Change or rekey · King
Lock Replacement & Upgrade
The keys the seller handed over came in a sandwich bag: six unlabelled copies for two locks of different makes from different decades. You have no idea how many more copies exist or who is holding them.
Call now · open 24/7(289) 207-0226In plain words
Lock replacement and upgrade is the service that takes tired or under-built door hardware off and puts hardware suited to the door in its place. It ranges from a like-for-like deadbolt on a back door to a complete refit of every entrance with heavier-grade locks, reinforced strikes and one key for the house. The locksmith first confirms that the person ordering the work has the right to change the lock, then examines the door, measures the existing preparation and recommends hardware that fits it cleanly. The visit ends with each lock tested from both sides, keys in your hand and the packaging and instructions left with you.
How the visit goesThe house is fifteen years old and every exterior door still wears the light hardware the builder fitted: a short bolt, a thin strike held by two small screws, and a knob lock that never suited a street entrance.
Lock Replacement & Upgrade · King
How the visit goes
- 1
The door and frame around the lock
A new lock inherits whatever the door and frame are doing, so both get a look. The locksmith checks whether the door has dropped on its hinges, whether weatherstrip is pushing it out of square, and whether the bolt lands squarely in the strike pocket or rubs its edge. The pocket depth matters as well: a bolt that reaches the back of a shallow pocket is not fully thrown. Hinge screws, a jamb split from an old forced entry and a strike held by short screws are all noted, because the visit will tidy them up so the new hardware works as designed.
- 2
Keying the new locks to one key
New cylinders arrive on random keys, so the locksmith pins them alike on site when you want one key for the house. Each cylinder is removed, the plug slid out on a follower so the springs stay put, and the bottom pins replaced to match a single new key. Existing cylinders that are staying are repinned the same way. Every key is then cut from the new combination, tried in every lock it should open, and any that drag are recut rather than handed over. The result is one key for the front, back and garage doors, and a clear count of how many exist.
- 3
A clear plan for the remaining doors
Most households do not replace every lock in one visit, and you leave with a short list of what is left, in order of importance. Typically the front door and the garage-to-house door come first, then the back and side doors, then the patio slider and interior sets. Because the key plan has been settled, any lock added later can be pinned to the same key, so the house stays on one key as the work continues. Finishes and styles are recorded so future hardware matches. The first visit sets the standard; the rest of the house can follow when it suits you.
In the van
- Cylinders, plug follower and pinning kit
- Graded deadbolt
- Adjustable latch or bolt
- Knob or lever entry set
- Manufacturer-approved cylinder lubricant
What affects the quote
- 1
Patio and French door hardware
Sliding door mortise locks, foot bolts and flush bolts for an inactive French door leaf are specialty items sized to the door, and they are quoted as their own line beside the entrance work.
- 2
Restricted keyway system
Patented cylinders and controlled key blanks cost more than standard hardware and involve setting up your key records, which is quoted separately from an ordinary replacement.
- 3
Changes to the door preparation
Adjusting a strike mortise is minor; boring a new hole for a deadbolt, fitting a filler plate over an old mortise pocket or adapting a thick door with extension kits is quoted as its own item.
Same fees day, night or weekend.
Lock Replacement & Upgrade: questions
How do I look after a new lock so it stays smooth?
Very little is needed. Whatever lubricant and interval the cylinder maker specifies, worked into the keyway with a few turns of the key, keeps the pins free; using the wrong product collects grit instead of helping. Wipe salt off exterior hardware during winter melts. Snug the hinge and strike screws each spring and fall as the door moves with humidity. Cut spare keys from a crisp original rather than a worn copy.
Can a lever replace a knob on the same door?
Yes, and it is a common change for anyone who finds a knob hard to grip. Levers use the same bore and backset as knobs, so the swap is usually a direct fit. Levers are handed, so the locksmith checks which way the door swings and chooses or adjusts the lever accordingly. A keyed entry lever pairs well with a deadbolt above it, and interior passage and privacy levers complete the set.
Should I rekey my locks or replace them?
Rekey when the hardware is sound and the problem is the key: a lost copy, a move, or too many keys for one house. Replace when the mechanism itself is worn, the housing or bolt is damaged, the grade was never suitable for the entrance, or you want a different function, finish or a keypad. Many visits do both, keeping good locks and rekeying them while replacing the tired ones, all to one key.
Lock Replacement & Upgrade near you
York, Ontario
King information
- Town
- King, York, Ontario
- In business
- 25 years
- Hours
- Open 24/7 · nights, weekends and holidays, same fees
- Phone
- (289) 207-0226
- Visits
- On-site assessment preferred. Request a visit or call.
What the census means at the door
38%
Homes of every age. About 38% of homes in King were built in 1980 or earlier, according to the 2021 Census.
Mixed housing ages mean the advice changes door by door. An older solid-wood entry may want a strike reinforced; a newer steel door may want its short strike screws swapped. The locksmith looks at the door in front of him rather than assuming.
87%
Mostly houses. Single-detached houses make up about 87% of homes in King (2021 Census).
In areas of single houses, the door nobody watches is the side or back entry. It often has the weakest lock on the property. Fitting a proper deadbolt and a reinforced strike there is a modest job that closes the obvious gap.
Open 24/7
Request a visit
The keys the seller handed over came in a sandwich bag: six unlabelled copies for two locks of different makes from different decades.
Call now · open 24/7(289) 207-0226- On-site assessment preferred
- Same fees day, night or weekend
- 25 years in business