Change Locks in Beverly Hills, CA

What does it mean to change locks?

When people say they want to change the locks, they usually mean one of two different jobs, and the difference affects both your budget and your security. The first is rekeying: we keep the lock you already have, change the internal pins so the old keys no longer turn it, and cut new keys that do. The second is replacing: we remove the lock and install different hardware, which could be the same grade, a better grade, or a different style altogether.

From the outside, both jobs end the same way. Old keys stop working and new keys work. What differs is what is left on your door afterward. A rekeyed lock is still the lock you had, with its age, its finish and its build quality. A replaced lock is new hardware with all of that reset. Part of our job is telling you honestly which one your door needs, rather than steering you toward the bigger job.

We cover each job on its own page, lock rekeying and lock replacement. This page is about the decision itself and how a full lock change goes from your first call to the last test of the key.

Should you rekey or replace your locks?

We start with the condition of the lock, not the key in your hand. Put the old key in, turn it, and feel what happens. A lock that turns smoothly and retracts the latch cleanly is usually a good candidate to keep. A lock that grinds, sticks or wobbles on the door is telling you something else.

• Rekey when the lock is sound, the finish is acceptable and you trust the brand and grade. Because the hardware stays, this is usually the more economical route.
• Replace when the lock is worn, loose, corroded or sticking, or when a part inside is broken and the lock keeps failing.
• Replace when you want a different function, such as a keypad, an app-connected lock or a higher-security cylinder, since rekeying cannot add features that the lock does not have.
• Replace when the finishes on your doors no longer match and it bothers you, or when a builder-grade set is something you would rather move on from.
• Rekey when the goal is one key for several doors. In many cases we can set multiple locks to the same key, depending on the hardware brands already on the doors.
• Repair instead of either when the lock is fine and a single part is the problem. We will tell you if that is the case.

Changing locks after buying a house or moving in

If you just bought a home, you cannot know how many keys exist for it. Previous owners, their relatives, real estate agents, contractors, cleaners, and the neighbor who watered the plants may all have had one, and nobody keeps an honest list. Changing the locks after buying a house is the simplest way to start from a known position: you hold every key that works.

The same logic applies to renters and anyone moving between places. If a former roommate, partner or landlord's contractor had access, a lock change closes that question. Most new homeowners ask us to do it before the first night in the house or in the first few days, ahead of the unpacking.

Think beyond the front door. Walk the property and list every lock that opens something: the main entry, back and side doors, the garage service door, sliding door locks, side gates, and any detached space. We also check the mailbox if it uses a key. If you are considering a move to keypad or app-based entry while we are there, our smart lock installation page explains what is involved. We will cut the extra copies you want during the same visit, and our key duplication page explains what to know about spares.

How does a lock change visit work, step by step?

Whether we come to you in a mobile van or you call from the storefront side of things, the process is the same. It is built so that you understand each decision as it is made.

1. You call (213) 577-1366 at any hour. We ask what doors are involved, what type of locks they have, and why you want them changed, such as a new purchase, a lost key or a change in who lives or works there.
2. We give you a plain read on whether your situation points toward rekeying, replacing or a mix, and we talk through what affects the cost before anyone starts work.
3. Our technician arrives with a van stocked for lock work and inspects each lock in person. If what we see differs from what we expected on the phone, we say so and explain what changes.
4. We confirm with you which doors get rekeyed and which get replaced. Nothing gets swapped without your agreement.
5. We do the work. Rekeyed cylinders are taken apart, repinned and reassembled. Replaced locks are removed, the door prep is checked, and the new hardware is fitted so the latch and strike line up properly.
6. We test every key on every lock, from both sides of the door, with the door open and closed, so there are no surprises that evening.
7. We hand over the keys, tell you which key belongs to which lock, and cut any extra copies you asked for. We also suggest who should and should not hold spares.

What affects the cost of changing locks in Beverly Hills?

We do not quote a flat figure over the phone, because the honest answer depends on the doors in front of us. Here is what moves the cost up or down, so you can see where your own job lands.

