Change Locks in Carson, CA: Rekey or Replace, We'll Help You Choose

Should you rekey or replace when you change locks?

Most people who call us about changing locks are not sure what they actually need. They know they want a key that nobody else holds. What they don't know is whether that means new hardware or new pins inside the lock they already own. That is a fair thing not to know, and sorting it out is most of what we do on the phone and again at the door.

"Change locks" covers two different jobs. Rekeying keeps the existing lock body and changes the internal pins, so the old keys stop working and a new key works. Replacing the lock means taking the hardware off the door and fitting something different. Either way, the outcome you care about is the same: the keys floating around out there, from a previous owner, an ex-roommate, a contractor, or a neighbor who once watered your plants, no longer open your door.

Which route fits depends on the condition of your hardware and what you want from it. It does not depend on what is easier for us to sell. Sometimes the plain answer is that your locks are fine and only the keys need to change. Sometimes the locks are worn out and rekeying them would be money spent on something about to fail. We will tell you which situation you are in.

When does it make sense to change your door locks?

You do not need a break-in to justify a lock change. The usual reason is simply that you cannot account for every key anymore. If you are unsure who has one, assume somebody does. These are the situations we get called about most often:

• You just bought a house or moved into a rental and have no idea how many keys the previous occupant handed out.
• A roommate, partner, or family member moved out and still has a key.
• You lost a key, or a key was stolen along with a wallet or bag.
• A contractor, house cleaner, or short-term guest had a key and the job is done.
• Your lock is worn, sticky, or hard to turn and you want it dealt with before it fails.
• You want every door on the property to open with one key instead of a ring of five.
• You are upgrading to a better deadbolt or a keypad lock and need the old hardware swapped out.

How do you decide between rekeying and replacing locks?

Here is how I would explain it to a neighbor. If the lock is in good shape, made by a reputable manufacturer, and fits the door properly, rekeying is usually the more economical route. You keep hardware that already works, and the only thing that changes is which key operates it. It also keeps the look of the door the same, which matters in a townhome community where exterior hardware tends to be uniform.

Replacement makes more sense when the lock itself is the problem. We lean that way in these cases:

• The lock is loose, worn out, or binds even with a correct key.
• The finish is damaged or the mechanism is corroded or visibly cheap and flimsy.
• The door has only a basic knob lock and you want a real deadbolt. In that case, see our deadbolt installation work.
• The hardware is a type that cannot be rekeyed, or replacement parts are no longer made.
• You want a different level of security or a different style, not just a different key.

How does a lock change work when you call us?

The process is the same whether you phone at noon or in the middle of the night. We try to keep it simple and tell you what is happening at each point.

1. You call (213) 577-1366 and tell us the address, how many doors are involved, and what is going on: new house, lost key, roommate leaving, or something else.
2. We ask what kind of locks are on the doors now, and how old the doors and hardware are, so we arrive with the right parts on the van.
3. A technician comes to you in a mobile van. We look at each lock first and tell you whether we would rekey it or replace it, and why.
4. If we are rekeying, we remove the cylinder, change the pins to match a new key, and put it back. If we are replacing, we fit the new hardware and make sure it lines up with the strike plate.
5. We test every lock with the new keys, with the door open and closed, and confirm the old keys no longer work.
6. We hand over the keys and explain what was done, so you are not guessing later. Need extra copies? We can cut more keys while we are there.

What affects the cost of changing locks in Carson?

We don't quote numbers on a web page, because honest pricing depends on the actual doors in front of us. What I can do is tell you what moves the cost up or down, so nothing surprises you.

The biggest factor is rekey versus replace. Rekeying existing hardware generally costs less than buying new locks, though a worn-out lock that needs rekeying and then fails a month later is not really a saving. The next factor is how many locks are involved. Front door, back door, side gate, garage entry, and a mailbox lock all add up, and a keyed-alike setup takes a bit more care than a single cylinder.

