Lock installation in Burbank, CA

What does a proper lock installation actually involve?

Most people think of lock installation as swapping one piece of hardware for another. In practice the lock is only half the job. The other half is the door: its thickness, its bore holes, the edge preparation, the strike plate, the frame behind the strike, and whether the door still hangs square. A good lock fitted into a door that has dropped a quarter inch will bind, scrape and eventually fail, and it will usually fail on a night when you least want it to.

People call us for new lock installation for a handful of common reasons. They moved into a place and do not know who holds keys. A door never had a deadbolt. A remodel added a new entry, a side door or a back gate. An old lockset finally wore out. Or a business is opening, expanding or changing tenants and needs every door hardware-ready on a schedule. Each of those starts the same way: we look at the door first and choose the lock second.

This page is about fitting new locks. If what you really need is to change the keys on locks that are in good shape, that is a different and often lighter job, and we explain the difference further down.

Which type of lock fits which door?

The right hardware depends on the door material, the door's role, and who uses it. Here is how we think about the main types people ask us to install.

• Front door lock installation: most entry doors take a deadbolt plus a handle set or lever, either as separate pieces or a combined unit. We check the bore size and backset before we pick anything, because the two common backset measurements are not interchangeable without adjustment.
• Deadbolt and security lock installation: a deadbolt only protects you if the bolt throws deep into a solid strike and the frame behind it is sound. Where the frame is weak, we reinforce the strike area as part of the work. For a dedicated look at single-cylinder and double-cylinder options, see our deadbolt installation service in Burbank.
• Lever lock installation: levers are easier on hands than round knobs, they suit interior and commercial doors well, and they are often required where accessible hardware matters. We fit them as passage, privacy or keyed entry functions depending on the door.
• Mortise lock installation: a mortise lock sits in a deep pocket cut into the edge of the door, and it combines the latch and bolt in one steel case. It is common on older residential doors and many commercial and storefront doors. Installing one correctly means precise chiseling or, on a new door, matching the existing mortise pocket. It is not a casual swap.
• Door lock installation on gates and side doors: wooden gates, metal gates and thin side doors each need different hardware, and some need a hasp or a gate-rated latch rather than a standard cylinder.

How we install a new lock, step by step

Here is the order we work in. It does not change much from a house front door to an office suite, though the details do.

1. Talk through the goal. You tell us what the door is for, who needs access, and any problems you have had. If it is a rental or an office, we ask how many people need keys.
2. Inspect the door and frame. We check thickness, material, existing holes, alignment, the condition of the jamb, and any damage from earlier forced entry or earlier bad installs.
3. Recommend the hardware. We explain what fits and what the trade-offs are in plain language: grade of construction, how the lock operates, and how it will handle the use the door gets. If a smarter or sturdier option exists, we tell you why and when it is worth it, and when it is not.
4. Prepare the door. If new holes or a mortise pocket are needed, we cut them cleanly and square, so the hardware seats without forcing. If existing holes are slightly off, we correct them rather than cover them.
5. Fit and set the lock. We install the latch, bolt and cylinder, set the strike plate, and make sure the bolt throws fully without rubbing the frame.
6. Test under real conditions. We operate the lock many times with the door open and closed, check it with the door fully latched, and confirm every key works smoothly.
7. Hand over the keys and explain the lock. We show you how it works, how to keep it running, and what to do if a key starts to stick.

What affects the cost of lock installation in Burbank?

We do not quote a number on a web page, because the honest answer depends on the door in front of us. What we can do is tell you exactly what moves the cost up or down, so you can judge any quote you get from anyone, including us.

The biggest factor is the hardware itself. A basic keyed knob or lever, a standard deadbolt, a high-security cylinder, a mortise lock and a smart lock sit in very different places in terms of materials and construction. A higher-grade lock costs more to buy and often takes more care to fit.

The second factor is the door. A new hole in a solid-core or metal door takes more work than a prepped hollow-core. Cutting a mortise pocket takes longer than drilling a standard bore. Older doors that have been repainted several times, or have swollen and warped, can need extra fitting time.

Then comes quantity and scope. Installing one lock is different from fitting a whole building, and keying every lock to match, or to a master system, adds planning and hardware. Strike reinforcement, frame repair or door adjustment add work if the door is not sound.

Finally, timing and location matter. Work during normal hours at a scheduled visit is a different situation from a late-night call. We tell you what applies before we start, and we do not begin work you have not agreed to.

If you only need your existing locks to stop working with old keys, lock rekeying is usually the more economical route, since you keep the hardware you have. If the hardware itself is worn, damaged or the wrong type, lock replacement or a new installation is the better call.

Residential and commercial lock installation: what changes?

Residential lock installation tends to be about the front door, back door, garage entry and sometimes a bedroom or office with a privacy need. The questions are usually about security, convenience and matching the look of the home. Many homeowners also want one key to open several doors, which we can arrange with keyed-alike sets.

Commercial lock installation has a different set of concerns. Doors open and close hundreds of times a day, so the hardware needs to be built for that use. Fire-rated doors have rules about what can and cannot be installed on them. Exit requirements affect how a door must open from the inside. Staff turnover means key control matters. And a business often needs the work done without losing a day of trade.

