What does lock installation actually involve?
Lock installation sounds simple: take a lock out of a box and put it in a door. In practice, the lock is the easy part. The hard part is the door. Bore holes have to be the right diameter and in the right place. The latch has to line up with the strike plate so the bolt throws all the way into the frame. The door has to close without rubbing, because a lock that fights its door will fail early, no matter what it cost.
That is why we treat a new lock installation as a fitting job, not a swap. Whether it is a front door lock installation on a family home, a security lock on a side entry, or hardware on a shop door, we look at the door, the frame, the hinges and the way the door is used before we pick a lock for it.
This page covers fitting new locks where there is no lock, where the old one is being replaced with a different style, or where a door is getting its first proper hardware. If you simply want new keys for locks you already have, that is a different job, and rekeying is usually the more economical route for it.
When do Granada Hills homes and businesses need new locks installed?
Most of the calls we get for installation fall into a handful of situations. Someone has bought a house and wants the entry doors to match, with locks they chose instead of whatever the last owner left. A door has been replaced during a remodel and the new slab arrives with no hardware, or with hardware nobody likes. A side door or garage entry has never had a deadbolt. Or a break-in attempt, or even just a worrying near miss, has made someone decide the existing lock is not good enough.
Other jobs are about upgrading rather than fixing. People move from a basic knob lock to a lever set for easier use. They add a keyed deadbolt above a worn latch. They want a lock they can operate with a full armload of groceries, or one that an aging parent can turn without pain. Business owners add or change locks when they take over a space, add a back door, or reorganize who needs access to what.
Installation is also the right answer when an old lock is past saving. If the lock is worn, corroded or damaged, we will say so honestly and explain whether a repair, a swap to a matching lock, or a full new installation makes more sense. A lock that has failed in the cylinder, for example, is a different conversation from a door that was never prepared for the lock you want.
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Call (213) 577-1366How we install a new lock, step by step
Every door is a little different, but the process we follow is consistent. It is the same whether the technician arrives in a mobile van or you bring a door to our Westwood storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd.
- You call (213) 577-1366, any hour. We ask what the door is made of, whether it is an exterior or interior door, what is on it now, and what you want the lock to do.
- We look at the door in person: thickness, material, condition of the edge, hinge side, frame strength and the strike plate. A hollow-core interior door and a solid exterior door need different approaches.
- We talk through lock options that suit that door and how you use it. We tell you plainly what each choice gets you and what it does not.
- We prepare the door. If bores or the edge need work, we do it cleanly so the new hardware seats flush and square, not forced.
- We fit the lock, align the latch or bolt with the strike, and reinforce the frame side where it matters, since a strong lock in a weak frame is only half a job.
- We test the lock repeatedly with the door open and closed, check that keys turn smoothly, and confirm the door closes without binding.
- We hand over the keys, explain how the lock works, and tell you what to watch for as the hardware ages.
Which kind of lock suits your door?
Choosing a lock is mostly a matter of matching the lock to the job. These are the types people ask us about most often.
- Deadbolts: the standard answer for exterior doors. A deadbolt throws a solid bolt into the frame instead of relying on a spring latch. If that is what you want, see our page on deadbolt installation for the detail.
- Lever lock installation: lever handles are easier to operate than round knobs and are common on interior and accessible doors. Levers come in privacy, passage and keyed versions, and the right one depends on the room.
- Mortise lock installation: a mortise lock sits inside a deep pocket cut into the edge of the door. These are common on older, heavier doors and in some commercial buildings. They take real skill to fit, because the pocket has to be cut accurately without weakening the door.
- Security lock installation: this means locks chosen for resistance to picking, drilling and forced entry, usually combined with reinforced strikes and longer screws. Our overview of high-security locks explains how those options differ.
- Smart and keypad locks: useful when you share access with family, house sitters or cleaners. We cover those on our smart lock installation page.
