What does a lock installation involve, and when do you need one?
Installing a lock is not the same as swapping one. A swap assumes the door is already bored and cut for the hardware. An installation covers the work of putting a lock on a door that has none, or on a door whose existing prep does not match the lock you want. That happens more often than people expect. A remodel brings a new entry door. A new office suite needs its doors secured. A side door has gone years with nothing but a latch. Or you want to move from a basic knob set to a full mortise lock and the door has to be cut to suit.
The door matters as much as the lock. A good lock on a door with a loose frame, a shallow strike plate, or short screws is only as strong as the weakest of those parts. Most of what separates a sound installation from a poor one is out of sight: the size and placement of the bore, the depth of the latch mortise, the fit of the strike, and whether the screws reach solid framing instead of just the jamb trim.
That is why we look at the door before we talk about hardware. If you are not sure whether you need a new installation, a swap, or just new keys, call us and describe the door. We will say plainly which of those applies, even when the answer is the lighter-cost one.
Which kinds of locks do we install?
We install locks on doors of every type, and the work breaks down into a few families. Many jobs combine two or more of them, such as a deadbolt and a lever handle on the same entry door.
- Front door lock installation: entry handle sets, keyed deadbolts, and matching trim for the main door of a house or townhome. We match the backset, the door thickness, and the finish so the set looks like it belongs.
- Lever lock installation: lever handles in place of round knobs, for entry doors, interior passage doors, and privacy doors. Many people choose levers because they are easier to operate with a full hand, wet hands, or an armful of groceries.
- Mortise lock installation: a full lock body that sits in a rectangular pocket cut into the edge of the door. Mortise locks are found on older doors and on some higher-end entries. If the pocket already exists we match the body to it. If not, the pocket has to be cut carefully, and that takes time on a finished door.
- Security lock installation: higher-grade deadbolts, reinforced strike plates, long mounting screws, and restricted keyways when the situation calls for them. See our page on high-security locks for how those options differ.
- Residential lock installation: houses, condos, townhomes, side doors, and garage entry doors, each with its own door construction and hardware needs.
- Commercial lock installation: office doors, medical suites, restaurants, and shared-tenant spaces, where the lock grade, the door material, and egress requirements all matter. For heavier-duty hardware, see commercial door hardware.
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Call (213) 577-1366How do we handle a lock installation, step by step?
Every installation follows the same order. The details change with the door, but the sequence does not, because skipping a step is how locks end up sticking, rattling, or failing a few months later.
- You call (213) 577-1366 and tell us about the door: wood, metal, or glass, whether it is already drilled, what you want to install, and how many doors there are. Someone answers at any hour.
- We help you narrow the hardware to what suits the door and how it is used. A bedroom door and a main entry do not need the same lock.
- On site, we inspect the door, the edge, the frame, and the strike area. We look for warping, soft wood, old holes, and loose hinges that would undermine a new lock.
- We tell you what the job involves and what will affect the cost before any cutting starts. If the door needs preparation work first, you hear it at this stage.
- We mark and prepare the door: cross bore, edge bore, latch mortise, or a mortise pocket, using the right tools for the material so the wood or metal is not split or chewed up.
- We fit the lock body, cylinder, and trim, then install the strike plate and reinforce it with screws long enough to reach the framing behind the jamb.
- We test everything with the door open and closed: the latch, the bolt throw, the key from both sides, and the handle action. We adjust until it operates smoothly, then hand you the keys and show you how it works.
What affects the cost of lock installation in Westlake Village?
We do not publish flat numbers because the same job can be very different from one door to the next. What we can do is tell you exactly what moves the cost, so a quote makes sense when you get it.
- The lock itself. Grade, brand, finish, and features such as keyed-alike sets or restricted keyways all matter. A basic entry handle and a heavy-duty commercial lockset are different products.
- The door material. Solid wood, hollow-core, steel, fiberglass, aluminum storefront, and glass each need different tools and different care.
- Whether the door is already prepared. A door that is pre-bored for a standard lock is the lighter-cost case. A door that has to be bored from scratch, or cut for a mortise body, takes more labor.
