What does lock installation involve on a Paramount door?
Installing a lock sounds simple until the door pushes back. A new lock has to match the holes already bored in the door, the thickness of the door, the position of the frame, and the way people actually use that door every day. A lock that looks right on the shelf but sits a quarter inch off in the jamb will bind, and you will end up forcing the key. Most of our work on an installation is the unglamorous part: measuring, checking, and correcting the door so the hardware works the way it was designed to.
People call us for new lock installation in Paramount for a handful of reasons. A new door has gone in and has no hardware. The old front door set is worn or loose and it is time for a proper front door lock installation. A landlord is upgrading a unit. A business is adding a door. Or someone wants stronger security lock installation after a break-in, a move, or a roommate who never returned a key.
One distinction matters, because it can save you money. If your lock still works and the real worry is who holds copies of the key, rekeying the lock is usually the more economical route. If the lock is failing or damaged, lock replacement covers that. This page is about putting a lock onto a door as new hardware, or changing to a different type of lock, which is what installation means.
Which types of locks do we install?
We fit locks on residential and commercial doors, and the list below is what comes up most. If your door is something unusual, tell us on the phone and we will say honestly whether it is a job we can do on site.
- Front door lock installation: knobsets, lever handlesets and the matching deadbolt, fitted to standard bored doors so the latch and bolt line up cleanly with the frame.
- Door lock installation on side, back and garage-access doors: keyed-entry sets, and privacy or passage levers for interior doors.
- Deadbolts, installed as a single-cylinder or double-cylinder unit depending on the door and how it is used. Our page on deadbolt installation in Paramount goes into the choices in detail.
- Mortise lock installation: the older, heavier style that sits in a pocket cut into the edge of the door, common on some older and commercial doors.
- Lever lock installation: lever handles for accessibility, for rental units, and for commercial doors where a knob is not appropriate.
- Commercial lock installation: storefront and office doors, back doors, and stockroom or utility doors, in grades suited to heavy daily use.
- Security lock installation: higher-grade deadbolts, reinforced strike plates and longer screws, and restricted keyways where they make sense for the door.
- Electronic and keypad locks. These are a separate topic, covered on our smart lock installation page.
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Call (213) 577-1366How does a lock installation go, step by step?
Every job is a little different, but the sequence is consistent. Here is how we work, whether we are at your house or a shop door.
- You call (213) 577-1366 and describe the door: material, what is on it now, what you want on it, and whether it is a home, an apartment or a business. A real person answers at any hour.
- We help you pick the right lock for that door before anyone drives out. Door thickness, existing bore holes, how many people use it and the level of security you want all affect the choice.
- On site, we look at the door and frame first. We check that the door closes squarely, that the bore holes are the right size, and that the frame and strike area are solid enough to hold a good lock.
- If the door needs preparation, we do it. That can mean enlarging or plugging a bore hole, chiseling a cleaner latch mortise, or reinforcing the edge so the new hardware does not weaken the door.
- We install the lock, set the backset correctly, mount the strike plate into solid framing with long screws where it matters, and make sure the bolt throws fully into the frame.
- We test it properly: door open, door closed, locked, unlocked, from both sides, with the keys you will really use. We watch for binding, since a lock that drags is a lock that eventually fails.
- We hand over the keys, explain how the lock works, and tell you what to watch for as the door ages. If you want matching keys across several doors, we can set that up during the install.
What affects the cost of lock installation in Paramount?
We do not quote numbers in a web page because the honest answer depends on your door, but we can tell you exactly what moves the cost, so you are never surprised.
- The lock itself. A basic residential grade set and a heavy commercial or high-security lock are very different products, and the hardware is often the largest part of the job.
- Whether the door is already prepared. A standard bored door that matches the new lock is a quicker job than one that needs holes enlarged, repaired or cut from scratch.
- Door and frame material. Solid wood, hollow-core, metal, aluminum storefront and security screen doors each call for different tools and fasteners.
