Change Locks in Pasadena, CA: Rekey or Replace, Explained Plainly

Should you rekey or replace when you change locks?

Most people who call us to change locks in Pasadena aren't sure which they need, and that's a fair place to start. 'Changing a lock' can mean two different jobs. Rekeying keeps your existing lock hardware and changes the inside of the cylinder so the old keys no longer work and a new key does. Replacing means taking the old hardware off the door and putting different hardware on.

If the locks on your doors are in decent shape, rekeying is usually the more economical route, because you aren't paying for new hardware and the door doesn't need to be touched. It also lets us put every exterior door on one key, which most new homeowners appreciate. If the hardware is worn, loose, corroded, mismatched, or simply not something you trust, lock replacement is the honest answer, and we'll say so rather than rekey something that will fail next year.

We look at the lock before we recommend anything. A lock that turns roughly, a latch that sticks, or a deadbolt that doesn't fully throw into the strike are all signs that new keys alone won't fix your problem. A lock that works smoothly and is simply unknown, because you don't know who holds copies, is a rekey candidate almost every time.

• Rekey when the hardware is sound and you mainly want to cancel old keys.
• Replace when the hardware is damaged, worn, low quality, or you want a different style or level of security.
• Replace or upgrade when you want keypad or smart features the current lock can't offer.
• Either way, the goal is the same: the only keys that work are the ones you're holding.

Why change locks after buying a house or moving?

When you buy a home, you have no way of knowing how many keys exist. The previous owner, their family, a former tenant, a real estate agent, a cleaner, a contractor, a neighbor who watered the plants: any of them may have kept a copy. Nobody has to be untrustworthy for this to matter. Keys simply travel, and a lock that has been in service for years has had plenty of chances to be copied.

The same applies to a rental or a move between apartments. Even if the property manager says the locks were changed, it's reasonable to ask when and by whom, and to confirm in writing. A fresh set of keys that only you control is a basic starting point for living somewhere new, which is why locksmith calls for new homeowners are one of the most common reasons people phone us.

Other situations where a lock change makes sense:

• You just closed escrow or received keys to a new house.
• You moved into an apartment or condo and don't know who holds old keys.
• A key was lost or stolen, especially one that had your address with it.
• A break-in, attempted break-in, or a roommate or ex-partner moved out.
• An employee, house sitter, or contractor had keys that you'd rather retrieve than trust.
• The locks are a mismatched collection and you're tired of carrying four different keys.

How does a lock change work, step by step?

We keep the process simple and we explain each decision as we go, so you aren't signing off on something you don't understand. Because we run mobile vans from our Westwood storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd, we bring the tools and a range of hardware to your door rather than asking you to come to us. Pasadena is about 23 miles from that storefront, and the person who answers the phone will tell you plainly what to expect when you call.

1. Call (213) 577-1366 any hour. Tell us what's going on: new house, lost key, break-in, or just unsure, and roughly how many exterior doors you have.
2. We confirm who you are and that you live at or own the property. We do this on every job, and it's something any reputable locksmith should ask.
3. A technician inspects each lock: how it operates, what brand and grade it is, and whether the door and strike are lined up properly.
4. We explain your options for each door, rekey or replace, and what drives the cost on that particular job, before work starts.
5. We do the work. Rekeyed cylinders are rebuilt to a new key pattern; replaced hardware is fitted and adjusted so the latch and deadbolt move freely.
6. We test every lock with the new keys and confirm the old keys no longer operate it. If you want extra copies, we can handle key duplication at the same visit.
7. We hand over the keys, tell you exactly what was changed, and mention anything on the door that might cause problems later.

What affects the cost to change locks in Pasadena?

We don't quote numbers on a web page because the honest answer depends on your doors, and a page can't see them. What we can do is tell you what moves the cost up or down so nothing on the final quote surprises you.

The biggest factor is whether you're rekeying or replacing. Rekeying is typically the lighter-cost option because it reuses your hardware. Replacing adds the cost of the new locks themselves, and that depends heavily on the grade and brand you choose.

• The number of locks: a front door deadbolt alone is a smaller job than a house with a front door, back door, side door and a few gates.
• Rekey versus replace, and the grade of replacement hardware.
• Whether you want everything keyed alike, which means one key for several locks.
• Condition of the doors: a warped door, a worn strike plate, or a badly drilled hole can add adjustment or repair work.
• Special hardware such as high-security cylinders, restricted keyways, or smart and keypad locks.
• How many extra keys you want cut.
• The hour you call. Late-night and holiday visits involve different staffing than a weekday daytime appointment.
• Distance to the property, since we're travelling from our Westwood base.

Which locks should you change first?

If you're trying to stretch your budget or sort priorities, start with the doors that face the outside and are used by strangers, contractors, and anyone who might have held a key. That is nearly always the front door, the back door, any door from the garage to the outside, and any side or patio door with a keyed lock. Interior doors generally aren't a security issue and can wait.