- The condition of the door and frame. Loose jambs, worn-out strikes, or a door that no longer closes square may need correcting so the new lock works properly.
- The number of doors. Doing several doors in one visit, especially when they should all share one key, is usually the more economical route than coming back repeatedly.
- Hours and distance. Night, weekend, and holiday calls are priced differently from daytime appointments. Westlake Village is about 32 miles from our Westwood base, so travel is part of the picture and we say so up front.
- Parts you supply. If you have already bought hardware, tell us. We will check that it suits the door and let you know if it does not.
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Call (213) 577-1366Lock installation in Westlake Village: what the homes and offices here call for
Westlake Village was master-planned from the late 1960s around its man-made lake, and most of the city's housing is single-family tracts built from the 1960s through the 1980s, many of them under homeowners associations. That mix shapes the installation work we see in 91361.
In older tracts such as First Neighborhood and Foxmoor Hills, original 1960s and 1970s door hardware still survives. Replacing it often turns into a proper installation job rather than a like-for-like swap. Old locks may have been bored to dimensions that modern sets do not match, finishes have worn through, and the strike areas have had decades of use. We check the existing bore, the edge, and the frame, then fit new hardware so the door closes and latches cleanly. If you want to keep the original look, tell us. If you want the opposite, such as a new deadbolt and modern lever set on a vintage door, we can plan that too.
Westlake Island is a different case. The lakefront homes there sit behind a gated bridge entrance, which handles the neighborhood perimeter. It does nothing for the door of your own house, so the front door, the garage entry, and any lake-side doors still deserve proper hardware. Condos and townhomes near the lake and Agoura Road bring their own questions, mostly about which doors you control and which belong to the association. Check your HOA rules on exterior hardware finish and style before choosing, and we can work to those requirements.
On the commercial side, the business parks along Lindero Canyon Road have offices and medical suites where installation work tends to mean tenant improvements: a new suite, a reconfigured interior, a records room that needs its own lock. Near The Landing and the Westlake Village Inn, restaurant and hospitality doors see heavy daily use, and their hardware is chosen for traffic as much as for security. Where a door must also allow quick exit, we point you to our commercial door hardware work rather than guess at code requirements on the phone.
Climate adds a few small points. The Conejo Valley gets some marine moderation, but summers are warm and dry with Santa Ana wind events. The main effects on hardware are sun exposure and modest seasonal wood movement. Sun fades some finishes and bakes exterior doors, so we suggest finishes and materials that tolerate it. Wood doors swell and shrink a little through the year, so we leave proper clearance and check the latch alignment so a new lock does not bind when the weather shifts.
The Westlake Village community also straddles the Los Angeles–Ventura county line, which means well-known names such as North Ranch, on the Thousand Oaks side, and Lake Sherwood, in unincorporated Ventura County, sit close by. We serve both counties, so if your door is just across that line, the call is the same.
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Call (213) 577-1366Mortise and lever locks: what to know before you choose
Mortise lock installation is the job where preparation shows most. If your door already has a mortise pocket, we need to match the new lock body to it, since sizes and spacing vary. If it does not, the pocket has to be cut into the door edge, which removes a good amount of material. On a solid wood door that is fine when it is done carefully. On a thin or hollow door it may not be the right choice, and we will tell you instead of forcing it.
Lever lock installation is usually simpler, but a few details matter. Levers must be handed correctly on doors that need a specific swing, and they need enough clearance from the door frame and any trim. On entry doors a lever handle is often paired with a separate deadbolt, so the two need to line up cleanly on the door face. On interior doors, we match the function: passage for hallways, privacy for bathrooms and bedrooms, and keyed when the room has to be locked.
If you are unsure between a knob and a lever, or between a mortise and a standard bored set, ask us. We would rather talk it through than sell you something that does not suit the door.
Should you install, rekey, or replace?
