Change Locks in Reseda, CA

Should you rekey or replace when you change locks?

People call and say 'change the locks,' and that phrase covers two different jobs. Rekeying keeps your existing hardware and changes what's inside the cylinder, so the old keys stop working and a new key takes over. Replacing means taking the hardware off the door and putting different locks on. Both get you to the same place: the keys somebody else is holding no longer open your door.

Which one fits depends on what's already on your doors. If the hardware is solid, turns smoothly, and you like how it looks, rekeying is usually the more economical route. If a lock is worn out, loose in the door, part of a mismatched set, or you simply want something stronger, replacing the lock is the better move. We can't know for certain until we put hands on the door, but most of the time the answer is clear within a minute of looking.

Not sure which you need? That's a normal place to start. Call (213) 577-1366, describe what's on your doors, and we'll tell you which direction it's likely to go before anyone drives out.

When do Reseda homeowners and renters change their locks?

Almost always because something about the keys has become uncertain. The lock itself is rarely the problem. The usual reasons look like this:

Changing locks after buying a house is the one we hear about most. By the time you receive keys at closing, previous owners, their agent, inspectors, contractors, and maybe a relative or neighbor have all had access at some point. Nobody is accusing anyone. You just can't know how many copies exist. A locksmith for new homeowners isn't selling fear, only a clean start: one set of keys, and you know who holds them.

The same logic applies to a locksmith after moving. If you can, do it before your first night in the new place, ideally before the boxes are unpacked, so you're not sleeping behind locks that an unknown number of people can open.

• You just bought a house and have no idea how many copies of the old keys are out there.
• You moved into a rental or apartment and the previous tenant's keys were never accounted for.
• A tenant moved out and you're turning the unit over for the next one.
• Keys were lost or stolen, especially if they were in a bag or car that was taken.
• A roommate, ex-partner, or contractor had access and no longer should.
• The locks are worn, sticking, or mismatched, and carrying a different key for every door has become a nuisance.

How does a lock change work, step by step?

Here's how a typical visit goes, from the first phone call to the last key turned. It's the same careful process whether it's one door or a whole house.

1. Call (213) 577-1366. The line is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Tell us how many exterior doors you have, what kind of locks are on them, and why you want them changed.
2. We talk through the likely approach on the phone: whether your situation points toward rekeying, replacing, or a mix, and what to have ready, such as every key you currently own.
3. One of our mobile vans comes to your address. We'll ask you to confirm you live there or have the right to change the locks before we start.
4. We inspect each lock on the door: brand, condition, how the deadbolt sits, and whether the latch and strike plate line up properly with the frame.
5. Before any work begins, we explain what we found, what we'd do on each door, and what is driving the cost. You decide, not us.
6. We rekey or replace the hardware. If you want all your doors on a single key, we set that up as we go.
7. We test every lock with the new keys, with the door open and closed, several times, and we check that the latch catches cleanly.
8. You get the new keys, and we talk through whether you need extra copies and who should hold them.

How do we decide between rekeying and replacing?

We don't have a preferred answer. We look at the lock, the door, and what you want from the result. In general, these are the signs we weigh:

If you're thinking about stepping up security or convenience while you're at it, say so early. Adding a deadbolt where there's only a knob lock, or moving to a smart lock with codes you can change yourself, is a different job from a straight lock change, and it's easier to plan for it at the start than to come back for it later.

One honest note: rekeying does not make a weak lock stronger. It makes your key the only working key. If the lock itself is the weak point, we'll tell you, and it's your call from there.

• Rekeying makes sense when the hardware is in good shape, the finish is acceptable, and everything operates smoothly.
• Rekeying also makes sense when several locks need to work with one key, and the existing hardware can be keyed to match.
• Replacing makes sense when a lock is worn, loose, corroded, damaged, or has a sticky, gritty feel that isn't going away.
• Replacing makes sense when the set is a mismatched jumble from years of repairs and you want consistent hardware on every door.
• Replacing makes sense when you want a higher level of security, a different style, or electronic features.
• Sometimes the lock is fine and the door is the issue, in which case we say so and fix the real cause rather than selling you new hardware.

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 there are no surprises when we give you the figure at your door before work starts.

If you want the lighter-cost route and your hardware is in decent condition, ask about rekeying first. If the hardware needs to go anyway, we'd rather say that plainly than rekey something that will fail next year.

