What does access control installation actually involve?
Access control replaces a metal key with a credential: a PIN code, a key card, a key fob, or a phone-based credential. The door still has to lock, and the hardware that does the locking is still a physical part you can break, wear out, or wire wrong. That is why a good installation is as much about the door, the frame, and the wiring as it is about the keypad on the wall.
Most Sherman Oaks businesses come to us for one of a few reasons. A key got lost or copied by someone who no longer works there. A suite has been passing out keys for years and nobody knows how many exist. A new tenant needs different people in different rooms. Or an old card system has quit and the original installer is gone. Each of those is a different job, and we start by asking which problem you are really trying to solve.
Electronic access control gives you three things a key cannot: you can cancel one person's access without changing anything else, you can limit access by door or by schedule, and on many systems you can see who used which door and when. If none of those matter to you, a quality mechanical lock or a master key system may serve you better, and we will say so.
Which hardware fits which door?
There is no single best product. The right choice depends on the door material, how people pass through it, and what has to happen when the power goes out or the fire alarm trips. These are the parts we work with most.
Choosing between them is mostly a question of door type and safety requirements, not preference.
- Keypad access control: a PIN entry unit, good for small offices, back rooms, and doors where issuing cards is more trouble than it is worth. The weak point is shared codes, so we talk through how often codes should change.
- Card access system or key card entry system: a reader reads a proximity or smart card. Cards are easy to issue and cancel one by one, which suits staff turnover.
- Key fob access control: the same idea in a form that sits on a key ring, popular for shared entries and parking-side doors.
- Electric strike installation: a powered replacement for the strike plate in the frame. The latch stays in place, and the strike releases when a valid credential is presented. It works well on wood and hollow metal doors and keeps the normal lockset.
- Magnetic lock installation: an electromagnet on the frame holds a plate on the door. It suits glass doors and doors where a strike will not fit, but it needs a dependable release for exit, and fire and building rules apply.
- Standalone versus networked: a standalone reader stores its own users at the door. A networked, multi-door access control system manages many doors from one place.
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Call (213) 577-1366How we handle an access control installation, step by step
We keep the process simple and in order, because most access control problems we are called to fix trace back to a step somebody skipped.
- Call us at (213) 577-1366 and tell us what the doors are, how many there are, and who needs to get through them. The line is answered around the clock, so you can reach us after hours if a door is currently not securing.
- We look at each door in person: material, frame condition, hinge side, how it closes, how it opens in an emergency, and where power and wiring can realistically run.
- We recommend a layout. That includes the credential type, the locking hardware for each door (strike, maglock, or electrified lockset), the power supply, and the exit method on each door.
- You review the plan with David's input on anything tricky, and we agree on who gets access to which doors before anything is drilled.
- We install the hardware, run and terminate the wiring, mount readers or keypads, and set up power and backup. Doors that do not close or latch cleanly get adjusted first, because an electronic lock cannot fix a door that does not meet its frame.
- We enroll credentials, set schedules and access levels, and test every door from both sides, including the exit path and a simulated power loss.
- We walk you or your manager through adding and removing users, and leave you with the information you need so you are never locked out of your own system.
What affects the cost of a business access control system?
We do not quote numbers on a web page, because two doors that look identical can be very different jobs. What we can tell you is what moves the cost, so you can compare quotes fairly.
If you want a firm figure, call (213) 577-1366 and we will go through the doors with you.
- Number of doors: the biggest driver by far. Multi-door access control adds controllers, wiring runs, and programming time.
- Door and frame type: glass storefront, hollow metal, solid wood, and aluminum frames each call for different hardware and different prep work.
- Locking method: electric strikes, maglocks, and electrified locksets are priced and installed differently.
- Credential type: PIN keypads are the simplest. Cards and fobs add readers and credentials. Phone-based credentials may add software.
- Wiring: a door with an easy path to power costs less than one that needs wire pulled through finished walls or across a ceiling.
- Standalone versus networked: managing many doors from one place takes more equipment and setup than independent readers.
- Backup power and exit devices: egress hardware, request-to-exit sensors, and battery backup are part of a safe installation, not extras.
- Existing equipment: reusing sound hardware can lower cost, while replacing worn doors or closers raises it.
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Call (213) 577-1366Access control repair and upgrades: when the system you have stops working
Plenty of our access control calls are not new installations. A reader stops reading, a strike buzzes but will not release, a maglock lets go at the wrong time, or a keypad is so worn that the buttons everyone presses are obvious. Sometimes the electronics are fine and the problem is a door that has dropped on its hinges, a latch that binds, or a door closer that no longer pulls the door fully shut. If a door does not close properly, an electric lock cannot hold it, which is why we often look at the closer first. If that is the cause, our door closer work and commercial door hardware service cover it.
An access control upgrade makes sense when your system cannot add users, the manufacturer no longer supports it, or you have outgrown a single standalone reader. We can often keep the wiring, door prep, and locking hardware that are already sound, and replace only the readers or controller. We will tell you honestly when the old equipment is worth keeping and when replacing it is the cheaper route over time.
If you are locked out of your own business while the system is down, tell us right away. A door with failed electronics is a business lockout first and a repair second, and we handle both in the same visit.
