Change Locks in Glendale, CA

Do you need to change your locks, or just the keys?

Most people who call us about a lock change are really asking one of two questions. Either they want to know who else can get in, or they want the hardware on the door to feel solid again. Those are different problems, and they have different fixes. Sometimes the answer is a full replacement. Often it is simply changing what key works in the lock you already own.

That is why we describe this service as changing locks, not selling locks. The phrase covers rekeying, swapping cylinders, replacing a deadbolt or handle set, and fitting a different style of lock altogether. We start by finding out what you are trying to accomplish, then recommend the smallest job that accomplishes it. If your current hardware is sound, we will tell you so, even though that means a lighter job for us.

If you are on the fence about rekey versus replace, that is a perfectly normal place to be. You do not need to know the terminology before you call. Tell us what happened, such as a move, a lost key, a former roommate, or a door that has never felt secure, and we will work out the rest together at your door.

When is changing locks the right move?

There are a handful of situations where we would nudge nearly anyone toward a lock change instead of leaving things as they are. None of them require an emergency, but they all involve keys or hardware you cannot fully account for.

• You just bought a house or moved into a rental and do not know how many copies of the old keys exist.
• A key was lost or stolen, especially if it was on a ring with your address or a car fob attached.
• A roommate, ex-partner, contractor, house sitter, or former employee had a key and no longer should.
• The lock sticks, spins loosely, or the key is worn and only works with some jiggling.
• You want to bring several doors onto one key instead of carrying a ring of them.
• Your locks are a mismatched collection from different owners and you cannot tell which are solid.
• You are upgrading to a keypad or smart lock and want it fitted properly to the door.

Rekey or replace locks: how we decide

Rekeying changes the internal pin arrangement of a lock so that the old keys stop working and a new key operates it. The lock body stays on the door. It is usually the more economical route when the hardware is in good shape, because you are paying for labor and small parts instead of new lock bodies. You can read more about the process on our lock rekeying page.

Replacement makes sense when the lock itself is the problem. A cylinder that is worn out, a deadbolt with a bent bolt, a handle that is loose on the door, or a finish that has corroded all point toward new hardware. Replacement is also right when you want a different grade of lock, a different style, or a feature your current lock simply cannot offer. Our lock replacement page covers that side in detail.

Here is the plain version of how we choose between them:

We check the condition and brand of what is on the door. We ask whether the door and frame are lined up properly, since a good lock on a poorly aligned door still fails. We ask how you use the door and who needs access. Then we give you a recommendation and the reasoning behind it. If both paths work, we explain the tradeoff and you pick. We do not push the bigger job because it is bigger.

How a lock change works, step by step

Whether we come to you in a mobile van or you stop by the Westwood storefront with a lock in hand, the sequence is similar. Here is what to expect at a typical home.

1. You call (213) 577-1366. A person answers, at any hour, and we ask what is going on, what kind of doors you have, and whether anyone is locked out right now.
2. We schedule the visit and tell you what to have ready, such as every key you currently hold and access to each door you want changed.
3. The technician looks over each door, lock, strike plate, and frame before touching anything, then tells you what is worth rekeying and what should be replaced.
4. You approve the plan and the cost before work begins, so nothing is a surprise at the end.
5. We do the work: rekeying cylinders, installing new hardware, or both, and we make sure each new key operates smoothly from both sides of the door.
6. We test every lock repeatedly with the door open and closed, and check that bolts extend fully into the frame.
7. We hand over the new keys, show you which key works where, and mention any door or frame issue we noticed that you may want to address later.

What affects the cost of changing locks?

We do not quote prices on a web page because the real figure depends on your doors, and a number that fits one house is wrong for the next. What we can do is tell you exactly what moves the cost up or down, so there are no mysteries when we give you a quote.

The biggest factor is rekey versus replace. Rekeying existing hardware is usually the lighter-cost option; new hardware adds the price of the locks themselves. After that, the number of doors matters, since each cylinder takes time. Lock grade matters too, because a basic deadbolt and a high-security cylinder are very different products. Our high-security locks page explains when the upgrade is worth it.

Other things affect the job:

• Whether you want every lock on one key or separate keys for certain doors.
• The brand and condition of existing locks, since some are easier to rekey than others.
• Whether the door or frame needs adjusting for the new lock to work properly.
• Whether you are adding hardware, such as a deadbolt where none existed, which may require drilling.
• The time of day. Late-night and holiday calls are a different situation from a planned weekday visit.
• How far we travel to reach you.

