What?!? If you haven’t already read our FAQ or aren’t familiar with this term, as a lot of people aren’t, let me introduce you to a little thing called a re-key. Re-keying a lock is pretty much what it sounds like; but let me break it down into even simpler terms. It means to take an existing lock and make the key that works, no longer work by reconfiguration the pins so a new key will work. (Ripping  out the insides and replacing them with newer, faster, stronger, better than before… okay maybe not quite… but you get the idea now.)

Why, oh why, would anyone want to do this? I mean, why not just go out and buy new locks? Replacement hardware is the solution? There are a couple of reasons why you don’t need to go out and buy new hardware. First, its a more expensive choice. Second, if you buy a lock that costs less than it does to re-key your locks, then you are probably buying cheap locks that will fail relatively quickly. Also most locksmith can’t and/or won’t re-key a cheap lock. They aren’t made to spec; because they aren’t meant to be re-keyed.

Most locksmiths charge between $10-$20 to re-key a lock (depending on where you are located) if you bring the lock into them. If a locksmith comes out to you, then you will be charged a service call as well as a re-key charge which may be a little higher than if you brought the locks in. (Some locksmith also charge a labor rate on top of that as well. We don’t.) Note: When calling any locksmith, ask if they charge a flat rate or if there is going to be a labor rate as well. Find out what the service call is and the re-key charge per cylinder. Some locks have two cylinders [such as double sided deadbolts] and you will be charged accordingly.)

The decision to re-key or replace is really a matter of how the lock is holding up. Some locks can last a lifetime, only needing a squirt of WD-40 from time to time. Others, especially cheaper  locks will fail faster. Some locksmiths will come out and do free estimates and can help you to know the difference.

You never know when you might need to re-key your home. So here are a few good practices to keep in mind:

1. When you purchase a new home. Why? Whether your home is a manufactured home or it has been built to your specifications, you don’t know who may have a key to your home. Even if the contractor gave you all the keys; Did the sub-contractors turn them all in? Did they make extra copies to make it easier so they could paint the walls? put in the flooring? Just because your home is new, doesn’t mean that for peace of mind you shouldn’t have your locks re-keyed. Note: This is not saying contractors are bad and they didn’t indeed give you all the keys. Locks keep honest people honest. Its just a good practice.
2. When you move into a rental; have the landlord re-key the locks prior to your moving in or ask permission to have the locks re-keyed as soon as you move in. You don’t know how many people the previous tenants may have given keys to.
3. When you purchase  a preowned home. How many keys did the realtor’s have out there? How many friends, neighbors and/or family members did the previous owners give keys to? Peace of mind and personal safety is worth the cost of re-keying your locks. I have had customers tell me that they knew the previous owner and they were sure that they had all the keys. They are probably correct in their assumption, but did they ask  the previous owners how many keys they had lost over the years?
4. If you purchase ‘keyed alike’ locks from a big box store: You go to a box store and buy “keyed alike” locks; the packaging will often say’match this number’ to another box to purchase another keyed alike lock. The problem? Well, everyone else doing the same thing. If you go and find twenty-two (22) locks keyed alike and need only two (2) who is buying the other twenty (20)? Box stores have keyed alike numbers in bulk, so you aren’t the only one getting them. Now who else has a key to your house? Most locksmith do not charge a re-key fee if you purchase the locks from them. So the benefit of buying locks from a locksmith is that the chances of them re-keying your locks to the same as someone else is reduced by literally tens of thousands.
5. Your keys were lost or stolen. Yes, this is an easy one. If you don’t know who has your keys, then you definitely should re-key your locks.

Another really good practice;  if you use key tags to separate your keys never and I mean never, put your full name, physically address or phone number on your keys. Mark the tags with something you will remember such as  ”summer house”. Use one of those services “if lost drop in the mail”.  Or return to a Post office box. (In this case the address without your name.)

