What does lock installation actually involve?
A new lock is only as good as the way it goes into the door. We see it all the time: a perfectly decent lockset bought at a hardware store, then fitted with a bore that is slightly off, a latch that doesn't line up with the strike, or screws that only bite into thin door skin. The lock works on day one and starts sticking, wobbling, or failing within a season.
Lock installation means more than screwing hardware into a door. It means checking the door and frame, cutting or adjusting the bore and edge prep so the parts sit square, setting the strike so the bolt throws fully into solid wood or steel, and testing the finished lock from both sides with the door open and closed. That is the work we do for homeowners, renters with landlord permission, and business owners in Valley Village.
This page covers installing new locks where there is a door that needs one: a new build, a remodel, a door that never had proper hardware, or an upgrade from a worn-out lock. If you already have a lock that has failed, our lock replacement page is the better fit. If you only want your existing locks to accept different keys, that is a rekey, which we cover separately.
Which types of locks do we install?
We install the locks people actually ask for in this part of the San Fernando Valley. Here is what that covers, and what each one is best suited to.
- Front door lock installation: a keyed entry knob or lever paired with a separate deadbolt, or a single multi-point or mortise set on doors that were built for one.
- Deadbolt installation: a standalone bolt added above or below the main latch. We keep a dedicated page for deadbolt installation if that is all you need.
- Lever lock installation: handle-style locks that are easier on hands and often required for accessibility in shared or commercial spaces.
- Mortise lock installation: the boxed lock body set into a pocket cut in the edge of the door, common on older doors and many commercial entries.
- Security lock installation: higher-grade deadbolts, reinforced strikes, and longer screws, for doors that need to resist force. See high-security locks for restricted-key options.
- Residential lock installation: interior privacy locks, patio and side-gate hardware, and garage service doors.
- Commercial lock installation: storefront, office, and back-of-house doors, including grade-rated hardware for heavier traffic.
How do we install a new lock, step by step?
Whether it's a single front door or a handful of doors, the process is the same. We don't skip steps because a job looks simple.
- You call (213) 577-1366 and tell us the door type, the lock you want or the problem you want solved, and the address. We'll ask whether the door is wood, metal, or glass, and whether it already has a bore hole.
- We arrive in a mobile van carrying common hardware, tools, and door-prep equipment. If the job needs a specific lock we don't carry, we tell you before we start, not halfway through.
- We inspect the door and frame: thickness, condition, warping, edge width, and whether the frame is solid enough to hold a bolt.
- We confirm the lock choice with you and explain what it will and won't do. A strong bolt in a weak frame is not real security, so if the frame needs attention, we say so.
- We prepare the door. That may mean drilling a new cross bore and edge bore, routing a mortise pocket, or adjusting an existing opening to the right size.
- We install the lock body, the trim, and the strike plate, using full-length screws that reach the framing behind the jamb where the lock design calls for it.
- We test every function: key from outside, thumb turn or lever from inside, bolt throw, latch retraction, and how the door closes. We adjust until it operates smoothly.
- We hand over your keys, show you how the lock works, and cut extra keys if you need them.
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Call (213) 577-1366Mortise and lever locks: what should you know before choosing?
Mortise locks are the most misunderstood hardware we install. The lock body sits inside a deep pocket in the edge of the door, and it combines the latch and deadbolt in one unit. They are sturdy and repairable, and many older doors are built around them. The tradeoff is that the door has to be cut accurately for the pocket, and a door with a mortise already cut needs a lock body that fits that exact pocket size. That is why we measure before we order.
Lever lock installation is usually simpler. A lever handle uses the same bore pattern as a typical cylindrical lock, so on many doors it is a straightforward swap or addition. Levers are easier to operate with full hands, wet hands, or an arm full of groceries, and they are common wherever accessibility matters. One honest note: a lever alone doesn't add deadbolt-level resistance, so on an exterior door we usually pair it with a separate bolt.
If you are weighing a mortise set against a bore-in lock for a front door, the answer usually depends on the door. A thin hollow-core or slim wood door can't take a mortise pocket without losing strength. A solid wood door with enough edge width can. We look at the door first and tell you plainly which route makes sense.
What affects the cost of lock installation in Valley Village?
We don't quote numbers on a web page, because a fair price depends on what is actually in front of us. Here is what moves the cost, so you can see how a quote gets built and compare one fairly against another.
- The lock itself: a basic grade lockset, a higher-grade deadbolt, a mortise body, or a smart lock sit in very different cost ranges before any labor.
- Door condition: a clean, correctly drilled door goes quickly. A door that needs a new bore, a patched or reinforced edge, or repair from a previous bad install takes more time.
- Door material: solid wood, hollow metal, aluminum storefront, and glass each need different tools and techniques.
- Number of doors: several doors on one visit are usually the more economical route than separate trips, because travel and setup are shared.
- Frame and strike work: reinforcing a jamb or fitting a longer strike adds parts and labor, but it is where real security comes from.
- Key setup: keying multiple locks alike, adding restricted keys, or setting up a key hierarchy adds steps.
- Timing and location: a night or weekend call is different from a scheduled daytime visit, and Valley Village is about 13 miles from our Westwood storefront.
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 installation?
