Change Locks in Panorama City, CA

Should you rekey or replace your locks?

Most people who call us about changing locks aren't sure which job they actually need, and that's a fair place to start. "Change locks" covers two different jobs. Rekeying keeps the lock hardware you already have and changes the inside of the cylinder, so the old keys stop working and a new key takes over. Replacing means taking the lock off the door and installing a different one. Either way, the result you care about is the same: the keys that used to open your door no longer do.

Rekeying is usually the more economical route when the lock is in good shape, because you keep hardware that already fits the door and you only pay for the re-pinning and new keys. Replacement makes sense when the hardware is worn, loose, damaged, mismatched from door to door, or when you want the lock to do more than it does now. We look at the door in person and tell you which one it is, including when the answer is the smaller job and not the bigger one.

If you already know you want to go the rekey route, our lock rekey service page covers that work in detail. If the hardware is tired or you want something different, see lock replacement. This page is for the earlier question: you need your locks changed and you want someone to help you decide.

• Rekey when the locks are working smoothly, the finish is acceptable, and you mainly want old keys dead.
• Replace when a lock is sticking, loose on the door, visibly damaged, or a cheap grade you don't trust.
• Replace when you want a different style, a stronger deadbolt, or an electronic lock.
• Either option can leave every door on one key, which most households find easier than carrying a ring of them.

When do people need to change door locks?

There is rarely one dramatic reason. More often it's a quiet one: you simply can't account for every key that exists to your door. These are the situations we get called about most often.

• You bought a house and have no idea how many copies the previous owners, their agent, contractors, or relatives still hold.
• You moved into a new place and want the keys in your pocket to be the only ones in circulation.
• A key was lost or stolen, especially if it was on a ring with your address or something that points to it.
• A roommate, partner, or family member moved out and still has a key.
• A contractor, house sitter, cleaner, or former employee had access and you'd rather not rely on trust alone.
• There was a break-in or an attempt, and the lock or strike is damaged.
• The lock is worn out: the key drags, the bolt hangs up, or you have to lift the handle to make it latch.

How do you change locks after buying a house or moving in?

If you're searching for a locksmith for a new house, here is the plain version. When you take over a home, you inherit an unknown number of keys. Previous owners may have handed out copies over the years, a listing agent may have used a lockbox and a key, and contractors who did work before closing may have kept one. None of that implies anyone means harm. It just means you can't know, and changing the locks is the only way to find out you're the sole key holder.

We recommend doing it as early as you can after you get the keys, ideally before the first night or as soon after as your schedule allows. A locksmith after moving in can work around your boxes and your timeline, and if you're still in the middle of a move, we can come to the property directly through our mobile locksmith service.

Walk the property and count every way in before we start, because new owners often fix the front door and forget the others. That list usually includes the front door, back door, any side or garage entry door, sliding door locks, a detached garage or storage room, and gates. We can set all of them to the same key so you carry one.

• Ask for a count of the keys you were given at closing, so you know what to expect.
• Decide whether you want every door on one key or certain doors, such as a storage room, on a separate key.
• Reset any garage keypad or opener codes yourself; those sit outside the lock cylinders we change.
• If a deadbolt is missing on an exterior door, mention it, because that may be worth adding while we're there. Our deadbolt installation page explains what that involves.

How does a lock change work, step by step?

Here is what happens when you call, in the order it happens. There are no surprises in it, and you stay in control of the decisions.

1. You call (213) 577-1366 and tell us the address, how many doors, and what's going on: new purchase, lost key, move-out, or just a worn lock. A real person answers, at any hour.
2. We ask about the locks themselves: brand if you know it, whether they turn smoothly, and whether any are damaged. Photos help if you can send them, but they aren't required.
3. We come to you in a service van. If the situation is routine, we'll work with you on a time that suits you; if it's urgent, we tell you so.
4. At the door, we inspect each lock, the strike plate, and how the door closes. We tell you what we see and which doors suit rekeying and which suit replacement.
5. You choose. We explain the cost factors for your specific set of doors before work starts, so you can say yes, change the scope, or stop.
6. We do the work: re-pinning cylinders for a rekey, or removing old hardware and fitting new locks for a replacement, with the strike and latch adjusted so the door closes properly.
7. We test every lock with the new keys, confirm the old keys no longer operate, and hand you the keys. If you want extras, we can cut additional keys on the spot.

What affects the cost of changing locks?

We don't quote numbers on a web page, because the honest answer depends on your doors. What we can do is tell you exactly what moves the cost up or down, so nothing in the estimate is a mystery.