- Residential and commercial installs: residential lock installation usually focuses on appearance, convenience and household security. Commercial lock installation adds questions about code, traffic, key control and how many people need access.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366What affects the cost of lock installation in Granada Hills?
We do not quote prices on a web page, because the honest answer depends on the door in front of us. What we can do is tell you what moves the cost, so you can judge any quote you receive from us or anyone else.
The biggest factor is the lock itself. A basic keyed knob, a quality deadbolt, a mortise set and a high-security cylinder with reinforcement are in very different categories of hardware. Finish and brand matter too, particularly when you want a particular look for the front of the house.
The second factor is the door. A door that already has standard bores and a sound frame goes quickly. A door that needs new holes cut, an edge repaired, a mortise pocket cut, or a frame reinforced takes more time and more materials. Old doors that have been repainted many times or have warped over the years can also need extra attention to close properly.
The third factor is the number of locks. Installing one lock is different from fitting every door in a house, and installing several at once is often more efficient per lock. If you want all your entry doors to use the same key, that affects how the locks are ordered and set up.
Timing and location play a part as well. A planned visit during the day is a different job from an urgent call in the middle of the night, and travel is a real factor for a job in a neighborhood like Granada Hills, which sits about 23 miles from our Westwood base. We will explain these factors when you call, before any work begins, so there are no surprises when we finish.
Lock installation in Granada Hills: tracts, corridors and ZIP 91344
Granada Hills, ZIP code 91344, is mostly 1950s and 1960s single-story ranch tracts, and that shapes the work we do here. In Old Granada Hills, many of these houses are still running locks from decades of ownership, with a mix of original hardware, hardware added by earlier owners, and newer pieces that do not match. When someone in Old Granada Hills buys a ranch home or finishes a remodel, a clean, consistent set of new locks is often the first thing on the list. If the existing locks are in decent shape and you only want fresh keys, rekeying may be all you need, but a worn or mismatched set is better replaced with proper new installations.
The Balboa Highlands tract is a different kind of job. It is a designated Historic Preservation Overlay Zone of mid-century modern Eichler homes, where owners often want period-appropriate or low-profile hardware that respects the original design. For us, that means taking more care over how a lock looks on the door: a slim profile, a restrained finish, and sensible placement on the door. If you are planning exterior changes in an HPOZ, it is worth checking what the overlay requires before you buy hardware, and we are glad to talk through options that suit the style of the house.
Around Knollwood and its country club area, lots are larger, and security often extends beyond the front door to side doors, pool or yard gates and perimeter access. That is where installation overlaps with gate work, and if an existing latch is failing instead of being replaced, our gate lock repair page is the better starting point. The climate matters too. The north Valley foothills bring hot summers and gusty Santa Ana winds in fall, and sun-exposed south-facing doors and wind-stressed gates see the most seasonal hardware wear. When we pick finishes and fit gate and door hardware here, we think about heat, sun and wind, not just the day it is installed.
Businesses are part of the picture as well. In the Old Granada Village district on Chatsworth Street, and along corridors like Devonshire Street, Zelzah Avenue and San Fernando Mission Boulevard, shop and office doors need hardware that handles daily use. For that kind of work, see our notes on commercial door hardware. Multifamily housing in Granada Hills is limited and concentrated near the main boulevards, so most of our residential lock installation here is on single-family doors, from older ranch homes to newer houses in the foothills above the 118.
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 lock installation?
We have been in business since 1987, and a lot of what we know about fitting locks comes from seeing how hardware holds up over decades, not just on the day it goes in. That experience helps when a door is awkward, when a frame is weaker than it looks, or when a customer asks for something that will not work well on their door and we have to say so.
We run a real storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd in Los Angeles, with mobile service vans. You are dealing with one company, not a call center that sells your job to whoever is free. When you phone (213) 577-1366, the line is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, all year, and the people on the job are ours.
