Lock Rekey in Burbank, CA

What does it mean to rekey locks, and why not just replace them?

Rekeying is the practical middle ground between living with keys you no longer trust and tearing out hardware that works fine. Inside a standard pin tumbler lock, a set of small pins sits at different heights. The key lifts each pin to exactly the right height so the cylinder can turn. To rekey a lock, we take the cylinder apart, fit pins that match a new key, and put it back together. The deadbolt, knob, or handle on your door stays where it is. Only the key that operates it changes.

The result is simple: every key anyone held before stops working, and the new keys you receive are the only ones that do. Nothing about the door looks different, and you are not paying for hardware you did not need. In most situations this is the more economical route compared with replacing every lock, and it solves the real problem, which is not who made the lock but who still has a key to it.

Rekeying is not always the right answer, and we will tell you when it is not. A lock that is cracked, badly worn, or already failing needs repair or replacement rather than new pins. We walk through that choice further down this page.

When should you rekey your locks?

People call us about rekeying for a handful of repeated reasons. The common thread is that you do not know, or no longer trust, who has a working key. Rekeying is something you do on purpose, ahead of a problem, and none of these situations require the lock to be broken.

• Rekey locks after moving in. Previous residents, their relatives, a cleaner, a contractor, a dog walker: you cannot know how many copies of the old keys exist.
• Rekey locks after buying a house. The same unknowns apply, plus everyone who had access during the sale and any earlier repair work.
• Rekey locks after a tenant moves out. A tenant turnover rekey makes the departing tenant's keys useless before the next person moves in.
• Rekey locks after losing keys. If a ring goes missing with an address attached, or you simply cannot account for it, new pins settle the question.
• After a breakup, a roommate leaving, or a falling-out with anyone who held a key.
• After an employee or manager leaves a business and you cannot confirm every key came back.
• When you want fewer keys to carry. We can rekey all house locks so a single key works the front door, back door, and side entries.

How we rekey your locks, step by step

Here is how a typical rekey goes, whether it is a one-bedroom apartment or a house with a lot of doors. Our mobile vans are set up to do this work at your door, so you do not need to carry locks anywhere.

1. You call (213) 577-1366, at any hour, and tell us what kind of property it is, roughly how many keyed locks there are (deadbolts, knobs, padlocks, gate locks), and why you want them rekeyed.
2. We talk through what the job involves and what will drive the cost, so there are no surprises when the technician arrives.
3. The technician looks over each lock: brand, condition, and whether the cylinder can be rekeyed or should be repaired or replaced instead.
4. We confirm how many keys you need and whether you want the locks keyed alike, meaning one key for every lock.
5. We remove each cylinder, replace the pins to match the new key pattern, and reassemble the lock on the door.
6. We test each lock with the new key, and with an old key if you have one handy, to show that it no longer turns.
7. We hand over the new keys and check how each door closes and latches. If we notice a loose strike plate or a sticking bolt, we tell you plainly instead of leaving you to find out later.

How much does lock rekeying cost in Burbank?

We do not publish flat numbers for rekeying, because the honest answer depends on your doors. After a short conversation we can explain what will move the cost up or down for your property. These are the factors that matter most:

If you want spare copies cut for family members or staff, the number of extra keys is part of the picture, and our key duplication work is handled the same visit.

• How many cylinders need rekeying. Each lock is a separate piece of work, so a two-door apartment and a house with six keyed entries are different jobs.
• The type and condition of the locks. Standard residential deadbolts and knobs are usually straightforward. Worn, older, or unusual hardware can take longer, and a few cannot be rekeyed at all.
• Whether you want everything keyed alike, which is common and often the reason people call.
• Restricted or high-security keyways, which may need different parts and different key blanks than a standard lock.
• The number of keys you want cut after the rekey.
• The time of day. We are open around the clock, and after-hours calls are a different kind of scheduling than a weekday visit.
• Travel. Burbank is about 16 miles from our Westwood storefront, and distance is one of the inputs on any mobile call.

Should you rekey or replace the locks?

If your locks are in good shape and you just want new keys, rekeying is usually the lighter-cost option and the sensible default. It keeps your existing hardware, your finish, and your door preparation exactly as they are.

Replacement makes more sense in other cases. If you want a different style, a higher security grade, or a smart lock, you are choosing new hardware anyway, and our lock replacement work covers that. If you want the whole set swapped at once, whether for appearance or because the old locks are tired, see change locks.