For commercial doors we often work with heavier-duty lever sets, mortise locks, exit hardware and closers. Where the door needs more than a lock, such as a closer, an exit device or a reinforced frame, we look at the full set-up through our commercial door hardware work. Where a business wants to control who enters and when, access control installation is the next step up from a keyed lock.

The work on both sides is the same craft. What differs is how much we plan ahead and what the door has to put up with.

Lock installation in Burbank homes and buildings

Burbank's housing mix shapes the lock work we do here, and it is a more varied mix than people expect. In Magnolia Park, many bungalows date from the 1920s to the 1940s, and many older homes across the city still carry original mid-century door hardware. Those doors are often thicker or thinner than modern standards, with old bore patterns and tired mortise pockets. A new lock may need the holes adapted, and sometimes a mortise lock is the right way to keep the character of the door while upgrading the security. If the old lockset is still sound and the problem is only who has keys, we will often tell you to rekey it rather than replace it.

Across the flats, postwar ranch homes usually have simple, consistent entry doors that suit a standard deadbolt and lever or handle set. Up in the hillside district above Glenoaks Boulevard in the Verdugo foothills, homes get more sun and wind exposure than the flats. Dry Santa Ana winds and strong sun are hard on door finishes and can dry out and shift wooden doors. That affects how we set clearances on a new installation. There is no salt-air corrosion this far inland, which makes material choice simpler than near the coast, but sun-baked finishes still deserve a quality build.

Valley heat in summer also swells wooden doors. A deadbolt that slides freely in a cool morning can bind on a hot afternoon, so we check how a door behaves, not only how it looks on the day we are there. If a door swells enough to rub, we will tell you whether a small adjustment or planing will help before we install anything new.

Downtown Burbank and the Media District have added mid-rise condos and large controlled-access apartment complexes. For individual units, a new lock installation often means a deadbolt or lever set that matches building rules, and we always suggest checking with your building manager or HOA first. Owners with several units may want to look at our locksmith for landlords page. The Rancho District keeps equestrian-zoned single-family lots, which often means side gates and outbuildings that need their own hardware as well as the main house.

Burbank also has a strong working side. Office and gate access hardware for media companies around the Media District is a typical scenario where a business wants matching, controlled hardware across several doors. Storefront lock service along Magnolia Boulevard and San Fernando Boulevard is another, where street-level doors take steady use and need hardware that stands up to it.

Whether you are in 91501, 91502, 91504, 91505 or 91506, our storefront on Wilshire Boulevard in Westwood sits about 16 miles from Burbank, and our mobile vans bring the work to you. If you want to understand how that works, see our mobile locksmith service in Burbank.

Why call Wilshire Lock & Key for new locks?

We have been in business since 1987. That is long enough to have seen almost every kind of door, from worn-out mid-century hardware to the newest smart deadbolt. It is also long enough to have learned that the cleanest installs are the quiet ones, where the lock works the first time and keeps working.

We have a physical storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90024, plus mobile service vans. When you call (213) 577-1366, you reach us, not a national call center, and the same company that takes your call does the work. There are no dispatch middlemen passing your job to whoever is free. David, the owner and lead technician, oversees how the work is done, and that standard shapes how we fit every lock.

We answer the phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, all year, so if a door will not secure tonight, you can reach us tonight. If your issue is more urgent than a planned installation, such as a lockout or a break-in, our emergency locksmith service covers that side of things.

We also tell you when you do not need a new lock. If a rekey, a repair or an adjustment will solve the problem, we say so.

How to choose a locksmith for an installation

Before you let anyone drill into your door, ask a few direct questions. California requires locksmith companies to hold a BSIS LCO license, which is issued through the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services. Ask any locksmith you are considering for their license number and check it. A company that dodges the question is telling you something.

Ask for the company name and address, not just a phone number. Ask what hardware they plan to install and what grade it is. Ask what could change the price once they see the door. A straight answer to all three is a good sign.

Be wary of anyone who arrives in an unmarked vehicle, refuses to explain the work, or wants to drill out a lock that could be rekeyed or adjusted. A new lock should solve a problem, not create one.

Ask, too, whether the person who installs the lock can explain how to maintain it. Good hardware lasts for years when it is installed right and kept clean.

Upgrading beyond a basic lock

Some customers ask for more than a standard replacement. If you want keyless entry, a keypad or app-based access, our smart lock installation page explains what is involved and the questions worth asking about power, backup keys and door compatibility.

If your main concern is resistance to picking, drilling or key copying, high-security locks use tighter tolerances, restricted keyways and tougher materials. These are worth considering on exterior doors where you want extra protection, and they matter most when the door and frame are sturdy enough to make the lock count.

Whatever you choose, we recommend matching the lock to the door and to how you live. A very strong lock on a thin, damaged door gives false comfort. A well-fitted, mid-range lock on a sound door and frame often does more for your real security.

More locksmith help in Burbank

• Change Locks in Burbank
• Deadbolt Installation in Burbank
• Gate Lock Repair in Burbank
• High Security Locks in Burbank
• Key Duplication in Burbank
• Lock Rekey in Burbank
• All services in Burbank

Lock Installation near Burbank

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• North Hollywood
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