• Number of locks and doors, including deadbolts, knobs, and any secondary entries.
• Type and grade of the hardware you choose if you are replacing, from basic to high-security.
• Whether the existing locks are in good enough shape to rekey at all.
• Whether the door or frame needs adjustment so the new lock works properly.
• Whether you want the locks keyed alike, or restricted keys that are harder to copy.
• The time of day. After-hours and holiday calls involve pulling someone out at odd times, and that is reflected in the quote.
• Smart or keypad hardware, which costs differently from a standard mechanical lock.

Locksmith for a new house: what to do after buying or moving

If you have just bought a house, change the locks before you unpack. It is the first thing I would do. The sellers, their agent, the previous tenants, a lockbox visitor, and any contractor they hired may all have had keys, and a closing does not take those keys back. Treat every key from before your date as unaccounted for.

The same goes for renters and anyone moving into a place that has changed hands. Call a locksmith after moving, tell us how many doors you have, and we will check each lock. While we are there, it is worth looking at things people forget: the garage side door, any sliding door with a pin lock, a shed, and the mailbox. We can also add or upgrade a deadbolt if the front door only has a knob lock.

If you rent, check your lease and talk to your landlord first. Who may change locks, and who pays, depends on your agreement and on California rules, and I am a locksmith, not a lawyer. Landlords who want a clean turnover between tenants should look at our work for landlords and property managers.

What does changing locks look like across Carson?

Carson is mostly 1950s to 1970s single-family tract housing, with townhome communities, a large number of mobile home parks, and newer rentals near the university. Each of those has its own lock-change pattern, across ZIP codes 90745, 90746, and 90747.

In the 1960s and 1970s tract neighborhoods, such as Carousel Tract and the blocks around Dominguez, the usual job is a residential rekey on original or decades-old hardware. These houses change hands, and a lot of the original locks are still on the doors. If the cylinders are sound, rekeying is a straightforward way to make the house yours without replacing everything. If the locks are tired, we say so and replace them.

Climate matters here too. Carson sits on the flat inland harbor plain, with marine layer overcast and damp winter mornings, then summer heat. There is little salt-air corrosion, but older doors swell and shrink with the seasons. A lock that works in July can bind in January. When we change a lock on an older tract home, we check that the bolt lines up with the strike plate, so the new lock does not inherit a door problem.

In Scottsdale and the other townhome and HOA communities, expect shared rules about exterior hardware and a steady need for rekeys when units change hands. Mailbox locks are part of that, and we handle mailbox lock replacement separately when the box needs more than a new key.

Mobile home lock replacement is a common job across the city's many parks, and the doors and hardware often differ from a standard house, so we check what is on the door before we bring parts. Near CSU Dominguez Hills, the newer student-oriented rentals see frequent turnover, and a roommate moving out or a lost key is a very good reason to change locks, not just hand out another copy. In South Carson near the Wilmington border, along the Avalon Boulevard, Carson Street, and Sepulveda Boulevard corridors, we do the same work for homes mixed in among industrial and commercial buildings.

Why call Wilshire Lock & Key for a lock change?

We have been in business since 1987, and David, the owner and lead technician, oversees the work. We have a storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood and mobile service vans that cover 140 cities across Los Angeles and Ventura counties, Carson included. It is one company. When you call, you are not being passed to a dispatch middleman who sells your job to whoever is closest.

What that means in practice is that the person who tells you whether to rekey or replace works for the company that will stand behind the job. We don't push new hardware on a lock that can be rekeyed, and we won't rekey a lock that is about to fail just to make the invoice smaller. Our phone is answered around the clock, every day of the year, so if you discover at midnight that your keys are missing, you can reach us. For after-hours needs, see our 24-hour locksmith service in Carson.

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

Changing your locks means handing someone the keys to your home, so it is worth asking a few questions of any locksmith, including us. California requires locksmith companies to hold a license from the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services, known as a BSIS LCO license. Ask for the number and check it with the state if you want to be sure.

Also ask whether the person coming is an employee of the company or a subcontractor, who will answer if something goes wrong, and what the quote covers before work starts. A reputable locksmith will explain what they plan to do in plain language and won't be vague about price drivers. If someone will not tell you what they intend to do until the lock is already apart, that is your cue to call someone else.

More locksmith help in Carson

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Change Locks near Carson

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