Don't forget the less obvious ones: a detached garage or workshop, a side gate with a padlock or a keyed latch, a shed, and any lockbox someone left behind during the sale. If a gate lock is failing rather than just unknown, that's a different job, and we'd handle it as repair rather than a straightforward change.

Deadbolts deserve their own look. If your door has only a spring latch in the knob and no deadbolt, adding one is a sensible upgrade, and our deadbolt installation service covers that. If you'd rather not carry keys at all, a keypad or smart lock is an option, though it's worth asking us about battery life, how it behaves if the power or Wi-Fi drops, and what the mechanical backup is. And if the main worry is pick or bump resistance, ask about high-security locks, which use tighter-tolerance cylinders and restricted key blanks that are harder to copy casually.

Changing locks in Pasadena homes and buildings

Pasadena's housing doesn't fit one pattern, and the right lock change depends on which kind of building you're in. In Bungalow Heaven, many homes are landmark Craftsman bungalows, and the city has numerous designated historic landmark districts where original early-1900s door hardware is still in service. If you've just bought one of those houses, the question isn't only which locks to change. It's whether you want to lose the original hardware at all. In many cases we can rekey the existing lock so the old keys stop working while the original knob, plate and backplate stay on the door. That's the kind of heritage-sensitive rekeying we like to do, and it's often a better choice than drilling new holes in a hundred-year-old door.

Larger properties in Oak Knoll and San Rafael often have several exterior doors, side entries, and gates, so a lock change there usually means a keyed-alike setup so the owner isn't juggling a ring of keys. Hastings Ranch and Madison Heights are different again, with their own mix of door styles and ages, so we inspect each door rather than assuming.

Closer to the center of town, around Old Pasadena and the Playhouse District, there's a dense core of mid-rise condos and apartments, and controlled-access buildings concentrate along the Metro A Line corridor. A lock change there is often about the unit door only, since the building's entry system belongs to the association or management. Whether your address is in 91101, 91103, 91104, 91105, 91106 or 91107, tell us the building type when you call and we'll arrive with the right hardware for it.

Weather matters too. Pasadena runs hotter than coastal Los Angeles in summer and gets Santa Ana wind events off the San Gabriels. Sun and dryness are the main stress on wood doors, and a door that has shifted can make a good lock feel stiff or stop the bolt from reaching the strike. On the northern foothill edge there's more wind-blown dust than on the flats, which can gum up older cylinders. When we change a lock, we check the door's fit first, because new hardware on a misaligned door will just wear out sooner.

Renters, landlords and condo owners: who changes the locks?

If you rent, check your lease and talk to your landlord or property manager before changing anything. In many cases they want to arrange or approve the work, and some leases require you to provide a key. We're happy to explain what's technically possible, but we won't advise you to break your lease terms. If you're locked out of your unit while sorting this out, our apartment lockout service is the right starting point rather than a lock change.

Landlords and property managers turn over units regularly, and a lock change between tenants is standard practice. It's quick to do on a rekey basis, and it avoids the usual trouble of former tenants still holding working keys. If you manage several units, our locksmith for landlords service can set up turnovers and keep a consistent key system across your properties.

Condo owners should know where the boundary sits. Your unit door lock is usually yours to change. The lobby door, garage gate, mailbox bank and any shared access system belong to the association. We can help with the unit side, and we'll tell you if something you've asked about needs to go through your HOA or building manager.

Why call Wilshire Lock & Key to change your locks?

We've been in business since 1987, and David, the owner and lead technician, oversees the work our company does. We have a real storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood and we run mobile service vans, so when you call (213) 577-1366 you're reaching one company, not a call center that passes your job to whoever answers a dispatch app. The person who recommends rekey or replace is the person who looks at your door.

We serve 140 cities across Los Angeles and Ventura counties, and the phone is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year-round. That matters for lock changes because the urgent ones tend to happen at awkward hours: the night after a break-in, or the evening you realize you never got the garage side-door key.

One more thing worth saying plainly. California requires locksmith companies to hold a license from the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS), a Locksmith Company (LCO) license. Ask any locksmith for that license number before they start work, and that includes us. A legitimate company will give it to you without hesitation, and it's a quick way to screen out operators who aren't what they say they are.

What to have ready when you call

A few details make the call faster and the quote more accurate. You don't need to know any technical terms. Just describe what you see.

Tell us how many exterior doors have locks, and whether each has a knob, a deadbolt, or both. Mention any gates, garage side doors, or sheds. Let us know if the hardware is original to an older home or if you'd like to keep it. If you're after a keyed-alike setup, say so. If someone is waiting outside or you're worried about security tonight, tell us that first, because it changes how we prioritize the work. If your situation is a true lockout rather than a planned change, you might want our house lockout service instead, and we can talk you through which one fits.

More locksmith help in Pasadena

• Deadbolt Installation in Pasadena
• Gate Lock Repair in Pasadena
• High Security Locks in Pasadena
• Key Duplication in Pasadena
• Lock Installation in Pasadena
• Lock Rekey in Pasadena
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