Change Locks in La Verne, CA: rekey or replace, done right

Should you rekey or replace your locks?

When someone calls to change locks, they usually mean one of two jobs, and a lot of the confusion starts there. Rekeying keeps your existing hardware and changes the inside of the cylinder, so the old keys stop working and a new key takes over. Replacing removes the old hardware and installs new locks, which also comes with a new key. Either way, whoever held the old key can no longer get in.

The right choice is not the same for every door. It depends on the condition of the lock, how the hardware looks and feels in your hand, how much security you want, and what you plan to do with the house over the next few years. We would rather spend time on the phone helping you work that out than sell you a full set of new hardware you did not need. If your locks really are worn out, we will say so just as plainly.

This page covers how a lock change works in La Verne, how to choose between the two routes, what moves the cost up or down, and what to ask before anyone works on your doors.

Why do people change their locks?

The reasons are usually ordinary, and almost all of them come down to one question: do you know who has a key?

• You bought a house and have no idea how many copies the previous owners, agents, cleaners or contractors made.
• You moved into a rental or a new place and want keys that only you and your household hold.
• A key was lost or stolen, especially if it was on a ring with your address or a car key.
• A roommate, partner or family member moved out, or a relationship ended.
• A contractor, house sitter or former tenant had access and no longer needs it.
• The locks are sticking, worn or mismatched, and you would like one key for every door.

What should a new homeowner do about the locks?

If you are looking for a locksmith for a new house, the most useful thing you can do is change the locks before the first night, or as close to it as you can manage. You cannot know how many keys exist for a home you just bought. Sellers, their agents, previous renters and workers may all have had one at some point, and nobody keeps a clean record of that.

A lock change after a move is also the moment to fix everything at once: get every exterior door on the same key if you like, add a deadbolt where there is only a knob, and check the side door and garage entry that tend to get forgotten. Doing it in one visit is usually the more economical route compared with coming back door by door.

How do we change your locks, step by step?

We keep the process simple so you always know what is happening to your doors.

1. Call (213) 577-1366, day or night. Tell us how many doors, what kind of locks you have, and what prompted the change.
2. We talk through rekey versus replace over the phone, so you have a likely direction before a van heads your way.
3. A mobile van comes to your La Verne address. We look at every lock in person, checking the hardware condition, the door fit and how the bolt meets the frame.
4. We confirm the plan with you and explain what is driving the cost before any work begins.
5. We do the work: rekeying cylinders to new keys, or removing old hardware and fitting new locks, then aligning anything that binds.
6. We test every lock with the new keys and confirm the old keys no longer operate it.
7. We hand over the keys and talk through extra copies, so you are not left with a single key and no spare.

Rekey or replace locks: how do you decide?

Here is how we usually think it through when we are standing at your door.

• Rekeying tends to make sense when the lock is in good condition, you like how it looks, and your only goal is to cut off old keys. It keeps the hardware you already have and is often the lighter-cost option.
• Replacing tends to make sense when the lock is worn, loose, damaged, a mismatched set, or an older style you would like to upgrade.
• Replacing also makes sense when you want something different: a stronger grade, a different finish, or electronic features.
• A mix is common. A good front-door lock may be rekeyed while a failing back-door knob gets replaced.

Where can you read more about each route?

If you already know you want the rekey, our lock rekey service page goes deeper on how it works. If the hardware itself needs to go, see lock replacement. If a door has only a knob lock and you want more resistance, deadbolt installation is the related job. And if you are curious about keypads or app-based locks, smart lock installation covers what that involves.

What affects the cost of changing locks?

We do not put dollar figures on a web page, because any number would be a guess until someone has seen your doors. What we can do is tell you exactly what moves the cost, so nothing about the quote is a surprise.

• How many locks are being changed. More cylinders means more time and more parts.
• Rekey or replace. Rekeying is usually the lighter-cost route; new hardware adds the price of the hardware itself.
• The grade, brand and finish of any new locks you choose.
• Whether you want every door keyed alike, or separate keys for separate doors.
• The condition of the door and frame. A swollen or misaligned door may need adjustment so the new lock works properly.
• Whether you are adding a lock where one does not exist, such as a new deadbolt.
• Time of day. After-hours calls take us out of normal working hours.
• Your location relative to our base. La Verne is about 42 miles from our Westwood storefront, and the mobile van covers that distance.

What do we see when changing locks in La Verne?

La Verne is a single ZIP code, 91750, but the housing varies a lot from one part of town to the next, and that changes how we approach a lock change.

In Old Town La Verne, the historic Lordsburg area, and the streets near the University of La Verne, you find craftsman bungalows and early-20th-century homes. In houses like that, period-appropriate hardware can matter to the owner. If the existing locks are in decent shape, rekeying is often a good fit because it preserves the look of the door. If something has to be replaced, we can help you choose hardware that does not clash with the house. Student rentals near the University are a different story: turnover is regular, and rekeying between tenants is a simple way to make sure last year's keys do not still open the door.

Across South La Verne and much of the rest of the city, housing is postwar through 1980s tract homes, where the original builder-grade locks have often been through several owners and many copied keys. Newer and larger homes in the North La Verne foothills and Sierra La Verne usually have more entry points, such as side doors, garage access and gates, so keying everything alike is worth considering. In the mobile home communities of southern La Verne near the airport and Fairplex, lock replacement can involve doors that are built differently from a site-built house, so we check the door in person before settling on hardware.

Climate matters too. La Verne has hot inland summers, foothill wind and dry, dusty Santa Ana conditions, but no coastal salt air. Heat can make a door swell until a lock feels stiff, and people often blame the lock when the door is the real issue. Dust can gum up a lock that only needs attention. We check alignment and condition before recommending you replace anything.

Why call Wilshire Lock & Key to change your locks?

We have been in business since 1987, and we serve 140 cities across Los Angeles and Ventura counties, La Verne included. We work from a storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood, and our mobile service vans come to you.

When you call (213) 577-1366, someone answers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year-round. You are dealing with one company from the first call to the finished job, not a dispatch middleman who passes your address to whoever is available. David, the owner and lead technician, oversees the work.

We also try to be straightforward about what you need. If rekeying will do the job, we will not push you toward new hardware. If a lock is failing, we will show you why, so the decision is yours. If you are locked out in the middle of all this, our mobile locksmith service and house lockout help can get you back inside first.

What should you check before hiring a locksmith?

California requires locksmith companies to hold a BSIS LCO license, issued through the state's Bureau of Security and Investigative Services. Ask any locksmith for it, and confirm it with the state if you want to be sure. This is worth doing before anyone touches your doors, since a lock change gives someone control over who can enter your home.

A few other habits are worth keeping. Ask the company's name when they answer the phone. Ask whether they will look at your hardware before recommending a full replacement. Ask what drives the cost, as we have laid out above. And expect any honest locksmith to confirm that you live at the address or have the right to change its locks, because they should not change locks for anyone who walks up and asks.

What should you do after the locks are changed?

A new lock only helps if you manage the keys, so a few quick steps are worth your time.

• Decide who gets a key and keep a short list of where each one is.
• Have spares made now, not after you are locked out. Our key duplication page explains the options.
• Update any garage codes, alarm codes and keypad codes that the previous occupants might know.
• Check the other ways in: sliding doors, windows, side gates and the garage entry.
• If you rent out the property, set a routine to rekey between tenants. Our locksmith for landlords page covers how that works.

More locksmith help in La Verne

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

Change Locks near La Verne

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