• Rekey or replace. Resetting a cylinder is usually the more economical route compared with buying and installing new hardware.
• How many locks. Every cylinder on every door adds work, whether it's the front door, back door, side gate entry, or a garage service door.
• Hardware grade and finish. Basic knobsets, heavier deadbolts, and decorative or specialty hardware sit at very different points.
• Keyed-alike setups. Putting multiple doors on one key takes more effort than rekeying each lock separately.
• Extra keys. Additional copies cost something, and so does a specialty key blank.
• Condition of the door and frame. If a strike plate needs adjusting or a bore is damaged, that's added work.
• Time of day. A middle-of-the-night call isn't the same as a scheduled daytime visit.
• Location. We're based in Westwood and work across many cities, so distance can play a part in a quote.

Changing locks on Reseda houses: what we see in the neighborhoods

Reseda was one of the first mass-built postwar suburbs in the Valley, and most of the housing is 1940s and 1950s single-story stucco tract homes on uniform lots. Whether you're in Reseda Ranch, near Reseda Park and the LA River area, or on a quiet street off the Tampa Avenue corridor, ZIP code 91335 is full of houses that have changed hands, been rented out, and had hardware swapped over the decades. A house that old has likely seen many keys.

That's why rekeying postwar tract homes at sale or tenant turnover is one of the most common lock changes in this part of the Valley. A buyer closes and wants the locks reset before moving in. A seller or landlord wants a clean slate between occupants. In both cases we look at every exterior door, front, back, and any side or garage entry, and rekey or replace depending on what we find.

The weather plays a part, too. The central Valley floor swings from hot, dry summers to cool winter nights, and that cycle works on wood doors and frames season after season. In aging postwar homes, the modest result is a sticking latch or a strike plate that no longer lines up. People assume the lock has failed and ask us to replace it. Often the better fix is adjusting the strike or the door fit. We check for that first, because there's no sense replacing a good lock to cure an alignment problem.

What about apartments, screen doors, and small businesses around Reseda?

Along the Sherman Way, Vanowen, and Saticoy corridors, older apartment buildings are common, and security screen doors and shared entries are widespread. Many buildings in Reseda date to before the 1994 Northridge earthquake and have had repairs and hardware replacement since, so it's normal to find a mix of lock brands and ages on the same property. When we change locks in a building like that, we pay attention to which doors are yours, which are shared, and what the existing hardware will actually accept.

Security screen doors on older single-family homes are their own small job. The screen door lock often has a different key from the main door, and it's frequently forgotten when someone changes the locks. If you're resetting your home, tell us about the screen door so everything ends up on the keys you intend.

Property owners and managers dealing with turnover along Sherman Way, Vanowen, or the Reseda Boulevard strip may want something more organized than door-by-door calls. We cover that in our page for landlords and property managers, including keying units so you can track who has access. Small businesses in Downtown Reseda, around Sherman Way and Reseda Boulevard, have different needs, and we point those toward our commercial pages rather than treating a shop door like a house door.

Why call Wilshire Lock & Key to change your locks?

We've been in business since 1987. We're a real company with a storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood, and our mobile service vans bring the work to you. Reseda is about 17 miles from our base, and we serve 140 cities across Los Angeles and Ventura counties.

Here's what that means in practice:

• One company from the first call to the finished job. We don't pass your request through a call center or hand it to a dispatch middleman who then finds someone.
• David, the owner and lead technician, oversees the work. You're not dealing with an anonymous service.
• The phone is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, all year, at (213) 577-1366.
• We tell you what we'd do and why, including when the answer is that you don't need to spend money on new hardware.
• We're a local trade business, and we'd rather you call again in five years than feel you were sold something unnecessary.

What should you ask any locksmith, and what happens after the lock change?

Ask any locksmith for their license number before work begins. California requires locksmith companies to hold a BSIS LCO license, and a legitimate company will give you the number without hesitation. Ask us too. Also ask for an explanation of the cost before the work starts, and ask whether they recommend rekeying or replacing and why. A locksmith who can't explain the difference isn't one to trust with your doors.

After the work, think about who gets keys. A few extra copies for family members are fine, but keep the count deliberate. If you need more, key duplication is a simple follow-up. Also tell us if any lock sticks or feels off during the first week. We'd rather adjust it than have you live with it.

And if the move-in doesn't go smoothly and you find yourself on the wrong side of a locked door before the lock change even happens, that's a house lockout, and we can handle that call too, day or night.

More locksmith help in Reseda

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