• Rekey versus replace. Keeping your hardware and changing the pins is generally the lighter-cost option. New locks add the cost of the hardware itself.
• Number of locks. A single door is a different job from a house with several entries, a gate and a garage door.
• Lock type and grade. Standard deadbolts, mortise locks, multipoint systems and high-security cylinders all take different parts and different time.
• Hardware you want. A basic replacement and a keypad or app-connected lock are not in the same range, nor are restricted-key cylinders.
• Door condition. If a door has been drilled, if the strike is misaligned or if the bore is damaged, there is extra work before a new lock will sit properly.
• Extra keys. More copies, or special key types that cannot be cut on a regular machine, change the total.
• Time of day. A late-night or holiday call involves a technician's off-hours, and that is reflected in the quote.

Changing locks across Beverly Hills: what we see by area

Our storefront is at 10740 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood, about 4 miles from Beverly Hills, and we work across 90210, 90211 and 90212. Lock changes here look different depending on which part of town the door is in.

In The Flats, a common reason for a lock change is turnover among household staff or vendors. When someone who had a key or a code leaves, the sensible response is to rekey or replace the affected doors rather than hoping the keys come back. For homes like these, we often talk through upgrading to high-security locks with restricted keys, which cannot be copied at a hardware store counter.

Trousdale Estates is a mid-century enclave from the 1950s and 60s, and many properties there have driveway gates and intercom-adjacent hardware alongside the house locks. If you are changing the locks on the house, include the pedestrian gate and the driveway gate lock in that list, since a new key on the front door means little if the old key still opens the gate. When that hardware itself has a problem, our gate lock repair page covers it.

North of Santa Monica Boulevard, many homes are 1920s-onward estates in Spanish Colonial Revival and Mediterranean styles, and their doors often carry mortise hardware. Mortise locks can often be rekeyed without replacing the entire lock body, which matters when you want to preserve original hardware. We assess each one in person.

South of Wilshire, the buildings shift to duplexes, condominiums and apartment buildings built from the 1930s through the 1970s. Lock changes there are frequently tied to a move, a roommate leaving or a lost key, and that is also where lockouts are common, so if you are locked out of a unit before the lock change, see our apartment lockout page.

The climate here is warm and dry in summer, and hillside and canyon sections get strong sun that fades and dries exterior door finishes. The effect on lock hardware is modest, but a weathered finish is sometimes a reason people choose to replace a lock rather than rekey it.

Why call Wilshire Lock & Key for a lock change?

We have been in business since 1987, and that history shows up in the details: knowing which locks are worth keeping, which are not, and how older doors tend to behave. We run a real storefront plus mobile service vans, so what we cannot finish at your door can be supported from the shop. Our mobile locksmith service brings the work to you.

You are dealing with one company, not a call center that passes your job to whichever contractor is free. The person who answers the phone works for the same company that arrives at your door. David, the owner and lead technician, oversees the work, and that is why the advice you get on the phone matches what we do on the job.

The phone is answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week, year-round at (213) 577-1366. Lock changes are not always emergencies, but they sometimes are, and a late-night call after a break-in attempt or a lost set of keys gets the same attention as a daytime appointment. We serve 140 cities across Los Angeles and Ventura counties, so Beverly Hills sits well within our regular coverage area.

What should you ask a locksmith before they change your locks?

Changing locks gives someone access to your home's security, so it is reasonable to ask questions first. California requires locksmith companies to hold a BSIS LCO license, and you should ask any locksmith for it and check it, including us. A company that avoids the question is telling you something.

Also ask whether the work is a rekey or a replacement and why, what is in the cost explanation, and whether the person arriving is an employee of the company you called. Be cautious about any company that quotes a very low figure on the phone and a very different one at the door. Ask how many keys come with the job, and whether your new keys can be copied freely or are restricted. A good locksmith answers all of this without fuss.

More locksmith help in Beverly Hills

• Deadbolt Installation in Beverly Hills
• Gate Lock Repair in Beverly Hills
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• Key Duplication in Beverly Hills
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Change Locks near Beverly Hills

• West Hollywood
• Los Angeles
• Culver City
• Santa Monica