Change Locks in Claremont, CA: Rekey or Replace, Done at Your Door

Should you rekey or replace when you change locks?

Most people who call us about changing locks aren't sure what they're actually asking for. They know old keys are out there somewhere, with a previous owner, a former roommate, a contractor or in a lost set, and they want that to stop mattering. How you get there is the real decision, and it's a smaller one than it sounds.

There are two routes. Rekeying keeps the hardware you already have and changes the inside of the cylinder, so the old keys no longer turn it and a new key does. Replacement takes the lock off and puts a different one on. Rekeying is usually the more economical route when the lock is sound and you like it. Replacement makes sense when the hardware is worn, damaged or mismatched, or when you want something stronger or different in how it works.

We don't push one over the other. When we look at your door, we tell you which we'd choose if it were our own house, and why. If you're still undecided, that's a perfectly good place to start the phone call.

• Rekey when the lock is in good shape, you like how it looks and feels, and the only problem is who might be holding a key.
• Replace when the lock is loose, sticking, worn, badly finished, or one of several mismatched brands you'd like to bring into a single set.
• Replace when you want a different function, such as a keypad, a heavier deadbolt, or a lever handle that's easier on the hands.

What does changing the locks actually include?

'Change locks' is a loose phrase, so here is how we use it. It covers any job where the way your door locks is updated so that the old keys stop working. That can mean rekeying the cylinders you have, installing new knobs, levers or deadbolts, or a mix of the two across the house.

A lock rekey is done on site. We take the cylinder apart, replace the internal pins to match a new key, and reassemble it. The lock looks the same, and only the key is different. A full lock replacement means the old hardware comes off and new hardware goes on, which also lets you change the finish, the security grade or the style.

Think beyond the front door. Back and patio doors, the door from the garage into the house, side-gate locks, sheds and the mailbox all count. One practical option is keying several locks to the same key, so you carry one key instead of five. We'll ask which doors matter to you and set it up that way.

How we change locks at your Claremont door, step by step

Here is the usual sequence. It shifts a little depending on how many locks are involved and what condition they're in.

1. You call (213) 577-1366. The phone is answered at any hour, and we ask about the doors, the hardware you have now, and why you're changing.
2. We come to your address in Claremont with a mobile service van, or we book a visit at a time that suits you if it isn't urgent.
3. We look at each lock: brand, condition, how the door and frame line up, and whether the bolt throws freely.
4. We tell you which locks we'd rekey and which we'd replace, and what each choice means for cost, before any work begins.
5. We do the work: rekey cylinders, install new hardware, or both. If a door has shifted, we adjust the strike plate and alignment so the bolt seats properly.
6. We test every lock with the new keys, from outside and inside, with the door open and closed, and confirm the old keys no longer work.
7. We hand over the new keys, cut extras if you want them, and explain anything about how the hardware operates that you should know.

What should you do about locks after buying a house or moving in?

Closing day hands you a set of keys, but no certainty about how many other sets exist. Previous owners, their agents, relatives, cleaners, contractors, a neighbor who watered the plants: you can't know who has one. That's why changing locks after buying a house is the first thing we suggest, and it's the most common reason people look for a locksmith for a new house.

The same logic applies to anyone looking for a locksmith after moving. If you're renting, check your lease and talk with your landlord before altering anything. If you own the place, it's your call, and you can have it done the day you get the keys.

A visit for new homeowners usually covers a short list:

• Every exterior door: front, back, patio, side, and the door from the garage.
• Any deadbolt that's missing, loose, or doesn't extend fully into the frame.
• Extra keys for everyone in the household, cut through key duplication once the locks are set.
• Whether a keypad or smart lock suits you better than another set of metal keys.
• The mailbox lock, gate lock and any outbuildings, which are easy to forget.
• Alarm codes and garage remotes. Those are handled by your alarm provider or garage door company, but it's worth resetting them the same day so the whole entry system is on your terms.