• Rekey versus replace. Rekeying existing locks is generally the lighter-cost option; new hardware adds the cost of the hardware itself.
• Number of locks. Three doors cost more than one, though the work per additional door is often more efficient when we're already on site.
• Lock grade and type. A standard deadbolt, a heavier-duty grade, a multi-point sliding door lock, and an electronic lock sit in very different places.
• Condition of the door and strike. If the door has shifted, the bolt may no longer line up, and fixing that is extra labor.
• Keying choices. One key for every door, or separate keys for certain doors, changes the amount of work involved.
• Restricted or high-security keys. Systems with controlled key blanks cost more than standard keys. See high-security locks for what that means.
• Timing. After-hours and emergency calls are handled differently from scheduled daytime work.
• Distance and access. We factor in the trip to your address and whether there are gates or locked common areas to deal with.

Changing locks in Panorama City: tract homes, apartments, and corridors

Panorama City was built out in the late 1940s as a Kaiser Community Homes development, one of the Valley's first planned postwar communities. Those modest tract houses in the original Kaiser Community Homes tract still anchor the neighborhood, and they are a common reason people call us for a lock change: a house changes hands, and the new owner wants to know that no one from the past seventy-odd years of the home's life still has a working key. For these homes, rekeying is often the practical first step when the existing hardware is sound. Rekeying postwar Kaiser-tract homes is a job we understand well, and if what's on the door turns out to be worn or mismatched, we say so and show you the replacement options.

Heat matters here too. Panorama City sits on the mid-valley floor with hot summers, and the heat expansion of doors and frames is routine. A door that swells in August can bind against its strike and make a new lock feel stiff even when the lock is perfectly good. When we change locks, we check the latch and bolt alignment and adjust it for how your door actually sits. There are no coastal corrosion factors in this part of the Valley, so we're usually dealing with wear and fit, not salt-air damage.

The picture is different along the Van Nuys Boulevard and Roscoe Boulevard corridors. Dense apartment buildings with a high renter share line those streets, and many of the older multifamily buildings have security screen doors and window grilles. When a tenant turns over, or a key goes missing, the lock on the unit door and sometimes on the screen door or gate needs to be dealt with, and the two locks should work together without confusion. We handle both when we're on site.

Our service area includes ZIP code 91402, as well as the stretch around the Panorama Mall district, The Plant area, and the Nordhoff Street edge. We're based at our Westwood storefront, about 16 miles away, and we bring the work to you by van, so you don't have to come in with a lock in your hand.

What if you rent, or you own the building?

If you rent, start with your lease and your landlord before changing a lock on a unit that isn't yours. Many leases spell out who may change locks and who must hold a copy of the key. If your landlord agrees, we can work with them or with you directly, whichever you prefer. If you're locked out right now, that's a different job, and our 24-hour locksmith line is the quickest way to reach us.

If you own or manage rental property, lock changes between tenants are routine work, and doing them the same way each time keeps the record clean. Rekeying is typically the practical choice for turnover, since it kills the previous tenant's key without replacing hardware that is still good. We can set up a repeatable arrangement; see our page for locksmith services for landlords for how that works across multiple units.

For multifamily buildings in particular, we ask about the whole setup before starting: the unit door, any security screen door, shared gates, and whether there's a key system that must stay consistent across units. Changing one lock without knowing how it fits into the rest can create a bigger problem than the one you were solving.

Why call Wilshire Lock & Key to change your locks?

You have plenty of choices when you search for a locksmith, and some of them are dispatch services that pass your call along to whoever is nearby. We work differently, and these are the plain differences.

• We've been in business since 1987. Lock changes have been part of our work that entire time.
• We run a real storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood, plus mobile service vans. You can find us, and we can find you.
• You deal with one company. There's no dispatch middleman between your call and the person at your door.
• David, the owner and lead technician, oversees the work.
• We serve 140 cities across Los Angeles and Ventura counties, so Panorama City is a regular stop and not an unusual trip.
• Our phone is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year-round, at (213) 577-1366.

Ask any locksmith for their license

California requires locksmith companies to hold a Locksmith Company license, known as an LCO license, issued by the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS). Whoever you hire, you should ask to see it and check it against the state's records. A legitimate company will not mind the question. Ask the same of us; it's a good habit for any trade work in your home, and the one door you're handing over is the one that keeps everything else safe.

Also be wary of anyone who won't say what the work will involve until they arrive, or who quotes something very different on the doorstep than on the phone. We explain the factors up front so the conversation at your door matches the one on the phone.

What to have ready before you call

A little preparation makes the visit smoother. None of it is required, but it helps us bring the right parts the first time.

• The address and how many doors need new locks.
• Whether you want everything keyed alike or some doors separate.
• Any lock brands you can see, or a quick photo of the door hardware.
• Whether you're thinking about stepping up to something like a smart lock, so we can discuss compatibility with your door first.
• How many keys you want when we're done.

More locksmith help in Panorama City

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

Change Locks near Panorama City

• Van Nuys
• North Hills
• Arleta
• Mission Hills
• Valley Glen
• Pacoima