- Mortise work. A mortise lock installation involves a larger pocket and more precise fitting, so it generally takes more time than a bored cylindrical lock.
- How many locks and doors. Several doors at the same address, keyed alike, are usually more efficient than separate visits.
- Frame and strike reinforcement. If you want real security and the frame is weak, the reinforcement is part of the work and part of the cost.
- Timing and location. After-hours calls and longer drives are factored in, and we tell you that when you call rather than afterward.
- Whether the problem is really installation. If a rekey or repair would solve it, we will say so, and that is often the lighter-cost option.
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Call (213) 577-1366Mortise, lever and commercial locks: where the details matter
Mortise lock installation is the job where skill shows. The lock body sits inside a rectangular pocket cut into the edge of the door, and the cylinder, the trim and the latch all have to align within a small tolerance. Done well, it is one of the most durable locks you can put on a door. Done badly, it weakens the door edge and sticks. If you have an older door with a mortise pocket already cut, we can often fit a modern body into the existing pocket rather than cutting a new one, though that depends on the pocket size.
Lever lock installation is mostly about choosing the right lever for the job. In rental units and commercial spaces, levers are easier to operate and are often preferred for accessibility. On commercial doors the lever set should be rated for the traffic it will see, because a residential lever on a busy office door will loosen quickly.
For commercial lock installation, we think about the whole door rather than just the lock. Doors that must open from the inside without a key, doors that are fire-rated, and doors that serve as exits all have requirements that are not up to personal taste. If the door is an exit with many people passing through, panic bar installation may be what the door actually needs. For wider hardware needs such as hinges, closers and exit devices, see our page on commercial door hardware.
What does lock installation look like in Paramount's homes and apartments?
Paramount formed in 1948 from the dairy towns of Hynes and Clearwater, and much of its housing is small single-family homes from the 1940s and 1950s, built as the dairies gave way to tracts. Those houses often still carry original-era doors and, in some cases, hardware that has been swapped several times over the decades. Installation there is rarely a bolt-on job. We check whether old bore holes have been enlarged, whether the edge has been chewed up by earlier lock changes, and whether the frame can take a modern deadbolt. The postwar single-family homes in the Hynes and Clearwater districts are the kind of houses where a new deadbolt or front door lock installation tends to need a bit of door repair first.
Climate plays a small role. Paramount sits on the flat southeast-county coastal plain with a morning marine layer and mild temperatures. Salt-air corrosion is not a meaningful factor here, so standard finishes hold up fine. Damp winters, though, can swell older wood doors, and a lock that fit perfectly in summer can start dragging in January. When we install on an older wood door, we leave the door operating freely rather than fitting it tight in the dry season.
The city also has a high renter share, with numerous apartment complexes from the 1960s to the 1980s and several mobile home parks. Security screen doors are common on both houses and apartments, and they need their own hardware, not a standard lock forced onto a thin frame. For apartments along the Paramount Boulevard and Downey Avenue corridors, we often handle new lock installation when a unit turns over, or when a building adds locks, including mailbox lock work. If a mailbox lock is the issue, our mailbox lock replacement page covers it. In mobile home parks, we do hardware swaps on the lightweight doors typical of those homes, and we match the lock to the door rather than assuming a standard residential thickness.
If you are in the 90723 ZIP code, near Progress Park, on the Somerset Boulevard side, along Rosecrans Avenue, or close to Hollydale in South Gate, the process is the same: call (213) 577-1366, tell us about the door, and we come to you. Our storefront is at 10740 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood, about 23 miles away, and our mobile vans do the on-site work, which is why our mobile locksmith service is how most Paramount jobs get done.
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We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366What about Paramount businesses, warehouses and storefronts?
Paramount has working industrial areas, including the Alondra Boulevard and Garfield Avenue corridors, where warehouse and industrial doors need locks and panic hardware that can take heavy daily use. A back door that a dozen employees pass through is a different job from a front door at a house. We fit commercial lock installation to the use: keyed entry, exit hardware where it applies, and door preparation to match.
