Lock Install & Repair
Lock Installation & Repair Locksmith in Sacramento
New deadbolts, smart locks, and repairs on hardware that sticks or won't latch. We come to your door.
CALL NOW: (530) 298-2899
Most people don’t think about a lock until the day it stops working. The key won’t turn, the deadbolt won’t throw, or a new front door is sitting there with empty holes where the hardware should be. That is when you find out how hard it can be to get anyone to show up.
Flat Price Locksmith is a mobile, licensed locksmith in Sacramento with BSIS License No. LCO7811. We turn up at your home, do the work at the door itself. This page starts with one customer’s experience in her own words, then covers what we check, what we install, and how to tell whether your lock needs a repair or a replacement.
One Review From Citrus Heights
We don’t write stories about our customers. We would rather show you what a customer wrote herself. This review came from Sandra S. in Citrus Heights:
“I contacted others and got no return calls. He answered when I called and installed a new lock the same day, no weeks-long wait. Fast, professional, and the price was excellent. I’d use him again.”
Sandra S., Google review
Her review names the two things people most often struggle with when they need a lock installed: getting someone to answer, and getting the work actually done. When you call us, someone answers, day or night. And because we are mobile, the work happens at your door, not on a waiting list at a shop.
The rest of this page explains what goes into that visit, so you know what to expect before you call.
What We Check Before a New Lock Goes In
A lock is one part of a system that includes the door, the hinges, the frame, and the strike plate. If any of those are off, a brand-new lock will act like a broken one. So before we mount hardware, we look at the whole door.
The strike plate and the frame behind it
The deadbolt’s strength depends on what it locks into. Many strike plates are held by short screws that only reach the soft trim around the door. A firm kick can tear that trim loose even when the bolt itself holds. When we install a deadbolt, we anchor the strike into the frame stud, so the bolt is held by solid framing.
Alignment, hinges, and doors that drag
If you have to lift the door, lean on it, or pull it tight before the bolt will slide, the lock is usually not the problem. Doors shift. Hinge screws loosen. Frames settle, which older housing stock around East Sacramento and Land Park does plenty of. We will tell you when the fix is a hinge or a strike adjustment rather than new hardware, even though that means a smaller job.
Heat and wood movement
Sacramento summers are hot. A door that takes full afternoon sun can shift enough to change how the latch lines up, so a lock that works fine in spring may bind in July. If that is what is going on, we will point out that the door needs attention, not the lock.
Locks We Install and Repair
We install and repair the hardware that most homes use every day:
- Deadbolts. Installed with the strike reinforced into the frame stud.
- Knobs and levers. For front doors, side doors, and doors inside the house.
- Smart locks and keypad locks. Code-entry and app-connected locks, installed so the bolt throws cleanly.
- Door hardware. Loose, sagging, or broken parts that affect how a door closes and locks.
A few notes on smart locks
Smart and keypad locks are convenient, but they still depend on a well-fitted door. A motorized bolt that has to fight a misaligned strike will drain batteries and can stall halfway. Most models also keep a physical key cylinder as a backup, so hold on to that key and don’t leave it in a kitchen drawer you can’t reach from outside. If you want the new smart lock to work with the same key as your other doors, we can arrange that during the install.
Repair or Replace: How We Decide
We don’t assume every problem calls for new hardware. Here is how we usually think it through with you:
- The key sticks, needs jiggling, or turns roughly. Often a worn cylinder. Repairing or replacing just the cylinder can be enough.
- The lock works, but you want old keys to stop working. You don’t need a new lock at all. Rekeying the lock you already have changes which key opens it and costs less than replacing it.
- The bolt only catches if you push the door. Alignment. We fix the door, hinge, or strike first.
- The housing is cracked, the bolt is bent, or the lock was forced. Replacement is the right call.
- You want a stronger lock, a smart lock, or a different style. Replacement, installed with a reinforced strike.
If a lock fails while you are on the wrong side of the door, that becomes a lockout first. Our house lockout service opens the door with picks and bypass tools, and we drill only as a last resort. If the lock itself is damaged, we can put it right or fit new hardware during that same trip, so you aren’t left with a door that won’t lock.
Business doors are a different category. Panic bars, door closers, mortise locks, and exit requirements all come into play there, so we cover them on our commercial locksmith page.
Keeping a Lock Working After It’s Installed
A well-installed lock should last for years, but a few habits help it along:
- Don’t force a stiff key. If a key suddenly needs muscle, stop. Push hard enough and the key breaks off inside the cylinder, and now you have two problems where you had one.
