What does access control installation mean for an Encino business?
Access control replaces a metal key with a credential: a code, a card, a key fob or a phone. A reader or keypad at the door decides who may enter, and an electric lock (a strike or a magnetic lock) does the physical work. Behind that sits a controller and a power supply, and on larger systems, software that records who came through and when.
Most businesses call us for the same few reasons. A former employee still has a key and nobody knows how many copies exist. Keys get shared and there is no record of who opened the supply room. A tenant turns over and the whole suite needs rekeying again. Or a front door gets propped open all day because buzzing people in has become a chore. Commercial access control fixes each of these by letting you change who has access without changing a single cylinder.
It is not the right answer for every door, and we will say so. A single back office used by two people may be better served by a quality deadbolt or a good keypad lock. We would rather tell you that than sell you a system with more parts than the door needs. For ordinary locks and hardware work, our commercial locksmith service covers it.
Which access control hardware fits which door?
The right hardware depends on the door, the frame, who uses it and what happens in an emergency. Here is how the main pieces compare.
- Keypad access control: Users enter a code. It is the simplest keyless entry for business use, with no cards to lose, but codes get shared, so it suits low-risk doors or small teams. Better keypads let you assign an individual code to each person and delete it later.
- Card access system or key card entry system: Each person carries a card, and you can disable one card without touching anyone else's. This is the usual choice for offices, clinics and shared buildings with staff turnover.
- Key fob access control: Same idea as cards, but on a keychain. People tend to hold on to fobs better than cards, and fobs hold up well in daily use.
- Electric strike installation: The strike replaces the standard strike plate in the frame and releases the latch when the reader approves. It works with the existing lockset, stays locked when power fails in fail-secure models, and suits most interior and exterior commercial doors with a solid frame.
- Magnetic lock installation: An electromagnet on the frame holds a plate on the door. It suits glass doors and doors where a strike will not fit, but a maglock has no latch, so it must be tied into a safe exit method and, where required, the fire alarm. We plan that part first, not last.
- Credential-based entry with multiple readers: On larger setups, each person's credential is allowed at specific doors and times, all managed from one controller.
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Call (213) 577-1366How we install access control, step by step
A clean install starts with questions, not drilling. This is how the work generally goes.
- Walk the doors. We look at each door you want controlled: material, frame, hinges, closer, existing lock, and which way people need to exit.
- Decide who needs what. We talk through who gets in, where, and when, including staff, cleaners, vendors and anyone you may need to lock out quickly.
- Choose the lock type for each door. That means strike or maglock, fail-secure or fail-safe, and the right reader style for indoor or outdoor exposure. Egress and fire safety rules shape these choices, and we plan around them.
- Plan power and wiring. Electric locks need a power supply and a clean cable path to the controller. We figure out the route before we cut anything.
- Install the hardware. We mount the readers or keypads, fit the strikes or maglocks, set the controller and test that each door latches and releases correctly.
- Enroll credentials and set rules. We program cards, fobs or codes, set schedules where you want them, and show you how to add or remove a person yourself.
- Walk through it with you. We test every door with you, confirm the exit works without a credential, and leave you knowing how to run the system day to day.
What affects the cost of access control installation in Encino?
We do not quote numbers on a web page because two doors that look alike can be very different jobs. What matters is the following.
The number of doors is the first factor, followed by the number of users. A single keypad on one door is a small job; multi-door access control with a central controller and dozens of credentials is a larger one. The hardware you choose also matters. A basic standalone keypad costs less than networked readers with software and an audit trail.
The door and frame count heavily. A solid commercial frame accepts an electric strike easily. An aluminum storefront frame, a glass door or an older wood frame may need different parts or extra labor. Wiring is the other big variable: a door beside the controller is simple, while a run through finished walls or across a long hallway takes more time. Existing hardware may need work too, such as a failing closer or misaligned latch. We look at commercial door hardware during the walkthrough because a new reader cannot fix a door that does not close properly.
Finally, code requirements and any building rules affect scope. In a managed building we may need to coordinate with whoever runs it. Once we have seen the doors, we explain the scope in plain terms, so you know what you are paying for before work starts.
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Call (213) 577-1366How do multi-door and employee access control work?
For employee access control, the idea is simple: everyone gets their own credential, and you control what that credential opens. When someone leaves, you disable their card or code and nothing else changes. Compare that with rekeying every lock and handing out new keys to everyone, which is slow and disruptive.
On a multi-door system, one controller or a linked group of controllers manages every reader. You can give the front desk access to the lobby and the supply room only, give managers more doors, and restrict the server closet to one or two people. Schedules let some doors unlock during business hours and relock afterward. Better systems keep a log, which is useful when you need to know who used a door and when.
Some buildings still need a mechanical backup. If you run a large property with many tenants or departments, a master key system can sit alongside electronic readers on certain doors. We will help you decide which doors deserve electronics and which are fine with a well-organized key plan.
Exit hardware matters here as well. A door that controls entry still has to let people leave. Where a code requires it, we pair access control with exit devices; if you are considering that, our panic bar installation page explains how those fit.
Can you repair or upgrade an existing access control system?
Yes. Access control repair is a large share of our calls. Typical problems are a reader that stops recognizing cards, a strike that buzzes but does not release, a maglock that will not hold, a keypad with worn buttons, or a door that no longer latches because the frame shifted. Often the cause is not the electronics at all. A sagging door, a loose closer or a damaged cable is just as likely.