Near the Paramount Swap Meet, the common work is roll-up gates and storefront locks. Storefront doors are often narrow-stile aluminum, which calls for specific lock bodies rather than a standard residential set. If you are not sure what your storefront door takes, describe it on the phone, or send us a photo, and we will work out the right lock before we arrive.
Why call Wilshire Lock & Key for lock installation?
We have been in business since 1987. That is long enough to have seen most of the ways a door can be out of square, a frame can be rotted, and a lock can be installed badly by someone in a hurry. That experience shows up in small ways: knowing when to stop and fix the door first, and when a cheaper hardware choice will cost you more later.
We run a real storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd in Los Angeles, plus mobile service vans. When you call, you reach our company, not a dispatch middleman who sells your job to whoever is nearest. David, the owner and lead technician, oversees the work. We serve 140 cities across Los Angeles and Ventura counties, and we answer the phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, all year.
We also tell you when you do not need us. If your door is fine and a rekey solves the problem, we will say so. If a lock is the wrong product for your door, we will say that too.
What should you ask any locksmith before installation begins?
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 you are thinking of hiring for that license number, and check it with the state. It is a fair question, and a reputable company will answer it without fuss.
Beyond that, ask what lock is going on the door and what grade it is. Ask whether the door needs preparation, and what that involves. Ask who is coming and whether they work for the company you called. And ask for the details of the work before it starts, not after. Those four questions will sort out most of the trouble in this trade.
Frequently asked questions
How much does lock installation cost in Paramount?
It depends on the lock, the door and the work involved, so we do not give a blanket number. The biggest factors are the hardware you choose, whether the door is already prepared for it, whether it is wood, metal or aluminum, and whether a mortise lock or reinforcement is involved. Call (213) 577-1366, describe the door, and we will explain what applies to your job.
Can you install a lock on a door that has no holes drilled yet?
Yes, in most cases. We drill the main bore and the edge bore to fit the lock, cut the latch recess, and mount the strike plate in the frame. Whether it is a good idea depends on the door. Thin or hollow doors and some security screen doors need extra care, and we will tell you if a different lock suits the door better.
What is the difference between lock installation and lock replacement?
Installation puts a lock on a door that has none, or changes the type of lock on the door. Replacement swaps a worn or damaged lock for a like-for-like one. The work overlaps, and if a failing lock is your problem, our page on lock replacement is the better starting point.
Do I need a mortise lock, or will a regular deadbolt do?
If your door already has a mortise pocket cut in the edge, a mortise lock usually makes sense because it fits what is there. If the door has standard round bore holes, a regular deadbolt and lever or knob set is the normal choice. We look at the door and tell you which one it takes, rather than cutting a door unnecessarily.
Can you install locks on security screen doors?
Yes. Security screen doors are common on Paramount houses and apartments, and the frames are thin, so they need hardware designed for that frame rather than a standard lock. Tell us the make of the screen door if you know it, or send a photo, and we will confirm what fits.
Do you install commercial locks and panic hardware for businesses in Paramount?
Yes. We handle commercial lock installation on storefront, office, warehouse and back doors, including exit hardware where the door needs it. The lock is chosen to match the door and how heavily it is used. Please describe the door when you call so we can plan the right hardware.
Can you match new locks to my existing keys?
Often we can. If you want several doors on one key, we can fit locks that are keyed alike, or set up new locks so one key works across them. Whether it is possible depends on the brands and keyways on the locks involved, so tell us what you have and we will confirm.
Will you come out at night or on weekends?
Yes. Our phone line, (213) 577-1366, is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year-round. If the problem is a door that will not secure tonight, say so and we will work out the safest fix first, then the permanent lock installation.
More locksmith help in Paramount
Lock Installation near Paramount
Reviewed by David, Owner & Lead Technician, Wilshire Lock & Key — in the locksmith trade since 1987.
Last updated 2026-10-11.