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.