Should you rekey or replace when you change locks?
Most people who call us to change locks in Baldwin Park aren't sure which job they actually need, and that's a fair place to start. 'Change the locks' can mean two different things. One is rekeying: we keep the lock hardware you already have and rework the inside of it, so the old keys stop working and a new key takes over. The other is replacing: we take the hardware off the door and install new locks that come with new keys.
Both end in the same place. The keys that have been floating around are no longer useful to anyone. The difference is in the hardware itself, the finish, the condition of what's on the door, and how much security the door gives you afterward. We look at your doors, tell you plainly which route fits each one, and do only what's needed. If a rekey solves your problem, we'll say so, even though a full replacement is the bigger job.
If you want the detail on either path, we have separate pages for lock rekeying in Baldwin Park and lock replacement. This page covers the bigger question of how to change the locks on a home, from the first phone call to the last key test.
Why change door locks after buying a house or moving?
When you buy a house, the seller hands you a set of keys at close of escrow. What nobody can tell you is how many other sets exist. Previous owners, their relatives, real estate agents, contractors, painters, a house sitter, a neighbor who used to water the plants: keys spread over the years and nobody keeps a list. Changing the locks resets all of that. It's the first job we suggest to new homeowners, ideally before the first night in the house, or at least before the moving boxes are all unpacked.
Moving into a rental is a similar situation with an extra step. Check your lease and talk to your landlord before altering any hardware. Many landlords are glad to have it done, and some prefer to arrange it themselves. If you are the landlord, we work with property owners regularly; there's more on that further down.
New owners aren't the only people who need a lock change. These are the situations we hear about most often:
- You bought a house or condo and don't know who holds copies of the keys.
- You moved into a rental and want to be sure the previous tenant's keys no longer work.
- A key was lost or stolen, and you'd rather not wait to see whether anything happens.
- A roommate, partner, or family member moved out and still has a key.
- A contractor, caregiver, house cleaner, or former employee had access and no longer should.
- There was a break-in or an attempted one, and the lock or door frame took damage.
- The locks are worn, sticky, or mismatched, and you want every door on one key.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366How does a lock change work when we arrive?
There's no mystery to it, and you should know what's happening on your own door. Here is how a typical lock change goes. If you're stuck outside while this is going on, that's a different job, and our house lockout service covers it. Either way, we'll ask you to show that you live at or own the property before we open or change anything. Any honest locksmith does the same.
- Call (213) 577-1366. A person answers, day or night. Tell us how many exterior doors you have, what kind of locks are on them now, and whether you're locked out or just want the locks changed.
- We come to you in one of our mobile locksmith vans, or you can bring hardware or doors to our Westwood storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd if that suits you better.
- We inspect every lock you want changed: brand, age, condition, how the door closes, whether the strike plate lines up, and whether the lock is a knob, a lever, a deadbolt, or a combination.
- We recommend rekey or replace for each door, explain why, and talk through what affects the cost before any work begins.
- We do the work. Rekeyed cylinders get new pins cut to a new key. Replaced hardware is removed and new locks go in, with the bolt, latch, and strike set properly.
- We test each lock with the new keys, with the door open and closed, and check that the bolt throws freely and the door shuts without a fight.
- We hand over your keys, show you which key goes where, and take away the old parts so nothing is left behind.
How do we decide between rekeying and replacing?
The decision is made door by door, not house by house. A front door can need a new deadbolt while the back-door knob only needs a rekey. We don't push a full replacement to raise the size of the job, and we won't talk you into a rekey on hardware that's about to fail.
Here is how we think about it:
- Rekey is usually the right call when the hardware is in good shape, from a brand that rekeys cleanly, and your only concern is who has keys.
- Replace is usually the right call when the lock is worn, loose, corroded, damaged in a break-in attempt, or not a type that can be rekeyed properly.
- Replace also makes sense when you want something different: a stronger deadbolt, a different finish, or a keypad or app-controlled lock.
- Rekey and replace together is common. Many houses end up with a few of each.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366Can you put every door on one key?
Often, yes. Carrying a different key for the front door, back door, side gate, and garage entry gets old quickly. When we change locks, we can usually key several locks alike, so one key works on all of them. How well this works depends on the brands already on your doors. Mixing brands sometimes limits what can share a key, and we'll tell you if that's the case rather than promise something the hardware can't do.
If you want extra copies once the new keys are set, our key duplication service handles it, and we'll explain which keys are worth copying and which are better left as a single set. If you're thinking about stepping up the security of a door while we're there, a new deadbolt installation is the usual first upgrade. And if you'd rather not carry keys at all, we can talk through smart lock installation and what it does and doesn't change.
What affects the cost to change locks?
We don't quote numbers on a web page, because the honest answer depends on your doors. What we can tell you is exactly what moves the cost up or down, so there are no surprises when we talk on the phone or at your door.
The main factors are these:
- Number of locks. Changing one door is a different job from changing every entry on the property.
- Rekey or replace. Rekeying existing hardware is usually the more economical route when the locks are in good condition. Replacing means paying for new hardware as well as the labor.
- Hardware grade and type. A basic knob, a standard deadbolt, a higher-security lock, and a smart lock sit in very different places.
- Condition of the door and frame. A door that's warped, or a strike plate that no longer lines up, can mean extra work to make the new lock function properly.
- Special parts. Security screen doors, multipoint locks, older or unusual hardware, and gate locks can add time and parts.
- Timing. A nighttime or holiday call is a different situation from a scheduled daytime visit. We answer the phone at all hours, and we're upfront about how timing affects the job.
- Keying. Keying several locks alike, or setting up a restricted key you can't copy at a hardware store, adds steps.
What should you know about changing locks on Baldwin Park homes?