In Conclusion: There are two ways to get your locks re-keyed; have a locksmith come out or take your locks off the door (while someone waits in the house or bring in one lock [assuming you have two locks a knob and a deadbolt] in at a time.) and bring them in. Note: Some locksmith charge the same re-key rate whether you bring them in or not. Others charge slightly less if you bring them in yourself.

The benefit of bringing them in: You save the service call, so it cost less.

One of the biggest problems that I have noticed when it comes to being in the locksmith industry is the lack of recognition from our customers that this industry is a trade. It requires training, with a side of more training to keep up with what is going on. However, most people seem to view it  as if all locksmiths are individuals who have ‘retired’ and are now doing the ‘hobby’ of being a locksmith.

Prior to my being a part of the locksmith industry, I was one of “those”; who simply thought that a locksmith was a person who ‘made keys.’ I became involved with the industry in 1995 and over the past 15 years, I have become more intimately involved with the intrinsic value that is involved in this trade. I was one of those who had no knowledge of what a locksmith is and therefore the value of the service was deemed, not so much.

However, I have now become very active in trying to help educate our community as to the complexity of what a locksmith really is; the training and education that goes into being a good locksmith; the values of the person who is doing the work and what it is worth. Most people won’t have a second thought about calling a plumber to come help them out and paying their hourly rates; they will when it comes to a locksmith.

On top of this, most locksmiths are now having to fight to ‘prove their value’ due to the number of con-artists who have appeared with their 800 numbers and their ‘bait and switch’ methods of quoting unsuspecting ‘marks’. This has had a ripple effect on our industry. Such as locksmith’s who have been in the industry for years, which have high standards and charge competitive rates being seen as ‘over charging’. Many states legislatures are coming up with new laws that will adversely affect the industry and those who are honest while not helping to curb the problems that already exist.

You may have heard; locks only keep honest people honest. This applies to laws that are too broad or miss-aimed at our industry that will make it harder for a locksmith to do his job while still allowing the fly-by-night companies who are ripping people off to continue. Ask any locksmith, and they will tell you that they are more than willing to help legislatures to make laws that will help keep standards in the industry while helping to prevent fly-by-night locksmiths’ frauds.

The problem is not just the use of 800 numbers; it also resides in these fraudulent companies using abandoned buildings as their ‘physical’ addresses. How do you combat that problem?

Preventive measures;

Before you need a locksmith, find one. In your home community, find a local locksmith. Ask questions: How long have they been in business? How long have they been in their current location? Are they a mobile service? Are they part of the local chamber of commerce? Ask for referrals. Ask friends and family who they would recommend. Then if you are locked out or in need of a locksmith, you have the number and the peace of mind to know you are using a quality locksmith.

When you are on a trip, finding a locksmith can be a bit harder, especially if you are out in the middle of nowhere and it’s the middle of the night. So, if you are in the process of planning a trip, add one more item to the list. Find a local locksmith(s) in the place(s) you are going. Ask your local locksmith if they can refer someone in the area you are going. Have the number with you when you travel, put it someplace that you have readily available or just remember the names of the locksmith.

Avoid using 800 numbers when possible. Local locksmiths have local numbers. (Unfortunately some of these con companies are also starting to get local numbers.) Some may have 800 numbers as well, but very few that I know of do. Plus, it may cost a few extra cents to contact them – but peace of mind is well worth it.

Check the yellow pages. Don’t look at the line listings, look at the ads. A lot of times line listings are free so fly-by-night companies will use them.

Ask for the name of the person who is coming out to help you and what they will be driving before you get off the phone. Locksmiths know who they employ.

I don’t want to say avoid mobile locksmiths, but I do want to note that a lot of these con-companies are mobile only. So get a chance to know the locksmith in your town that services your area before you need one. (There is a good chance that your local locksmith may be a mobile only service – but if you know him before you need him, then you won’t have to worry.) When you are out of town, don’t use a mobile only service unless there is no other choice.

Also in larger cities, there are a lot of mobile services. If you get to know a locksmith in your area that you are comfortable with, then use them. These are just a few suggestions.