys to a lock or if they're concerned that unauthorized copies of their keys exist.
Most modern locks can be rekeyed, some more easily than others, often by your neighborhood hardware store. (I have even rekeyed locks myself.) Make a note of the make and look for someplace that sells them. You can also call a locksmith and have them take a look at them.