An access control upgrade makes sense when the system is old, unsupported or no longer fits your needs. Common examples are moving from one shared keypad code to individual credentials, adding a second door to a system built for one, or replacing a controller nobody can program anymore. We assess what you have first. If the existing wiring and locks are sound, we reuse them. If they are not, we tell you plainly.
If you are locked out because a system failed on a business door, call us directly. The immediate need is getting you in, and our business lockout service handles that before we look at the repair.
Access control in Encino: Ventura Boulevard, Royal Oaks and the hillsides
Encino has a few distinct kinds of properties, and each uses access control differently.
Along the Ventura Boulevard corridor, condo towers and HOA-managed apartment buildings make up one of the denser stretches of multifamily housing in the south Valley. In buildings like these, access control tends to be about shared entries, garage and lobby doors, and the hardware adjacent to the intercom. Condo building lock and intercom-adjacent hardware service is a regular type of call here, and installs usually have to fit a building that is occupied every day, so planning around residents matters.
Office and medical suites sit near Encino Hospital Medical Center and along the boulevards. These tenants often want credential-based entry for staff, a way to remove a departing employee's access quickly, and sometimes tighter control on rooms holding supplies or records. A card or fob system on the suite entry and an interior door or two is a typical request.
In the estate neighborhoods, including Royal Oaks and the large-lot Amestoy Estates, driveway gates and smart-lock work are common. Hillside homes south of the Boulevard frequently sit behind gates with intercom and access-control hardware, so we often see readers, keypads and strikes tied to a gate or pedestrian door. Our gate lock repair page covers repairs, and if you want a connected lock at the front door, see smart lock installation.
Climate matters too. Encino shares the Valley's hot summers, a little tempered near the irrigated Sepulveda Basin, while hillside homes south of Ventura get more direct sun and canyon wind. Heat can make entry doors expand and bind against a strike, and gate hardware wears faster in constant sun. We take that into account when we choose outdoor readers and adjust strikes so a door still latches on a hot afternoon.
We work across Encino's ZIP codes, 91316 and 91436. Our storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood is about 11 miles away, and our mobile service vans bring the tools and hardware to your site. If you would rather schedule a visit than call, you can also reach us through the contact page.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366Why call Wilshire Lock & Key for access control?
We have been in business since 1987, and access control is the kind of work where that history shows. Electronic hardware changes constantly, but doors, frames, hinges and latches have not. Plenty of access control problems are really door problems, and years of working on commercial doors help us find the true cause.
We run a storefront and mobile vans, and we are one company, not a dispatch service that sends your job to whoever is free. The person who answers the phone works for the same company that does the installation. David, the owner and lead technician, oversees the work, so there is someone accountable for how your doors end up.
Our phone line, (213) 577-1366, is answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week, year-round, which matters when a business door will not lock at night.
One more thing worth knowing: California requires locksmith companies to hold a BSIS LCO license. Ask any locksmith for that license number before they start work. It is a fair question, and a reputable company will not mind answering it.
If your project goes beyond access control, such as a rental portfolio, our locksmith for landlords page is a better starting point.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a keypad, a key card system and a key fob system?
A keypad uses a code, a key card system uses a card that you tap or swipe, and a key fob system uses a small device on a keychain. Keypads are simple but codes can be shared. Cards and fobs let you disable one person's credential without affecting anyone else, which is why most offices with staff turnover prefer them.
Should I use an electric strike or a magnetic lock?
It depends on the door. An electric strike works with a normal latch and suits most solid commercial frames. A magnetic lock suits glass doors or frames where a strike will not fit, but it needs a safe exit method and may need to connect to the fire alarm. We look at the door, frame and exit requirements before recommending one.
Can you add access control to my existing doors?
Usually yes. Many doors can take a strike or maglock and a reader without replacing the whole door. The condition of the door, frame and closer matters, so we check those during a walkthrough. If a door will not close and latch reliably, we fix that first or tell you plainly that it needs hardware work.
What happens if the power goes out?
It depends on how the lock is set up. A fail-secure lock stays locked without power but must still allow people to leave. A fail-safe lock, such as most maglocks, releases when power is lost. We choose the type for each door based on safety and security, and a battery backup can be added where it makes sense.
How do I remove a former employee's access?
With a card, fob or individual-code system, you disable that person's credential in the controller or keypad, and nothing else needs to change. We show you how to do this when the system is installed. This is a major reason businesses move from keys to credential-based entry.
Can one system control several doors?
Yes. Multi-door access control uses a controller that manages several readers, so you can decide which credentials work at which doors, and during which hours. It also lets you add doors later, as long as the controller and power supply were planned with room to grow.
Do you repair access control systems that someone else installed?
In most cases, yes. We start by finding out whether the problem is the reader, the lock, the controller, the wiring or the door itself. Sometimes the fix is an adjustment or a part replacement. If a system is too old or unsupported to repair sensibly, we explain your upgrade options.
Can you install access control at a condo or HOA building in Encino?
We can. Buildings along Ventura Boulevard often have shared entries, garage doors and intercom hardware, and work usually has to be coordinated with the property manager or board. We plan around residents' daily use and make sure exit paths stay safe. Call (213) 577-1366 to talk through your building.
How much does access control installation cost?
It depends on the number of doors, the type of hardware, the condition of the doors and frames, how far the wiring has to run, and how many users you need to manage. We explain the scope once we have seen the doors, so you know what the work includes before it begins.
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Access Control Installation near Encino
Reviewed by David, Owner & Lead Technician, Wilshire Lock & Key — in the locksmith trade since 1987.
Last updated 2026-10-11.