Lock Rekeying
Lock Rekeying Locksmith in Sacramento
Change who can open your doors without replacing the locks. We explain rekey versus replace honestly.
CALL NOW: (530) 298-2899- Every Lock in the House, One Key
- No New Hardware Required
- Whole House on One Key
- 10 Years Rekeying Sacramento Homes
Rekeying changes which key opens a lock without replacing the lock itself. It is one of the most useful jobs a locksmith does, and also one where homeowners are easily sold more than they need. As a Sacramento locksmith, we would rather explain the difference and let you decide.
This page covers what rekeying actually changes, when it is the right call, when replacing a lock makes more sense, and how a rekey visit works.
What Rekeying Actually Changes
Most residential locks are pin-tumbler locks. Inside the cylinder, the part your key slides into, sits a row of small pins cut to different lengths. When the right key goes in, each pin lines up at exactly the right height, and the cylinder turns. The wrong key leaves the pins out of line, and nothing moves.
Rekeying means taking the cylinder apart and replacing those pins with a new set that matches a new key. When it goes back together:
- The old keys no longer turn the lock.
- The new keys do.
- The knob, deadbolt, handle, and finish on your door stay exactly as they were.
That is the whole idea. You change who has access without changing the hardware you already paid for.
“Change the locks” and “rekey” aren’t the same request
Plenty of people call asking to change their locks when what they really want is for the old keys to stop working. Those are two different jobs at two different prices. Changing locks means new hardware on the door. Rekeying keeps the hardware and changes the key. When you call, we ask what you are trying to accomplish, then tell you which job actually gets you there. If rekeying solves it, that is what we will recommend.
Rekey or Replace: A Straight Answer
The honest answer depends on what problem you are trying to solve. We ask a few questions on the phone to figure that out, and we tell you which option fits, even when the answer is the less expensive one.
Rekeying is usually the better choice when
- Your locks work smoothly and you are happy with how they look.
- Your concern is who has a key, not how strong the lock is.
- You want several doors to open with one key.
- You would rather not pay for new hardware you don’t need. Rekeying is cheaper than replacing.
Replacing makes more sense when
- The lock is damaged, badly worn, or no longer latches properly.
- You want a different kind of hardware, such as adding a deadbolt where there isn’t one, or switching to a smart lock.
- You want a door that holds up better against force, which calls for stronger hardware and a strike reinforced into the frame stud.
One more thing worth knowing. If your deadbolt only catches when you lean on the door, or the door drags on the floor, a new lock may not fix it. That is often a frame or hinge issue. Our lock installation and repair service will say so plainly instead of selling you hardware that won’t solve the real problem.
Common Reasons Sacramento Homeowners Rekey
You just moved in
When you close on a home, you get a handful of keys at the table. You have no idea how many others exist. Previous owners, their relatives, contractors, a real estate agent, a neighbor who watered the plants. Rekeying on moving day is the simplest way to start fresh.
A tenant moved out
For landlords and property managers, tenant turnover is the natural time to rekey. A departing tenant may have made copies or handed spares to friends, and there is no way to collect them all.
A relationship changed
After a breakup, a divorce, or a roommate moving out, rekeying is a quiet, practical way to make sure your home is only open to the people you choose.
After a break-in or a stolen bag
If someone got hold of your keys, rekeying makes them worthless. If someone forced a door, though, rekeying is not the fix. A lock that has been pried, kicked, or drilled needs to be replaced, and sometimes the frame around it needs attention too. We will tell you which situation you are in rather than rekeying a lock that no longer protects you.
A key went missing
If keys were lost along with something that shows your address, such as a wallet or a bag, rekeying makes the lost set useless. If losing those keys also left you stuck outside, our house lockout service can get you in first, and we can rekey on the same visit.
One Key for Every Door in the House
Many homes end up with a ring of mismatched keys: one for the front deadbolt, one for the knob, another for the back door, another for the door from the garage. Rekeying can fix that. One key for the whole house is easier to carry, easier to copy for family members, and easier to keep track of when you hand a spare to a house sitter or a relative.
We can rekey every lock in a house to a single key in one visit, as long as the locks accept a compatible key. If one lock on your list can’t be matched to the rest, we will tell you before we start and walk through your options, whether that is replacing that one lock or leaving it on its own key.
