Lock Installation in West Covina, CA

What does lock installation actually involve?

A new lock is only as good as the door it sits in. Most of the installation problems we get called to fix are not bad hardware. They are good hardware fitted badly: a latch that rubs the strike plate, a deadbolt that only throws when you lift the door, a lever that sags because the screws bit into soft wood, or a bore hole cut slightly off so the cylinder binds. Those problems show up a month later, usually when someone is late and carrying groceries.

Lock installation means fitting a lock to a door that does not have one yet, or fitting a different type of lock where the old one was removed. That can be a new door from a remodel, a door that never had a deadbolt, a side entry that was secured with a hook latch, or a commercial door that is getting proper hardware for the first time. It is a different job from re-keying the lock you already own, and different from swapping a worn lock for an identical one. If you are not sure which job you need, a short call usually sorts it out.

We do the work the way a careful tradesperson would: measure the door, check the frame, fit the hardware square, and test it with the door open and closed before we leave. Owner and lead technician David has run this shop since 1987, and that habit of checking the door first is the same one he expects from everyone who works under his name.

Which type of lock should go on your door?

Choosing the lock comes before the installation, and it is worth five minutes of thought. The right answer depends on the door material, how the door is used, who needs keys, and what you are trying to protect. Here is how we usually think through the common options.

• Front door lock installation: most West Covina houses need a deadbolt plus a handle set or lever on the entry door. We fit them as a matched pair so the finish, the backset and the key all line up. If you only want the deadbolt side of the job, see our page on deadbolt installation in West Covina.
• Lever lock installation: levers are easier on hands than round knobs, which matters for older family members and for anyone carrying things. They are also standard on many commercial doors. Levers need a properly prepared door and a solid fit, because the handle gives people leverage to pull and push on the latch.
• Mortise lock installation: a mortise lock sits in a rectangular pocket cut into the edge of the door and combines latch and deadbolt in one body. You find them on older entry doors, some storefronts, and certain office doors. They are strong, but the pocket removes wood, so the door has to be sound and the work done carefully.
• Security lock installation: this means locks chosen for resistance, such as higher-grade deadbolts, reinforced strike plates and restricted-keyway cylinders. Our page on high-security locks explains the key control side of that decision.
• Electronic and keyless locks: keypad and smart locks are installed on the same door prep as a regular deadbolt, with extra attention to battery access and the way the door closes. Details are on our smart lock installation page.

How we install a new lock, step by step

Every installation is a little different, but the sequence is consistent. This is what you can expect when we arrive at your door.

1. We look at the door first. We check the material (solid wood, hollow-core, metal, fiberglass), the thickness, the condition of the edge, and whether the frame is solid and the door hangs square.
2. We confirm the hardware. Before cutting or drilling anything, we confirm the backset, the bore size, the handing of the door and the finish you want, so the lock we install is the lock that fits.
3. We prepare the door. For a new lock this means marking and drilling the face bore and the edge bore with the proper hole saw and a template, or cutting the mortise pocket if it is a mortise lock. We work slowly on the finished side so the wood or the paint does not splinter.
4. We fit the latch and cylinder. The latch is set flush, the cylinder or the lock body is mounted, and the through-bolts or screws are tightened evenly so nothing twists.
5. We prepare the frame. The strike plate gets chiseled in flush and aligned to the latch and bolt. On entry doors we use longer screws that reach the framing behind the jamb, not just the thin trim, because a deadbolt is only as strong as what it bolts into.
6. We test it properly. We cycle the lock with the door open, then closed, then with the door pushed and pulled, since a lock that works open can bind once the weather-stripping compresses.
7. We hand over the keys and explain the lock. You get the keys, we explain how any adjustments work, and we tell you plainly if the door or frame needs repair that is separate from the lock.

Residential and commercial lock installation: what differs?

Homes and businesses use the same basic mechanisms, but the expectations differ. A house door is usually opened a handful of times a day by a few people. A shop door may be opened hundreds of times a day by staff and customers, so the hardware needs to be built for that wear. Residential lock installation tends to focus on a good deadbolt, a decent handle set and a solid strike. Commercial lock installation adds questions about durability grades, fire ratings on certain doors, accessibility requirements for levers, and whether the door must allow free exit.

For offices, retail doors and anything with a closer or exit device, we look at the whole door rather than the lock alone, since a heavy closer or a misaligned frame can wear out brand-new hardware in a short time. If you manage a business, our commercial locksmith services page covers the wider range of door work, and we can discuss master keying at the same visit if you have several doors to organize.

One more distinction matters. If a door has a fire rating or serves as an exit route, there are rules about what hardware can go on it, and we will tell you if a lock you picked is not appropriate for that door. We would rather change the plan on the spot than install something that creates a problem later.

What affects the cost of lock installation?

We do not quote numbers on a web page, because the honest answer depends on the specifics of your door. We will give you a clear figure after we understand the job, and we explain what goes into it so nothing surprises you. These are the main factors.