- Test the deadbolt with the door open. If it slides smoothly open but binds when the door is closed, the problem is alignment, not the lock.
- Tighten loose handles early. A wobbling knob or lever puts strain on the parts inside. A few turns of a screwdriver now can save the latch later.
- Retire worn keys. A copy made from a copy can be slightly off. If one key works poorly and another works fine, the key may be the issue.
- Skip heavy oil. Greasy lubricants collect dust in the cylinder over time. If a lock feels gritty, it is worth having us look at it.
Where We Install Locks
We work out of Sacramento with no storefront, and city addresses fill most of our schedule. We also serve the communities around it. In Citrus Heights, Orangevale, and Antelope, homeowners call us for the same things they call about in Midtown or the Pocket: a deadbolt that finally gave out, hardware for a replacement door, or a smart lock they want installed correctly. The full list of places we drive to sits on our service area page.
Call from anywhere on that list and we’ll head over.
Getting Ready for the Call
When you call, tell us what you need: how many locks, what type, and whether you already have the hardware. There is a $29 trip fee, and once we have seen the door, we give you the price for the job before we start.
Before we open or change a lock on a home, we check that the address really is yours. That protects you as much as anyone.
What to have ready when you call
A few details help us price the job accurately the first time:
- The number of doors and locks involved.
- The type of lock you want: deadbolt, knob, lever, or smart lock.
- Whether you already bought the hardware.
- Anything odd about the door, such as a door that drags, a bolt that won’t catch, or a frame that was damaged.
- Whether you want the new locks to match your existing key.
With that, we know what to bring.
Hardware That's Only as Strong as What Holds It
A brand-new deadbolt still fails if the screws behind it only bite into thin door trim. When we install or repair a lock, the strike plate goes into the actual frame stud, not just the jamb, which is where most forced entries actually succeed. If a door drags or a bolt won't quite line up, that's often the frame or the hinges, not the lock, and we'll say so instead of selling you hardware you don't need.
What This Covers
- Deadbolt installation with the strike plate anchored into the frame stud
- Knob and lever installation or replacement
- Smart lock and keypad lock installation
- Repair of locks that stick, drag, or won't turn
- A check of door, hinge, and frame alignment before we sell you anything
- New locks keyed so one key works across your doors
- $29 trip fee, with the price given before work starts
How Our Lock Install & Repair Service Works
Step 1
Tell Us What's Wrong or Wanted
New deadbolt, a dragging door, or a lock that won't line up: describe it and we'll bring the right parts.
Step 2
Installed Into the Frame Stud
The strike goes into solid wood, not just trim, which is what actually holds a door shut.
Step 3
Tested, Not Just Installed
We work the lock a few times ourselves before we call the job finished.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I repair my lock or replace it?
If the lock turns but feels rough, or the key has to be jiggled, a repair or a new cylinder is often enough. If the housing is cracked, the bolt is bent, or you want a stronger or different kind of lock, replacement makes more sense. We tell you which one we would do and why before any work starts.
Why does my deadbolt only lock if I push or pull on the door?
That almost always means the bolt and the strike hole no longer line up. The cause is usually a door that has shifted, a loose hinge, or a frame that has moved, not a bad lock. We fix the alignment instead of selling you a new deadbolt that would have the same problem.
What makes a deadbolt installation stronger?
Much of the strength is in the strike plate and the screws behind it. Short screws that only reach the door trim can pull out when a door is kicked. We anchor the strike into the frame stud so the bolt is held by solid framing, not thin trim.
Can a new lock use the same key as my other doors?
Yes. When we install a new lock we can key it to match the locks you already have, and we can bring the rest of the house onto one key during the same visit. That is often cheaper than buying matched hardware for every door.
Do you install smart locks and keypad locks?
Yes. We install smart locks and keypad locks along with standard deadbolts, knobs, and levers. We check that the lock fits your door and that the bolt throws cleanly, because an electronic lock on a misaligned door still won't latch.
How is the price for a lock installation set?
The price depends on the job, such as how many locks, what kind, and whether the door needs work. There is a $29 trip fee, and once we have seen the door, we give you the price before we start.
When can you come out?
Calls get picked up late at night, on weekends, and on holidays, and we drive to your door.
Lock Install & Repair Availability Across Sacramento
Sacramento and all of Sacramento County