Access control in Sherman Oaks: Ventura Boulevard, the Galleria, and the hillsides
Sherman Oaks is not one kind of property, and access control here reflects that. Along the Ventura Boulevard corridor and the Magnolia Boulevard and Riverside Drive corridors, you find offices, storefronts, and professional suites where the main questions are staff turnover and who can reach back-of-house doors. Around the Sherman Oaks Galleria district and the Fashion Square area, commercial lock service is a regular need for businesses with employee-only rooms, stockrooms, and shared entries. In those settings, employee access control is usually about cancelling one person's card without rekeying the whole suite.
Condo and apartment buildings concentrate along Ventura, Sepulveda, and Riverside, and many are HOA-managed buildings from the 1960s to the 1980s. Their shared entrances, garage-side doors, and amenity rooms are where key fobs and card readers often replace keys that have been copied too many times. The HOA board usually decides the credential type and who holds administrative rights, so we work from the board's rules rather than ours. Whether you are in 91403, 91423, 91401, or 91411, the job begins with a look at the actual door.
Hillside properties south of Ventura, up toward the Mulholland corridor and in areas such as Longridge Estates and Royal Woods, bring a different challenge. Gates, side-yard doors, and multiple entry points are common there, and sun and wind exposure age exterior finishes faster. For outdoor keypads and readers, we choose weather-appropriate hardware and mount it where it is protected as much as the site allows. Gate latch repair itself is a separate job, and we can handle it on the same visit if needed.
We work out of our Westwood storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd and send mobile vans across the area. Sherman Oaks is about 8 miles from our base, and we serve it as part of our broader coverage of Los Angeles and Ventura counties.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366Why call Wilshire Lock & Key for access control?
We have been in business since 1987, and that history matters on exactly this kind of work. Access control sits on top of the older fundamentals: door fit, hardware, keying, and how a building actually gets used. We have a storefront and mobile vans, so you are dealing with one company that does the work rather than a dispatch service that sells your job to whoever is free.
David, the owner and lead technician, oversees our work, including system layout and the decisions on tricky doors. We can connect electronic access with the rest of your building security, such as a master key system for the doors that do not need electronics, panic bar installation on exit doors, or broader commercial locksmith work. If you are a homeowner who wants keyless entry instead of a business system, a smart lock installation is usually the better fit.
Our phones are answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, all year, including holidays. If something on your premises will not secure after hours, our 24-hour locksmith service is the quickest way to get someone on the line.
What should you ask any locksmith before they install access control?
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 considering for their license number, and check it with the state before they start work. That applies to us as well, and you should hold every company to the same standard.
Beyond the license, ask a few practical questions. Who owns the system and the administrator login when the job is done? Will you get the programming information so a future technician can work on it? What happens to the doors if the power fails? How does each door open from the inside in an emergency? A confident installer will answer all four without hesitation, and you should be wary of anyone who treats them as unimportant.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between an electric strike and a maglock?
An electric strike replaces the strike plate in the door frame and releases the existing latch when a valid credential is used. A maglock is an electromagnet that holds a plate on the door and lets go when power is cut. Strikes keep your normal lockset in play. Maglocks work on glass and some frames where a strike will not fit, but they depend on power and must release safely for exit under fire and building rules.
Can you add access control to an existing door without replacing it?
Often yes. If the door and frame are sound and the door closes and latches properly, we can usually add a strike, an electrified lockset, or a reader to it. Doors that are warped, badly worn, or poorly aligned need correction first, because electronic locks cannot make up for a door that does not meet its frame. We check this during the in-person look.
Is a keypad enough for a small office, or do I need card readers?
A keypad is often enough for a small team and a few doors. Its weakness is that codes get shared and rarely changed. Cards or key fobs let you cancel one person without affecting anyone else, which becomes more valuable as staff numbers and turnover grow. We will talk through how your team really uses the doors before recommending one.
What happens to the doors if the power goes out?
It depends on the hardware, and we plan it door by door. Some locks are set to unlock when power fails and others stay locked, and the choice depends on the door's role and on safety and fire rules. Either way, people inside must be able to leave. We also discuss battery backup and test a simulated power loss during installation.
Can one system control several doors and different employees?
Yes. Multi-door access control lets you decide which credentials open which doors, and on many systems when. A receptionist might be able to enter the front and the supply room, while a manager can enter every door. We lay out the access levels with you during planning so nobody is figuring it out after the hardware is on the wall.
Do HOA condo buildings in Sherman Oaks need board approval for new card readers?
That depends on the building's rules, so ask your HOA or property manager before ordering anything. Common doors, garage entries, and amenity rooms usually fall under the board's control, and the board usually decides the credential type and who administers it. We are happy to work from the board's requirements and put our recommendation in writing for them.
Do you repair access control systems that someone else installed?
Yes. Many of our calls involve readers that stopped responding, strikes that will not release, or maglocks that behave unpredictably. We diagnose the whole path: credential, reader, controller, power, wiring, lock, and door. Some systems are worth repairing and others are better replaced, and we will explain which one yours is.
How do I get a quote for access control installation?
Call (213) 577-1366 and tell us how many doors, what kind of doors, and who needs access. We will schedule a look at the site, since a reliable quote requires seeing the doors and wiring paths. You can also reach us through the contact page. We do not post numbers online because they depend on the factors described above.
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Access Control Installation near Sherman Oaks
Reviewed by David, Owner & Lead Technician, Wilshire Lock & Key — in the locksmith trade since 1987.
Last updated 2026-10-11.