• The lock itself. A standard residential deadbolt, a heavy-duty commercial-grade lever and a high-security cylinder with restricted keys sit at very different levels of cost. A higher grade of hardware costs more to buy and often takes longer to fit correctly.
• How many doors. Fitting several doors in one visit, such as a townhome front door, patio door and garage entry, is usually more economical per door than separate trips.
• Whether the door is already prepared. A door with existing bore holes in the right place is a straightforward fit. A new slab with no prep, or a door that needs drilling or a mortise pocket cut, takes more time and skill.
• Door condition. Cracked wood, a damaged edge or a worn frame may need repair or reinforcement before a new lock will hold properly.
• Door material. Solid wood, hollow-core, steel and fiberglass each need different tools and techniques.
• Time and place. Evenings, weekends and holidays are different from a daytime appointment, and travel to your part of West Covina is a factor we will discuss up front.
• Extras. Keying several locks alike, restricted key blanks, and extra keys all add to the job.

Lock installation across West Covina neighborhoods

West Covina is largely a city of tract ranch homes from the 1950s through the 1970s, and those houses shape most of the installation work we see. Many of them still have original entry hardware, or a patchwork of locks added over the decades, and the doors often have older bore holes that do not line up with modern hardware. In the South Hills area and the hillside streets near South Hills Country Club, homeowners often ask for a deadbolt added to a side entry or a better lock on a back door that faces a slope. Those doors take the afternoon sun, and dry summer heat is hard on wood and finishes, so we pay attention to how the door moves with the weather before we set a latch.

In the 1960s-70s planned community of Woodside Village, many of the homes are HOA-managed townhomes and condos. A new lock there is often a matter of matching what the association allows on the exterior, so check your HOA rules on finish and hardware before we come. A typical call is a townhome that needs a proper deadbolt on the front door or a keyed lever on a side entry, and we can match the finish to what is already on the building so it looks like it belongs. If you also want existing locks keyed to a new key, ask about lock rekeying.

Near Galster Wilderness Park and in the Galster Park area, hillside homes often have side-entry doors and gates that sit exposed to sun and gusty conditions, and those are the doors that need hardware chosen for weather as well as security. Around the Civic Center and Plaza district, and along the condo and apartment clusters near the malls and the I-10 corridor, we see a mix of residential doors and small commercial spaces. Retail lock and door-closer work at Plaza West Covina and Eastland Center is a regular type of job in this area, and office door installations along the I-10 frontage fit the same pattern.

We serve all of West Covina, including ZIP codes 91790, 91791 and 91792, and neighborhoods such as Cameron Park, Cortez Park, Shadow Oak Park and the Eastland area. Our storefront and shop are on Wilshire Blvd in Westwood, roughly 30 miles away, and our mobile vans bring the tools and a stock of common hardware to your door. Because the drive is real, we tell you honestly when we expect to arrive and ask a few questions first so we bring the right hardware the first time.

Why call Wilshire Lock & Key for installation?

Plenty of companies can drill a hole in a door. What we offer is a short list of plain things that matter when you are letting someone modify the front of your home or business.

We have been in business since 1987, and David, the owner and lead technician, oversees the work. We operate a real storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd in Los Angeles, plus mobile service vans. When you call, you are talking to our company, not a dispatch center that sells your job to whoever is nearby. That means the person who tells you what the job involves is part of the same shop that does it.

California requires locksmith companies to hold a Locksmith Company license from the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS), called an LCO license. You should ask any locksmith, including us, for that license number before work begins. Anyone who hesitates to give it is not someone you want working on your front door.

We also try to be straight about what you need. If a new lock is not the right fix because the problem is the door, the strike or a worn cylinder, we say so. We would rather lose a sale than leave you with hardware that does not do its job.

How to get the job done smoothly: what to have ready

A few minutes of preparation saves time at the door. When you call (213) 577-1366, it helps to have these details handy.

Tell us what the door is made of and roughly how thick it is, whether there is already a hole for a lock and what size it looks like, and whether you want a matched set or just one lock. A photo of the door edge and the existing hardware helps a lot. Mention the finish you want, since matching an existing handle set or HOA-approved finish is easier to plan before we arrive. If you want several locks to use the same key, say so at the start.

If the door is cracked, warped or hard to close, tell us that too. A lock fitted onto a door that drags on the frame will not last, and we would rather solve the door problem at the same visit. If you are locked out as well, our house lockout service handles that first, and installation can follow once you are inside.

When installation is not the right job

Sometimes the lock you already have is fine and the real need is different. If your lock works but you are worried about who has keys, re-keying is usually the more economical route, and it is covered on our lock rekeying page. If the old lock is worn out, broken or damaged after a break-in attempt, a straight swap may be the answer, and our lock replacement page explains how that differs from installing something new.

If you own rentals around the malls or the I-10 corridor and need to secure several units, our page for landlords goes through turnover rekeys and keying plans. When the situation is not clear, call and describe what you see. We will tell you which job it is before anyone drives out.

More locksmith help in West Covina

• Change Locks in West Covina
• Deadbolt Installation in West Covina
• Gate Lock Repair in West Covina
• High Security Locks in West Covina
• Key Duplication in West Covina
• Lock Rekey in West Covina
• All services in West Covina

Lock Installation near West Covina

• Covina
• Baldwin Park
• La Puente
• City of Industry
• Walnut
• Irwindale