What affects the cost of a lock change in Claremont?

We don't put numbers on a web page because the honest figure depends on your doors. We explain the cost before work starts. These are the things that move it:

• Rekey or replace. Rekeying existing hardware is usually the more economical route. New hardware adds the cost of the hardware itself.
• How many locks. One front door is a different job than a whole house, though a bigger job often makes better use of a single visit.
• Hardware grade and finish. Basic builder-grade sets, heavier deadbolts and high-security cylinders sit in very different ranges.
• Keyed-alike or separate keys. Setting several locks to one key is routine, but it's part of the labor.
• Condition of the door and frame. A misaligned bolt or a damaged strike plate may need adjusting or repair before the new lock works well.
• Older or period hardware. Careful work on original pieces can take more time than a simple swap.
• Time of day and distance. After-hours calls and travel both factor in, and Claremont is about 44 miles from our Westwood storefront.

Why have Wilshire Lock & Key change your locks?

Here's what we can say plainly, without big claims:

• We've been in business since 1987, so we've seen most lock problems more than once.
• We run a storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd in Los Angeles (Westwood) and mobile service vans that work at your door. We don't have a storefront in Claremont, and we'd rather say so than imply otherwise.
• We're one company. Your job isn't passed through a dispatch middleman who sells it to whoever is free.
• David, the owner and lead technician, oversees how the work is done.
• The phone is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year-round.

Changing locks in Claremont: Village, Claraboya and the Colleges area

Claremont's homes make lock changes more varied than they'd be in a uniform tract suburb. Near Claremont Village and Village West, the housing includes Victorian, craftsman and Spanish revival homes. In the Russian Village District and other historic neighborhoods, owners often prefer to keep original or period hardware rather than replace it. For those houses, rekeying is frequently the better route, because the lock keeps its look and the old keys stop working. If a piece truly can't be kept, we'll talk through replacement options with you instead of swapping it without asking.

Mid-century tracts and custom homes are a different case. Hardware from different eras, and sometimes mixed brands on one house, are common. This is where replacing selected locks and keying everything alike can tidy things up. For hillside houses in Claraboya, we come to the door in a mobile van, and it usually makes sense to have every exterior lock handled in one visit.

Around the Claremont Colleges area, off-campus student housing rekeys are a common local scenario. A house turns over, and the previous tenants' keys are still out there. Rekeying fits well because the hardware stays and only the keys change. If you own a rental, our page for a locksmith for landlords covers turnover work in more depth.

The climate matters too. Claremont's foothill position brings hot, dry summers and strong Santa Ana wind events. Heat can make wood doors expand, which can change how a bolt lines up with its strike, and wind-driven debris can work its way into exterior hardware. We check the fit of the door as well as the lock itself. There's no marine-layer dampness here, so we're thinking about heat and dust rather than moisture.

Whether you're in ZIP code 91711 near the Village, in Towne Ranch, or up toward Padua Hills, the process is the same. You call, we tell you what we'd rekey and what we'd replace, and we do it at your door.

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

California requires locksmith companies to hold a Locksmith Company (LCO) license from the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS). Ask any locksmith for that license number, us included, and check it with BSIS yourself. A few other questions are worth asking before anyone touches your door:

• What will the total be, including the trip and every lock, before work begins?
• Will you rekey where that makes sense, or do you replace everything by default?
• Is the person I'm talking to from the company that will do the work, or from a dispatch service?
• What do I get at the end: new keys, extras, and a test of each lock?

When is it a different job than changing locks?

Some calls begin as lock changes but are really something else. If you're shut out of your own home, that's a house lockout, and the priority is getting you inside, with a lock change afterward if you want one. If you want a stronger bolt added to a door that has none, that's deadbolt installation rather than a swap. If a key has snapped off in a lock, that has to be removed before anything else can happen. Tell us what's going on when you call, and we'll sort out which job it is.

More locksmith help in Claremont

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

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