How Rekey Pricing Works
Rekeying prices depend on how many locks you have, what type they are, and whether you want them all on one key. Tell us those details on the phone. There is a $29 trip fee, and once we have seen the locks, we give you the price for the job before we start.
What we tell you before we start
- Whether any lock on your list should be replaced instead of rekeyed, and why.
- Whether all of your locks can share one key.
- The price for the whole job.
We don’t publish a single price for rekeying because a one-lock condo and a four-door house are different jobs.
Rentals, Offices, and Buildings With Many Keys
If you manage more than one unit, or a building where different people need access to different doors, rekeying each lock separately can get complicated. That is where a master key system comes in.
With a master key system, each tenant or employee has a key that opens only their own doors, while a manager’s key opens all of them. We design the hierarchy before cutting a single key, and a well-planned system can grow as you add doors without rekeying the whole building. For a single rental house, simple rekeying between tenants is usually all you need. For an apartment building or an office, it is worth asking about both on the same call.
Lock Rekeying Around Sacramento
Moving is one of the most common reasons people rekey, and people move all over this region. If you just bought a home in Folsom, rekeying before you unpack means the builder’s crew, the previous owners, and anyone else who once held a key are locked out from day one. In Elk Grove, we rekey for new homeowners, landlords between tenants, and families who simply want one key for the whole house. And in Citrus Heights, we handle rekeys for older homes where nobody remembers how many copies were made over the years.
For other cities and neighborhoods, see everywhere we work. Wherever you are, call with the number and type of locks, and we will head your way.
Every Old Key Stops Working, Without New Hardware
Buy a house and you inherit every copy of the key that's ever existed for it, held by people you'll never meet. Rekeying doesn't touch the hardware on your door, it changes what's inside the lock so those old keys simply stop turning. We can bring every lock in the house to one key in a single visit, which usually costs less than replacing even one deadbolt outright.
What This Covers
- New pins set to a new key, existing hardware kept
- Old keys stop working once the lock is rekeyed
- Knob locks, deadbolts, and keyed lever handles
- Whole house keyed to one key in a single visit
- Honest rekey-or-replace advice before any work starts
- New keys provided for the rekeyed locks
- $29 trip fee, with the price given before work starts
How Our Lock Rekeying Service Works
Step 1
Count the Locks
Tell us how many doors need rekeying so we can plan the whole house at once.
Step 2
Old Keys Stop Working
We change what's inside each lock so every key that isn't yours anymore simply won't turn.
Step 3
One Key, Every Door
By the time we leave, one key opens everything you asked us to rekey, tested on the spot.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my old keys still work after a rekey?
No. Rekeying changes the pins inside the cylinder to match a new key, so every old copy stops working, including any you never knew existed. Your new keys are the only ones that open the rekeyed locks.
Can every lock be rekeyed?
Standard pin-tumbler locks, the kind on most front doors, can be rekeyed. A lock that is badly worn, damaged, or no longer latches properly is usually better replaced, and we will tell you that on the phone or at the door rather than rekeying something that won't last.
Is rekeying cheaper than buying new locks?
In most cases, yes, because you keep your existing hardware and only the inside of the cylinder changes. The exact price depends on how many locks you have and what kind they are, and we give it to you before we start.
Can you make my front door, back door, and garage door use the same key?
Yes, as long as the locks accept a compatible key. We can rekey every lock in a house to a single key in one visit. If one lock can't match the rest, we will tell you before we start and explain your options.
Should landlords rekey between tenants?
It is a sensible habit. A departing tenant may have made copies or handed keys to friends, and rekeying makes all of them useless without replacing the hardware on every unit.
Does rekeying make my lock stronger?
No, and we won't claim it does. Rekeying changes who has a working key. If you want a door that resists force better, that is a hardware question, such as a deadbolt with a strike reinforced into the frame stud, which falls under lock installation.
What do I need to tell you before a rekey?
How many locks you want rekeyed, what type they are (knob, deadbolt, or lever), and whether you want them all on one key. With those details we know what to bring.
Lock Rekeying Availability Across Sacramento
Sacramento and all of Sacramento County