Have you just purchased a new home or an apartment? Or your roommate just moves out? Or you have just fired your cleaning lady? Then it is time to install new locks. It should not cost much to rekey a lock in-home however, this article will give you a detailed overview of the expenditure you can expect.
On average, the cost to rekey locks by famous stores like home depot would be around $15. This price is for the conventional cylindrical shaped locks which are considered to be the most affordable.
However, many homeowners find it easier to hire a locksmith who can professionally rekey the locks to their homes.
If you hire an on-site locksmith to rekey your locks, the cost will significantly increase to around $190. This is subject to change according to your residential location and the number of locks that need to be replaced.
The cost for rekeying the lock through a locksmith is calculated by adding the service charges of $75 to the average cost of the new locks which is around $15. So, if a home has five to six keyholes, you can multiply $15 by 5 and get the total cost.
Should one rekey or replace the locks?
If you want to secure your place from someone who potentially has a duplicate key, then it is best if you simply rekey the locks and get a new set of keys made for yourself. In this case, you do not need to waste money on replacing the entire lock system of your home.
The real question here is that, how much would it take to rekey the locks? Is it cheaper than replacing the full locks?
The answer to the above question is a ‘’yes’’. It is always more affordable to rekey your locks than replacing them completely. However, here is the catch. If you live in a one-door apartment then it may be cheaper to replace the locks rather than rekeying them. It would cost you a lot if you get a locksmith to visit your place simply to rekey a lock.
If you live in a two-door house, then you can opt for the rekeying option. Hire a professional locksmith to fully secure your home making sure everything is operational. Any home that has more than two doors, will cost you cheaper if you rekey the locks rather than replacing them.
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What happens during rekeying?
The process of rekeying involves removing the cylindrical locks from your keyhole and transforming the shape of the pins inside. After this, the lock would require a new key to function.
It is beneficial to do this practice each time you feel like your home security and safety is compromised. It will cost you way less than investing in new locks for your home.
However, the exact cost for this process can vary from home to home or from situation to situation. It also depends on who you are hiring for the rekeying process. Professional companies charge a lot more than independently working locksmiths.
Is it cheaper to rekey locks at the shop?
If you visit a lock shop for rekeying your locks, it will be a lot cheaper. You can simply extract the locks from your keyhole and bring them to a shop like Home Depot and simply ask them to rekey. All in all, it would be much cheaper if you rekey the locks at a shop than asking a locksmith to visit you or buying new locks.
This will also save you the service charges that your locksmith would take for traveling to your location. At the same time, you will save money on the disassembly and the re-installation of the lock because you would be doing it yourself.
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Pro-Tip
If you are planning to save money by disassembling and reinstalling the rekeyed locks by yourself, then it would be a great idea if you take pictures in your phone of every step you do. Since taking your locks to the locksmith shop directly will cost you far less than hiring a locksmith.
Once you have disassembled the lock, ask your neighbors to watch your place and quickly drive to the nearest locksmith shop. Comfortably get the work done until you are satisfied and then come back home to reinstall the locks by yourself.
In the End
On average it should not cost more than $15 for you to rekey the locks of your home, that is if you take the responsibility of disassembling and reinstalling the locks yourself. If you hire a locksmith to do it for you than cost to rekey locks in-home the cost will significantly increase because the service charges and cost of traveling will also be added. For a single; e-door apartment or house, you can opt for replacing your locks instead of rekeying. The former would be a cheaper option here.