We have been in business since 1987. That is long enough to have fitted locks on just about every kind of door Los Angeles has, including the odd ones: warped older wood, doors cut for hardware that has long been discontinued, and openings that were modified several times by different owners.
We run a storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood plus mobile service vans. When you call (213) 577-1366, you reach us, not a call center farming the job out to whoever is closest. The company that answers is the company that shows up, and David, the owner and lead technician, oversees the work.
We're available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year-round. Most installations are planned, but plans change: a door gets kicked in, a tenant moves out without returning keys, or a remodel crew leaves a door half finished on a Friday night. For those cases our mobile locksmith service means the work comes to you.
How does lock installation fit Valley Village homes and buildings?
Valley Village is a mix of quiet interior streets and busier boulevards, and the doors reflect that. On the interior blocks, 1930s and 1940s cottages and ranch homes are common, many of them owner-occupied. Those doors are often original solid wood, sometimes with old cylindrical latches that were never given a proper deadbolt. Along the Magnolia Boulevard corridor, the Riverside Drive corridor, and the Laurel Canyon Boulevard corridor, garden apartments and small condo buildings add a different set of needs: shared entries, unit doors, and mailboxes.
Remodeled 1940s cottages are where we do a lot of new-lock work. A homeowner finishes a remodel and wants a modern front door lock installation, often a keyed deadbolt with a lever, or a keypad or app-driven lock. Older doors can take these upgrades, but the original bore sizes and frame condition decide how easily. If you're leaning toward electronic hardware, our smart lock installation page goes deeper on what it takes.
Heat matters here too. The east San Fernando Valley has hot, dry summers, and wood doors and frames expand and shift with the season. A lock fitted too tight in January can bind in August, and a bolt that lines up in spring might rub the strike by midsummer. We account for that when we set clearances, so the door doesn't fight its hardware when the weather swings.
In garden apartment complexes, mailbox locks are a common companion job. If that is what you are dealing with, see mailbox lock replacement. And for businesses along the Chandler Boulevard corridor near the Metro G Line busway, commercial doors need grade-rated hardware; our commercial door hardware page explains that side. On the Woodbridge Park edge near Studio City, you'll find more single-family homes, and the same front-door questions apply. We serve the 91607 ZIP code and everything around it.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366Landlords, property managers, and new owners
A lot of new-lock work in Valley Village follows a change of hands. When a house sells on one of the interior streets, the new owner often wants a full set of fresh, correctly installed locks rather than trusting that no one else has a key. When a tenant leaves a unit along Laurel Canyon Boulevard, a landlord needs the door secured before the next move-in.
If you manage several units, planning installation work in a single visit is usually the more economical route, and keeping the hardware consistent makes future service easier. Our locksmith for landlords page covers how we handle multi-unit work. For a single-door cylinder swap with the same hardware, a rekey is often the lighter-cost option, and we'll tell you honestly if that is all you need.
How do you check a locksmith before they install anything?
California requires locksmith companies to hold a Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS) Locksmith Company license, known as an LCO license. Ask any locksmith for that number before work begins, and check it with the state if you want to be sure. A reputable company will give it to you without hesitation.
Also ask for the full job description before the work starts. A fair quote names the lock, the labor, and any door or frame work. Be cautious of anyone who quotes a vague low figure on the phone and adds charges at the door, or who drills out a lock that could have been picked or serviced non-destructively. For an installation on an open door, there should be no surprises at all.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a lock installation take?
A simple lock on a door that is already drilled can be a quick job. A new bore, a mortise pocket, or frame reinforcement takes longer. We'll tell you what to expect once we have looked at the door, and we don't rush the testing at the end.
Can you install a new lock on an old door in a 1940s cottage?
Usually yes. Older solid wood doors take new hardware well if the wood is sound. We check the edge width, existing bore sizes, and the condition of the frame first. If the door can't support the lock you want, we'll suggest an alternative.
What's the difference between lock installation and lock replacement?
Installation adds a lock where there isn't one, or fits new hardware into a door that needs preparation. Replacement swaps a failed or worn lock for a new one in the same opening. Many jobs overlap, and we'll point you to the right one when you call.
Do you install both residential and commercial locks?
Yes. We handle residential lock installation on houses, condos, and apartments, and commercial lock installation on storefront, office, and service doors. Commercial work often involves grade-rated hardware and specific code needs, which we go over on site.
Can you install a mortise lock?
Yes. Mortise lock installation requires a door with enough edge width and a properly cut pocket. We can fit a new mortise body to an existing pocket or prepare a new one, but we measure first so the lock matches the door.
Should I choose a lever or a knob?
Levers are easier to use and often preferred where accessibility matters. Knobs are fine for many interior doors. On an exterior door, either one works best alongside a separate deadbolt for real resistance.
Will the new lock work with my existing keys?
Often we can key the new lock to match your existing keys, depending on the brand and keyway. If it can't be matched, we can key several new locks alike so one key works for the whole set. Tell us what you need when you call.
Can you come out at night or on a weekend?
Yes. We take calls 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year-round, at (213) 577-1366. Nighttime and weekend installations are usually for urgent cases like a damaged door, and we'll explain how timing affects the cost.
More locksmith help in Valley Village
Lock Installation near Valley Village
Reviewed by David, Owner & Lead Technician, Wilshire Lock & Key — in the locksmith trade since 1987.
Last updated 2026-10-11.