David, the owner and lead technician, oversees the work. That matters for installation in particular, because the quality is in details most customers will never see: how square a bore is, how tight a strike sits, how well a frame is reinforced. We pay attention to those details so you do not have to think about them.
We also try to be straightforward about the limits of what we recommend. If a cheaper-to-fit lock will do the job, we will say so. If your door needs more than a new lock to be secure, we will tell you what and why.
How to check any locksmith before they work on your door
California requires locksmith companies to hold a license from the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services, known as a BSIS LCO license. Whoever you hire for installation, ask for that license number before the work starts, and check that the company name on the paperwork matches the name on the van and the invoice.
A few other habits help. Ask for the type of lock and the scope of work in plain terms before anyone touches the door. Be cautious of anyone who cannot explain why a particular lock suits your door. And be wary if a price changes sharply once work has started with no clear reason. A good installer explains the job first and does the work second.
What to have ready when you call
You do not need to know lock terminology. A few details make the call quicker and help us bring the right hardware.
Tell us which door it is and what it is made of, if you know: wood, metal, glass or a mix. Mention what is on it now, even if it is just a hole where a lock used to be. Tell us what you want the lock to do, whether that is more security, easier use, a particular look or matching keys across several doors. If the door is on an Eichler home or another style where appearance matters, say so, and we will keep that in mind.
If you are locked out while this is happening, deal with that first. Our house lockout service is built for exactly that situation, and we can discuss new hardware once you are back inside.
Frequently asked questions
Can you install a lock on a door that has never had one?
Yes. We check the door's thickness, material and edge, cut clean bores to fit the lock, and align the latch or bolt with the frame. A door with no prior hardware usually needs more preparation than one with existing holes, so we look at it in person before committing to a lock choice.
What is the difference between lock installation and lock replacement?
Installation means fitting a lock where there is none, or fitting a different style that needs door preparation. Replacement usually means taking out a worn or failed lock and putting a matching one in its place. If that is what you need, our page on lock replacement explains how it works. In practice the two often overlap, and we will tell you which one your door needs.
Can you install a lock that suits my Eichler home in Balboa Highlands?
We can help you choose low-profile, period-appropriate hardware that respects the look of a mid-century modern home. Because Balboa Highlands is a Historic Preservation Overlay Zone, it is worth checking whether any exterior changes need approval before you buy. Tell us what the door looks like now and we will talk through options.
Do you do commercial lock installation in Granada Hills?
Yes. We fit locks on shop, office and back-of-house doors, including mortise and lever hardware common in commercial buildings. Commercial jobs often involve questions about key control, how many people need access and how heavily the door is used, so we ask about those up front.
Will the new locks all use the same key?
They can. If you want one key to open every entry door, we order and set up the locks to work together. Tell us the doors involved when you call so we can plan it properly rather than adjusting afterward.
How long does a lock installation take?
It depends on the door and the lock. A door with standard bores and a solid frame goes quickly, while a door needing new holes, a mortise pocket or frame reinforcement takes longer. We will tell you what to expect after we see the door, and we will not rush the fitting just to finish sooner.
Can you install locks at night or on weekends?
Our phone line at (213) 577-1366 is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Urgent installations, such as securing a door after a break-in, can be handled outside normal hours. Planned upgrades are easier to schedule during the day, when we can look at the door in good light.
Do I have to be home while you install the lock?
Someone should be there at the start so we can confirm which doors and which locks, and again at the end so we can test everything and hand over the keys. In between, we just need clear access to the door. If you cannot be there, call and we will talk through what is workable.
Can you add a smart lock instead of a regular one?
Yes, and the same door preparation rules apply, since a smart lock still needs a well-aligned door and a sturdy frame. Our smart lock installation page covers how those locks work and what to consider before choosing one.
More locksmith help in Granada Hills
Lock Installation near Granada Hills
Reviewed by David, Owner & Lead Technician, Wilshire Lock & Key — in the locksmith trade since 1987.
Last updated 2026-10-11.