Prices for deadbolt locks are typically between $25 to $300 depending on the the quality. Deadbolt installation typically costs between $75 to $400, depending on if you do it yourself or hire a professional to help you.
Hiring a pro to install a deadbolt lock generally costs around $50 to $100, but that's just for the labor—the full installation cost will vary based on what type of lock you choose. You can also save money by choosing to roll up your sleeves and install a deadbolt lock yourself.
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.
Adding a deadbolt to a door involves measuring and drilling holes to fit the deadbolt lock. If you measure incorrectly, you could end up drilling a hole in the wrong spot, ruining the door in the process. Measure carefully and be sure you're using the proper size hole saw before you start drilling.
Professional locksmiths can install a deadbolt for you within a couple of hours. However, you'll pay a higher price than if you just purchase the parts and install it yourself. Based on listings on Walmart.com and data from Bob Vila, deadbolts generally cost between $50 and $175 (CAD 65 and CAD 225).
Lock picking is the first and best method to unlock a deadbolt without a key. It is a popular choice for those who want to avoid damaging their door or lock. Lock picking is an easy skill to learn—the basics required to pick a standard pin tumbler deadbolt can be cultivated within 10 minutes.
The deadbolt is the primary security of the door. The locking knob really isn't necessary if you have a good strong door fitted with a good quality deadbolt.
Kwikset deadbolts can fit doors that are 1 3/8" to 1 3/4" standard. You can get a thick door kit to allow the deadbolt to fit on a door that is up to 2 1/4" thick.
Yes. Most deadbolts will fit in the same hole configuration for a standard doorknob. There are some oddball sizes that won't, but the standard doorknob and standard deadbolt fit in the same holes. You will have to modify the door strike plate and hole behind to fit the bolt.
Changing Home Locks
A locksmith may charge $50–$75 per hour for this job, though a master locksmith may cost up to $125 per hour. Alternatively, they may charge $20–$80 per lock plus a trip fee. The overall cost for a new lock system can be anywhere from $50–$300. Deadbolts, garage-door locks, and spare keys cost more.
While you get the keys to your new home at the closing, you can't know how many copies of the keys the previous owners had made and how many might still be floating around. That's why it's important to have the locks changed out.
Change your locks.
The price range for this service is significant—from $50 to $300 overall, depending on how many locks you need changed and what types of locks you want. On a per-lock basis, the cost is between $40 and $100 for the lock itself plus another $15 to $40 per lock for labor.
Replacing an existing deadbolt lock is a pretty simple task, and does not usually require any special tools. In most cases, all you need to replace a deadbolt is a Philips head screw driver.
Deadbolt Lock Disadvantages
Deadbolts are stronger and more difficult to compromise than other locks, but they're not entirely impenetrable. Break-ins can still happen no matter which type of lock your doors have.
Having a deadbolt on the entrance to your home will take a standard door knob lock to the next level. Forced entry is involved in 55.7 percent of burglaries, and a deadbolt will make breaking down a door remarkably more challenging.
Most deadbolts need a hole 2-1/8-inches in diameter for the body of the lock to fit into the door. The bolt on a typical deadbolt requires a 1-inch hole in the edge of the door.
When boring deadbolt locks in a door, there are two standards for spacing between the bottom lock and the deadbolt. The two most common are 5-1/2” and 6” from the centers of the two holes. There are other combinations of spacing which are used on specialty locks, however.
You might perceive that locksmiths are only concerned with providing safe key entry into your house. This is not the case as they also have the skills to open a deadbolt that has been locked from inside. This means that if you are locked out, you do not need to break a window or door to gain entry into your house.
A lock with an ANSI rating of 2 can withstand five strikes of 75 pounds of force before giving way, so an intruder would have to make a tremendous amount of attention-grabbing noise to get in. Replacing a deadbolt isn't hard. But the fact is, the deadbolt is only as strong as the plate the bolt is thrown into.
While properly installed deadbolts provide reasonable protection, there are risks. With single cylinder deadbolts, burglars often break door-side windows to simply reach in and turn the latch.
The magnet doesn't make the lock move: Every lock will work differently, but it's typically friction that causes this problem. If a piece of your lock is supposed to move, be sure it can move easily. If it's attached too tightly, your magnet may not be able to move it.