• Rekey when the hardware works smoothly, looks acceptable, and the only issue is who holds keys.
• Replace when the lock is cracked, loose, corroded, hard to turn even with a fresh key, or no longer fits the level of security you want.
• Ask us when you are unsure. We look at the lock before recommending anything, and sometimes the answer is a rekey for most doors and a replacement for one.

Apartment lock rekey and tenant turnover

Property owners and managers get the most value from rekeying. Between tenants, the keys that left with the last resident are the biggest open question on the property. A rekey between tenants closes it without requiring new locks every time, which keeps turnover work manageable. We work with owners and managers on repeat schedules through our locksmith for landlords service.

For a single apartment lock rekey, the scope is usually the entry deadbolt and handle set, plus any secondary locks the unit has. If you are a tenant, check your lease and talk with your landlord before changing anything, since many leases require the owner's approval or control of keys.

Rekeying is for planned changes. If you are standing outside a unit without a key right now, that is an apartment lockout, and we handle it separately. Many people end up doing both: we get you in, then rekey so the lost key is dead.

Commercial and business lock rekey

A commercial rekey follows the same principle as a home job, with more at stake. Offices, shops, and studios often have a long list of people who have held keys over the years: former staff, cleaners, vendors, and past managers. Rekeying cuts that list down to the people who should have access today.

Businesses also tend to want structure: different doors for different people, or a set of keys that fit a hierarchy. That is more than a simple rekey, and it is where a master key system comes in. For the wider range of work on storefronts, offices, and shared doors, see our commercial locksmith page.

If you are rekeying a business, tell us up front how many doors, whether any are shared with other tenants, and whether any use restricted keys. Those details change the plan.

Rekeying in Burbank: what the neighborhoods and homes tell us

Burbank's housing is varied, and it shapes how rekey jobs go. Magnolia Park has 1920s to 1940s bungalows, and many older homes in town still carry original mid-century door hardware. Vintage hardware rekeying on Magnolia Park bungalows is a good example of when to look closely before promising anything. Old cylinders can rekey beautifully if they are in good shape, and we would rather save an original lock with character than swap it out. If a particular lock is too worn to hold new pins reliably, we say so and talk through the alternatives.

Across the flats, the postwar ranch homes tend to have a front door, a back door, a garage side door, and sometimes a gate. Those are the homes where keying all house locks to one key makes everyday life easier. Up in the hillside district above Glenoaks Boulevard in the Verdugo foothills, houses see more sun and wind than the flats, and our recommendation is to check how doors close during rekeying. Valley heat in summer can swell wooden doors, and a bolt that binds because of door movement is a door problem, not a pin problem. We will point that out instead of rekeying a lock that was never the issue. The good news is that there is no salt-air corrosion this far inland, so cylinders tend to stay clean inside.

In Downtown Burbank and the Media District, mid-rise condos and large controlled-access apartment complexes add a different set of needs. A unit rekey after a resident moves out is routine for owners and managers in buildings like these, while shared building doors and fobs are managed by the property. Across the Rancho District, equestrian-zoned single-family lots often come with more than one gate or outbuilding, and many owners ask us to bring those locks onto the same key as the house.

Business owners along Magnolia Boulevard and San Fernando Boulevard, and offices around the Media District, usually call for commercial rekeys after a staffing change or a lease handover. Whichever part of town you are in, from 91501 to 91506, we take the same approach: look at the lock, explain what is possible, then do the work.

Why call Wilshire Lock & Key for a rekey?

Rekeying looks like a small job, and it is, but it still depends on the person doing it. A cylinder that is reassembled carelessly can bind, stick, or fail months later. These are the reasons customers choose us:

• We have been in business since 1987, so we have seen almost every kind of lock and plenty of old hardware that newer companies have never opened.
• We run a real storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood plus mobile service vans, so you are dealing with an established business, not a name on a listing.
• You deal with one company from the first call to the finished job. We do not hand your call to a dispatch middleman.
• David, the owner and lead technician, oversees the work, and that standard applies to every job.
• We answer the phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year-round, at (213) 577-1366, including holidays.
• We serve 140 cities across Los Angeles and Ventura counties, and Burbank is one we are familiar with.

What should you ask any locksmith before they start?

California requires locksmith companies to hold a BSIS LCO license, issued through the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services. Ask any locksmith you are considering, including us, for the license number, and check it before work begins. A legitimate company will give it to you without hesitation.

Also ask what the price depends on and for a clear description of the work, so the scope is agreed before anyone starts removing cylinders. Be cautious of anyone who insists on drilling out or replacing locks when you called for a rekey, unless they can show you why the lock cannot be rekeyed.

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 Installation in Burbank
• All services in Burbank

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