What does lock installation involve, and when do you need it?
Lock installation means fitting a new lock to a door, gate or entry that either has no lock in that position or has hardware that can't be reused. That is different from rekeying, which changes the inside of a lock you already own so old keys stop working. It is also different from swapping a worn lock for an identical one. If your lock works and you only worry about who holds old keys, rekeying is usually the more economical route. If a lock has failed and the door is already drilled for the same size of hardware, lock replacement is the closer fit. Installation is the right call when the door needs something it doesn't have yet.
In a mostly residential area like West Hills, new lock installation tends to start from a handful of everyday situations. A good fit between the lock and the door matters more than the brand on the box, and that is the part we spend our time on.
- A front door with only a knob lock and no separate deadbolt
- A new door from a remodel that arrived without any holes drilled
- A side gate, garage entry door or back door with no real lock on it
- A home office, workshop or detached room you want to secure
- Hardware you chose yourself, such as a lever set or smart lock, that needs proper fitting
- A small office or suite that needs a lock added or changed to a different type
Which lock suits which door?
Most of the real decisions in door lock installation come down to the door itself: its thickness, its material, how it is prepared, and what the frame can take. Here is how the common types line up.
Front door lock installation usually means a deadbolt plus a handle set, or a combined unit. The deadbolt does the security work. The handle just latches the door. On a front door, the strike plate and the screws holding it matter as much as the lock body, because a door gets kicked at the frame, not at the lock. For a standalone bolt, see our page on deadbolt installation.
Lever lock installation covers handle-style hardware that you push down instead of turning a knob. Levers are easier on hands, wrists and arms, which is why many households choose them for entries and interior rooms alike. The boring and latch work is similar to a knob set, but the handle's weight and the door's swing need a quick check so the lever doesn't catch on trim.
Mortise lock installation is the more involved case. A mortise lock sits in a rectangular pocket cut into the edge of the door, not just in round holes. It is common on older, heavier or decorative doors and on some commercial doors. A door that wasn't cut for one can usually be routed out, but the cut has to be accurate and the door has to be thick and sound enough to take it. We look at that before promising anything.
Security lock installation means stepping up the grade of hardware and reinforcing the surroundings: heavier strike plates, longer screws that bite into the framing, and sometimes restricted keyways so keys can't be copied at a hardware counter. If that is your goal, our high-security locks page explains the options. For keypad and app-based hardware, we handle smart lock installation separately.
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Call (213) 577-1366How we install a new lock, step by step
Every job is a little different, but the order of work is consistent. Whether we're fitting a new lock at your front door or at a side gate, this is how it goes.
- You call (213) 577-1366 and tell us the door, what's on it now, and what you want. A phone description is enough to plan the visit, and we'll tell you if anything needs to be confirmed in person.
- We inspect the door and frame on site: door thickness, material, existing bore holes, the distance from the door edge to the center of the hole (the backset), and whether the frame is solid where the strike will sit.
- We confirm the hardware with you. If you bought your own lock, we check that it suits the door. If we're supplying it, we go over grade, finish and keying options before cutting anything.
- We prepare the door. That might mean boring new holes with a proper jig, cutting the latch edge, or routing a mortise pocket. Clean, square cuts are what keep a lock from binding later.
- We fit the latch or bolt and install the strike plate, setting it so the bolt throws fully into the frame without forcing the door. Where the frame is soft or thin, we reinforce it.
- We mount the lock body, handle or thumbturn, and test it with the door open, then closed, then locked from both sides, using every key.
- We hand over the keys, explain how the lock works, and tidy the work area. If the door itself is the problem, for example it rubs or has swollen, we tell you plainly rather than hiding it behind new hardware.
What affects the cost of lock installation in West Hills?
We don't quote numbers on a web page because the honest answer depends on the door and the hardware. What we can do is show you what moves the cost up or down, so a quote makes sense when you hear it.
The lock itself is the biggest swing. A standard residential-grade deadbolt sits at the lighter-cost end. A higher-grade deadbolt, a mortise set, a restricted-key cylinder or an electronic lock sits further up. Grade, finish and brand all matter.
Door preparation is next. Fitting a lock into a door that is already drilled is quick. Boring a fresh door, cutting a mortise pocket, or repairing an oversized or damaged hole takes longer and more care.
Other factors include:
- Number of locks, since several doors at once usually make the visit more efficient
- Whether you supply the hardware or we do
- Frame and strike reinforcement needs
- Keying choices, such as keyed-alike sets so one key opens several doors
- Material: solid wood, hollow-core, metal and glass doors each behave differently
- Time of day, since a late-night or weekend call is not the same as a scheduled daytime job
- Travel distance within our service area
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Call (213) 577-1366Lock installation across West Hills neighborhoods
West Hills is almost entirely residential, built mostly from single-story ranch tracts dating to the 1950s through the 1970s, with very little multifamily housing. That shapes the work. Nearly every job is a detached house, and that means front doors, back doors, garage entry doors and side gates, not shared lobbies or unit doors. In ZIP codes 91307 and 91304, installation calls tend to be about adding the right lock to the right door on a property you own or rent as a whole.
In the older tracts off the Valley Circle Boulevard corridor, homes may still carry original hardware from when the tract was built. When we're there to rekey or replace, owners often decide to add a proper deadbolt or upgrade a front door set at the same visit, because the door is already open on the workbench, so to speak. Around the Platt Village and Fallbrook Center areas, we also see people who call after a lockout and then decide the door needs better hardware, so the installation is booked right after we get the door open. If you're locked out right now, start with our house lockout service instead.