Baldwin Park's housing stock shapes how most lock changes go here. A lot of the city is made up of 1950s-era tract bungalows and ranch homes, with high owner occupancy and many multigenerational households. That matters for locks in a few practical ways. Older tract homes may have decades of accumulated keys, original hardware, and doors that have been repainted several times. Multigenerational households tend to have more people holding keys, so a clean reset means counting everyone who needs one and cutting for them on purpose.
Accessory units and garage conversions are common too. These often have their own entry door, and it's worth deciding whether that door should share a key with the main house or be keyed separately. We bring that up when we change locks so it's a choice you make, not something you find out later.
Security screen doors are another frequent sight here. They're a common retrofit, and they come with their own latch or lock. When we change your main door lock, we check how it works together with the screen door, so you aren't fumbling with two sets of keys or a screen door that blocks the handle.
Then there's the weather. Baldwin Park gets hot inland summers, usually warmer than coastal Los Angeles, and door and frame expansion during heat waves is the lock complaint we hear most. A deadbolt that slid smoothly in March can bind in August, and people often assume the lock is failing when the real problem is a swollen door. When we change locks, we check the alignment of the bolt and strike with the door in its current state, and we tell you if the issue is the frame rather than the hardware. That can save you from replacing a lock that was never the problem.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366Changing locks around 91706: neighborhoods we work in
Baldwin Park is all one ZIP code, 91706, but the lock jobs differ by area.
In the Morgan Park area, the work is mostly home lockouts and rekeys on the 1950s tract blocks near Morgan Park. New owners on those blocks usually want every exterior door on one fresh key, plus a look at the old hardware to decide what's worth keeping. The same goes for the Sierra Vista area in south Baldwin Park, where single-family homes and the occasional garage conversion make up the usual job.
In Downtown Baldwin Park, around Maine Avenue and Ramona Boulevard, we see both homes and storefronts. Apartment buildings cluster along Ramona Boulevard and near the Metrolink station district, and apartment unit rekeys for those complexes are a regular job whenever a tenant turns over. If you manage several units, our locksmith for landlords page explains how we handle multiple doors at one property.
We also get calls from the Francisquito Avenue corridor and from the Arrow Highway industrial corridor to the north. Business lock work is a different kind of job from a home lock change, so we handle it separately. If you need locks changed on a shop or warehouse door, tell us when you call and we'll send the right tools and hardware.
Why call Wilshire Lock & Key to change your locks?
We've been in business since 1987, and we have changed a great many locks in that time. We're a real company with a real storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood, plus mobile service vans that cover 140 cities across Los Angeles and Ventura counties, Baldwin Park included.
When you call (213) 577-1366, you reach us, not a call center that passes your job to whoever's available. There are no dispatch middlemen between you and the person who shows up. The owner and lead technician, David, oversees the work, and he's the reason we won't sell you a replacement when a rekey does the job.
Our phone is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year-round. A lock change usually isn't an emergency, but sometimes it is: a break-in, a lost set of keys, or a move-in with nowhere else to sleep. When that happens you shouldn't have to wait for business hours.
We're also straightforward about what we don't know until we see the door. We'll never invent a problem or add hardware you don't need. If your doors are fine and the best thing is to leave them alone, we'll say that.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366Should you ask a locksmith for a BSIS license?
Yes. California requires locksmith companies to hold a Locksmith Company (LCO) license issued through the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services, known as BSIS. Before you let anyone change the locks on your home, ask for the license number and check it. It's a reasonable question and an honest company will answer it without a fuss.
Beyond licensing, be wary of anyone who quotes a vague price on the phone and then changes it at the door, who refuses to explain what they're doing, or who wants to drill out every lock without looking at it first. Locks protect where you sleep, so it's worth a few questions.
Frequently asked questions
Should I rekey or replace my locks after buying a house in Baldwin Park?
It depends on the hardware. If the existing locks are in good shape and rekey cleanly, rekeying is usually the more economical route and fully cuts off the old keys. If the locks are worn, damaged, or you want an upgrade, replacement is the better call. We check each door and tell you which fits.
Will my old keys still work after you change the locks?
No. That's the point of the job. After a rekey or replacement, the old keys no longer operate the lock. We test every lock with the new keys before we leave, and we can show you that the old ones don't turn.
How long does it take to change locks?
It depends on the number of doors and whether you're rekeying or replacing. A single rekey is a short visit, while changing every exterior door on a house takes longer. When you call (213) 577-1366, tell us how many doors and what hardware you have, and we'll give you a realistic idea of the visit.
Can you change locks at night or on weekends?
Yes. Our phone is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, all year. Timing can affect how a job is priced, and we'll be upfront about that when you call, but you don't have to wait for business hours if you need locks changed right away.
Can you put all my doors on the same key?
Usually. We can key several locks alike so one key opens the front door, back door, and others. How well that works depends on the brands already installed, since some don't share keying. We'll tell you what's possible before we start rather than after.
Can you change the lock on a security screen door or a garage conversion?
Yes. Security screen doors and garage conversions or accessory units are common in Baldwin Park, and they often have their own latch or lock. We can change them, and we'll ask whether you want them on the same key as the main house or on a separate one.
How much does it cost to change locks?
We don't give numbers online because it depends on your doors. The main factors are how many locks, whether you rekey or replace, the hardware type and grade, the condition of the door and frame, any special parts, and timing. We'll talk through those with you before we start work.
Do I need to be home when you change the locks?
Someone with the authority to approve the work should be there, at least at the start and the end. We'll ask you to show that you live at or own the property, then walk through the doors, explain the plan, and hand over the new keys when we finish.
More locksmith help in Baldwin Park
Change Locks near Baldwin Park
Reviewed by David, Owner & Lead Technician, Wilshire Lock & Key — in the locksmith trade since 1987.
Last updated 2026-10-11.