Locksmith for new homeowners: your first-day checklist

If you are searching for a locksmith for a new house, the question to start with is simple: who else has a key? The seller, their agent, a previous tenant, a cleaning crew, a neighbor who watered plants, a contractor who did repairs. Nobody can tell you the real number, and that uncertainty is the reason people change locks after buying a house.

We recommend doing it before your first night if you can, and certainly before you start leaving the place empty for renovations. A few things worth including on a move-in visit:

Every exterior door gets attention, including the side door, the back door, and any door from the garage into the house. People forget the garage door more than any other entry. Look at deadbolts too. If a door has only a handle lock and no deadbolt, we can talk about adding one through deadbolt installation.

Think about keys as well. A fresh set sounds easy until four adults each need one. We can cut extras at the time of the job, or you can come back later for key duplication once you know how many you need. If you are curious about keypads or app-controlled hardware, smart lock installation is worth a look, though a plain, solid key lock is still a perfectly good choice.

The same logic applies to anyone looking for a locksmith after moving, including renters. Ask your landlord what is permitted before changing locks on a rental, and keep the original hardware if you are asked to put it back.

Changing locks in Glendale: what we see across the city

Glendale is not one kind of housing, so a lock change here is not one kind of job. The right approach shifts from block to block, and we plan accordingly whether your address is in 91201, 91206, 91208, 91020, or one of the other ZIP codes in the city.

In Rossmoyne and Adams Hill, you find 1920s Spanish and Tudor revival homes. Rekeying those homes is a regular scenario for us. Hardware on houses of that age has often been changed piecemeal over the decades, so you can find a modern deadbolt on one door and something far older on the next. We look at what is actually installed, not what we assume should be there, and recommend rekeying where the hardware is sound and replacement where it is worn or mismatched.

In Glenoaks Canyon and Chevy Chase Canyon, mid-century hillside houses face a different issue. Santa Ana winds and strong canyon sun dry out wood doors, and a door that has shifted even slightly can make a lock bind or a bolt miss its strike. Before replacing a lock that seems to be failing, we check whether the door is the real culprit. Hillside properties also often have gates and garage locks to think about, and we can coordinate those with the front door in the same visit.

Montrose and Sparr Heights keep smaller cottages from the 1920s through the 1950s. Those are often straightforward jobs: a few doors, one key for everything, done in a single visit.

South of downtown, dense apartment and condo buildings are a different story. Near The Americana at Brand and along Brand Boulevard, controlled-access lobbies mean the lobby and common doors belong to the building, while your unit door may be yours to change. Check with management or your HOA first. If you get locked out in the process, our apartment lockout page explains how that works.

Why call Wilshire Lock & Key

We have been in business since 1987, and David, the owner and lead technician, oversees the work our company does. That is not a slogan; it means the person who knows the trade is the person ensuring it gets done properly.

We run a real storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood, plus mobile service vans, so we can come to Glendale or you can bring a lock to us. Glendale is roughly 18 miles from our base, and we serve 140 cities across Los Angeles and Ventura counties. Our mobile locksmith service is built for exactly this kind of visit at your door.

When you call (213) 577-1366, you reach us, not a national call center that dispatches the job to whoever is available. One company handles the call, the quote, and the work. The phone is answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week, year-round, including holidays.

We also tell you when you do not need us. If a stuck lock turns out to be a loose screw or a swollen door, we will say so. If you are happy with your hardware and only need fewer copies of keys floating around, we will say that too.

What to ask any locksmith before they start

Lock work is a trust business, since you are handing someone the keys to your home. Whoever you call, we suggest a few questions.

California requires locksmith companies to hold a license from the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services, known as a BSIS LCO license. Ask any locksmith for their license number and check it with the state. A company that cannot or will not give you one is a risk. Also ask whether the person coming to your door works for the company you called or is a subcontractor, since some listings route calls elsewhere.

Ask for a clear explanation of what is being done and why. Ask what the cost depends on before the work starts. And be cautious about anyone who insists on drilling out a lock that could simply be rekeyed. A lock change should leave your doors working better than before, with new keys that you can account for.

If you are locked out while deciding, the quickest route is our house lockout service, and we can discuss the lock change on the same visit.

More locksmith help in Glendale

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

Change Locks near Glendale

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• La Cañada Flintridge
• Toluca Lake
• Pasadena
• Altadena