These three services get mixed up, and the right choice depends on what you actually need. If the lock works and you only want different keys to operate it, rekeying is usually the more economical route; see our lock rekey page. If the lock is worn, damaged, or you want a different style on a door that is already prepared, lock replacement covers that. Installation is for doors that need new hardware cut or fitted where nothing suitable exists.
A few related jobs have their own pages. If the main goal is an extra deadbolt on an entry door, our deadbolt installation page goes into the details. If you want keypad or app-controlled locks, see smart lock installation, since those add things like power, connectivity, and door thickness limits that a standard installation does not cover.
If you are not sure which category your situation falls into, that is a normal place to start. Describe the door over the phone and we will point you in the right direction.
Why call Wilshire Lock & Key for a lock installation?
We have been in business since 1987, with a storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood and mobile service vans that cover 140 cities across Los Angeles and Ventura counties. That includes Westlake Village.
When you call, you reach us, not a dispatch middleman who sells your job to whoever is free. David, the owner and lead technician, oversees the work, and the standards he sets are the same on a bedroom door as on an office suite. We answer the phone around the clock, every day of the year, at (213) 577-1366.
Our mobile locksmith service means we bring the tools and hardware to your door, so you do not have to take the door anywhere. For larger projects, call ahead so we can plan the door count, the hardware, and the schedule together.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366What should you ask any locksmith before they start?
California requires locksmith companies to hold a license from the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS), called an LCO license. Whoever you hire, ask to see it and write down the number. You can also ask for the technician's identification and a clear explanation of the job and cost before work begins.
Be cautious of anyone who will not describe the work until after they start, who gives an unexplained price over the phone and changes it on site, or who wants to drill out a lock that could have been handled another way. A good installer talks through the door, the hardware, and the plan, and answers your questions without pressure. If you want to start the conversation, you can contact us or call (213) 577-1366.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a lock installation take?
It depends on the door. A door that is already bored for a standard lock goes quickly. A door that has to be bored from scratch, or cut for a mortise body, takes longer, and several doors take longer still. We give you a realistic sense of the time once we have seen the door.
Can you install a lock on a door that has never had one?
Yes. That is the core of lock installation. We bore the door for the lock, cut the latch mortise, fit the strike plate into the frame, and reinforce it. First we check that the door is solid enough to carry the hardware, and we say so if it is not.
Do you install mortise locks?
Yes. If your door already has a mortise pocket we match the lock body to it. If it does not, we can cut one when the door is thick and solid enough. On a thin or hollow door, we will recommend a different type of lock instead of weakening the door.
I bought the lock myself. Can you install it?
Generally yes. Tell us the brand and model when you call. We check that it suits the door thickness, the backset, and the intended use. If it does not fit properly, we tell you before cutting anything.
Do I need a new door to get a new lock installed?
Often not. Many doors can take new hardware as they are. A door needs replacing when it is warped, split, rotted, or too thin or hollow for the lock you want. We look at it in person and give you an honest answer.
Do you install locks for offices and restaurants in Westlake Village?
Yes. We handle commercial lock installation for offices, medical suites, and hospitality spaces. Commercial doors often need a particular lock grade and exit hardware, so tell us what kind of door and use you have. See our commercial locksmith page for more.
Do I need HOA approval before changing my front door lock?
That depends on your association. Many Westlake Village homes are under HOAs, and some set rules on exterior hardware style or finish. Check with yours before ordering. We can work to a specified finish once you know the requirement.
Can you come out at night or on a weekend for an installation?
Yes, our phone is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Most installations are planned in daylight, but if a door has to be secured urgently, call (213) 577-1366 and we will arrange it. After-hours work is priced differently from daytime work.
Do you serve Lake Sherwood and North Ranch as well as Westlake Village?
Yes. We serve 140 cities across Los Angeles and Ventura counties, and both of those areas sit close to Westlake Village. Call us with the address and we will take it from there.
More locksmith help in Westlake Village
Lock Installation near Westlake Village
Reviewed by David, Owner & Lead Technician, Wilshire Lock & Key — in the locksmith trade since 1987.
Last updated 2026-10-11.