Lots grow larger and more private toward Valley Circle Boulevard and the hillside edge near Castle Peak. In the El Escorpion Park / Castle Peak area, hillside homes often prompt requests for smart-lock and deadbolt upgrades, since owners want a stronger entry and the convenience of keypad access on a property with a long approach from the street. On bigger lots around the Knapp Ranch Park and Shadow Ranch Park areas, side gates and garage entry doors become part of the picture. A gate latch exposed to weather needs different hardware than a front door, and if your gate lock is already installed but failing, gate lock repair is the page to look at.
Heat, wood doors and why installation has to allow for them
Summers run hot in this far-west corner of the Valley, and homes along the western hillside edge take sun and wind off the open space. The main seasonal effect on locks is heat-driven expansion of wood doors, especially on south- and west-facing entries. A wood door can swell a little in summer, rub the frame, and push the bolt out of line with the strike.
That matters during installation. We check the bolt throw and latch fit with the door closed, and we look at the gaps around the door. If a bolt is only just reaching the strike, it may bind on the hottest afternoons even though it felt fine in cooler weather. We set the strike with that movement in mind, and where the door itself is the issue, we say so. A new lock can't cure a door that is swollen, sagging on its hinges or out of square; it may need hinge adjustment or trimming by someone who does carpentry. We'll point that out instead of installing over the problem.
For west-facing entries, finish is worth thinking about too. Strong sun is hard on some finishes, and a lock that looks fine in the box can fade or pit in a few seasons on an exposed door. We're happy to talk through finish choices when you pick the hardware.
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We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366Commercial lock installation near the medical campus
West Hills is not a commercial area in the way some parts of Los Angeles are, but there is office and suite work near the UCLA West Valley Medical Center campus and around the shopping areas. Commercial lock installation is a different job from residential. Doors in suites are often heavier, frames are metal, and the lock may need to meet fire-door or exit requirements. Keying also becomes a bigger question: who holds which key, how many doors share a system, and what happens when a tenant leaves.
We handle new locks for offices and suites, and the hardware choices overlap with our commercial door hardware work. If the project grows past a lock or two into a larger keying or access plan, we'll tell you what makes sense rather than selling you more than the door needs. If you're a landlord or manager and unsure whether a lock change or a new installation is right, a short phone call usually sorts it out.
Why call Wilshire Lock & Key for lock installation
We've been in business since 1987, and we serve 140 cities across Los Angeles and Ventura counties, including West Hills. Our storefront is at 10740 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood, and our mobile service vans carry hardware, so many installs can be done in one visit. West Hills sits about 23 miles from our base, and we plan the trip with that in mind.
You deal with one company from phone call to finished door, not a dispatch service that passes your job to whoever is free. David, the owner and lead technician, oversees the work. Our phone line is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year-round at (213) 577-1366, which matters when a door has been broken into or a lock failed at night and you need something fitted right away.
If you want to describe the job in writing first, you can use our contact page. When you're comparing locksmiths, remember that California requires locksmith companies to hold a BSIS LCO license. Ask any locksmith you're considering for their license number before work begins, and check it with the state.
What to have ready before you call
A few details make the first conversation faster and the quote closer to the final job. None of this is required, and we can work out the rest on site.
- Which door or gate it is, and which way it faces
- What lock or hole pattern is on it now, if anything
- The door material: wood, metal, fiberglass or glass
- Whether you already bought hardware, and the brand and model
- Whether you want the new lock keyed to match other locks you have
- A photo of the door edge and frame, if you can send one
Frequently asked questions
Can you install a lock on a door that has never had one?
Yes, in most cases. We bore the holes and cut the latch edge to suit the lock, then fit the strike to the frame. We check that the door is thick and solid enough first. Hollow or damaged doors sometimes need extra reinforcement or a different lock type.
What is the difference between lock installation and lock replacement?
Installation puts a lock where there wasn't one, or fits a different style that needs the door re-prepared. Replacement swaps an existing lock for a similar one in the same holes. If you're unsure, describe the door when you call and we'll tell you which applies.
Can you fit a mortise lock in a door that wasn't cut for one?
Often yes, but it depends on the door. A mortise pocket has to be routed into the edge, so the door must be thick and sound enough to keep its strength. We inspect it before we agree to the job, and we'll suggest another lock if the door won't take it safely.
Do you install lever handles, or only deadbolts?
We install both, plus knob sets, handle-and-deadbolt combinations, mortise locks and gate hardware. Lever installation is similar to a knob set, with an extra check that the handle clears the trim and the door swings freely.
Will a new lock work with the keys I already have?
Sometimes. Certain lock brands can be keyed to match your existing keys if the keyway is compatible. Otherwise the new lock comes with its own keys. If you want one key for several doors, tell us up front so we can choose the right hardware.
Can I buy the lock myself and have you install it?
You can. We'll check that the hardware suits your door before we start. Be aware that if the lock turns out to be a poor match, the fit may need adjusting or we may suggest a different model, so it helps to send us the model name before you buy.
Do you install locks on side gates and garage entry doors?
Yes. Larger lots in West Hills often have side gates and garage entry doors with no proper lock, and we fit hardware made for the job. Gate locks face weather and movement, so material and finish matter.
Do you handle commercial lock installation in West Hills?
Yes, for offices and suites. Commercial doors are usually heavier and may have code requirements, so we look at the door, frame and keying needs first. We can talk through options by phone, and the work overlaps with our commercial door hardware services.
Can you install a lock at night or on a weekend?
Yes. Our line at (213) 577-1366 is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. After-hours installs are real work, but they can cost more than scheduled ones, so ask when you call whether the job can wait until daytime.
More locksmith help in West Hills
Lock Installation near West Hills
Reviewed by David, Owner & Lead Technician, Wilshire Lock & Key — in the locksmith trade since 1987.
Last updated 2026-10-11.