Rekey or Replace Locks: A Devore Locksmith's Decision Guide

What to expect in Devore

Most whole-house decisions end up as a hybrid, and that is usually the smart answer. Replace the two or three locks that fail the test or guard the most, typically the front door, the garage entry and a sliding door, and rekey everything else to match. The new locks can use whichever keyway you choose, which lets you standardize the house on one brand. Because Kwikset and Schlage use different keyways, a Kwikset deadbolt can't be re-pinned to take a Schlage key, so putting the whole house on one key sometimes means replacing the odd locks out. We lay out the plan on paper before work starts, with each lock marked keep, rekey or replace and a quote for the total, so you can approve the entire plan or just part of it. Hybrid plans also protect your budget: the front door gets the stronger hardware it deserves, the less exposed doors keep the locks they already have, and nobody pays to replace hardware that was working.

Work included on a typical visit

• Rekeying a lock that's worth keeping. Solid construction, a tight fit on the door and a smooth turn are what we look for before recommending a rekey. When a lock earns that verdict, new keys cost you labor and a few pins, not another lock. The old keys stop working, and the hardware you chose keeps its finish and style.
• Deadbolts: rekey, upgrade or add. Double-cylinder deadbolts, which need a key on the inside too, deserve caution. Building codes generally expect a home's main exit door to open from inside without a key, and a fire is the worst time to hunt for one. We explain the trade-offs and suggest alternatives such as a single-cylinder deadbolt paired with laminated glass or security film on nearby panes.
• Mortise locks and older hardware. Skeleton-key and warded locks can't be rekeyed in the usual sense, since they have no pins to change. We can cut a working key if you've lost one, but we're candid that warded locks offer little security. Many owners keep the antique lock for looks and add a modern deadbolt discreetly alongside.
• Smart locks and keypads: the key side still matters. Almost every smart deadbolt keeps a key override behind the keypad, and that cylinder needs rekeying like any other. Changing the code does nothing about a lost key. If you're keeping the lock you have, the rekey comes first; if you're replacing it, you choose new keys with the new hardware.
• A written lock-by-lock recommendation. Landlords and property managers benefit most from a standard rule. With a dozen identical doors, we set a simple test, such as rekey if it passes and replace if it fails, and apply it across units. The paperwork shows what was done to each door, which helps at turnover and audits.

What's different about Devore

Inland heat shortens the life of locks. Plastic parts warp, finishes fade, and smart lock batteries drain faster. Rekey metal-bodied locks that still work smoothly; replace those with brittle internals or sun-faded plating. Wood doors swell in summer, which can mimic a failing lock when the real problem is alignment. We check the door first, so you don't replace a lock that only needs the strike adjusted.

Rural properties have more locks to decide about, and most are outside. Gate padlocks, barn hasps and shop doors suffer dust, sun and rain, so cheap padlocks seize quickly and are better replaced with weather-rated shrouded models. The house locks, meanwhile, are often sound and need only a rekey. We can key outbuilding locks alike so one key handles the gate, the shed and the barn.

Older homes in Devore often carry hardware worth saving: heavy brass deadbolts, glass knobs, mortise sets with decorative plates. Rekey those, because replacements rarely match the quality or the look. Replace what the years have worn out, such as loose spindles, painted-over latches and thin add-ons from the 1980s. Door prep in older houses can be non-standard, so we measure before suggesting any swap and say so when a carpenter should look at the frame.

Example situations

• A mixed-brand house in Devore: Schlage on the front, Kwikset on the back, an unknown cylinder on the garage entry. The family wants one key for all three. Because the keyways differ, we keep the front Schlage, replace the other two with Schlage deadbolts, and key all three alike. The result is one key on the ring instead of three.
• A couple buying a house find the brass front deadbolt tarnished, and the inspector noted a loose knob. Rather than guess, they ask us to go through all six locks. Two are rekeyed, three replaced and one repaired. The written list, with a quote for each lock, lets them phase the work around the rest of their move.
• A 2009 Schlage handleset in Cable Canyon has a few scuffs and a key that disappeared at a party. The latch is tight, the bolt throws a full inch, and the finish is intact. We rekey the deadbolt cylinder, leave the handleset alone, and the owner skips the hassle of matching a discontinued finish. Rekey wins, and the whole visit stays short.
• A Kwikset SmartKey owner knows how to reset the lock but wants a stronger deadbolt on the front door. The lock is sound; what bothers them is the grade. We keep the SmartKey on the side door, put a higher-grade Kwikset on the front, and set both to the same key. Rekey for convenience, replace where it counts.

From your call to the finished job

1. Tell us what happened and what you want. Start with the reason: a lost key, a move, a worn lock, a break-in, or a plan for a smart lock. Tell us how many doors are involved and the brand names if you can read them. A few phone photos of each lock help us arrive prepared.
2. Show you're allowed to decide. Renters need the landlord's authorization, whether a text, an email or a signed note, along with the lease and photo ID. Property managers can approve a vacant unit by phone and follow up in writing. We work from whichever record is clear.
3. Run the door test on every lock. We identify the brand and keyway, check whether parts and keys are readily available, and compare your old key to a fresh blank to judge wear. Sometimes the key is the clue: if a new key works smoothly where the old one sticks, the lock may be fine.
4. Sort each lock: keep, rekey or replace. We lay out a verdict for each lock with the reason beside it, so the logic is visible. Nothing is hidden behind jargon, and you can ask about any line. The list becomes your plan, whether you accept all of it or only part.
5. Do the work and test every key. Rekeyed cylinders are rebuilt at the door, and new locks go in using the existing prep. After each lock, we test from the outside with the door closed, throw the bolt through its full travel, and confirm it lands cleanly in the strike.
6. Leave with keys, old parts and a written list. You get your keys cut and labeled, plus an offer to take any old hardware with you if you'd like it, whether for resale, matching or just curiosity. Old cylinders also make handy samples if you need to match a finish later. Nothing is hauled off without asking.

How we quote the job

• The hardware you'd buy: grade, brand and finish. Finish affects the total. Satin nickel and standard brass are common and widely stocked; oil-rubbed bronze, matte black and specialty finishes may cost more or take longer to source. Matching several locks means ordering them together so they come from the same batch.
• Whether the cheaper choice has to be done twice. Breaking up a plan across visits adds travel. If you know some locks will need replacing eventually, doing them together with the rekeys is usually the efficient route. We'll show you the one-visit total next to the phased total, because splitting the work also means two arrivals on your schedule.
• Brand conversion and keyed-alike plans. Getting one key across Kwikset and Schlage locks means replacing one set with the other brand, since their keyways differ. The cost is the new hardware plus labor, and it's often worth it for the convenience of a single, simple key ring.

Every job gets a clear quote before any work starts. Call (951) 903-3193 with the details and we'll tell you what to expect for your situation in Devore.

Common errors that cost time and money

• Accepting a phone quote with nobody having seen your locks. Anyone who says replace everything sight unseen is guessing, and so is anyone promising rekeys will cover it all. Ask for an inspection at the door and a written, lock-by-lock list.
• Installing a double-cylinder deadbolt on a main exit. It needs a key on both sides, which can trap people in a fire and often conflicts with how codes expect egress doors to work. Use a single-cylinder deadbolt and protect nearby glass instead.
• Buying a lock before measuring the door. Backset, bore size and door thickness decide what fits, and a wrong box means returns or drilling into your door. A quick measurement, or a photo sent to us before you shop, saves real aggravation.

Practical tips before you call

• If you want one key for the house, choose the brand before you choose the lock. Kwikset and Schlage keyways don't interchange, so your count of each brand decides how much needs replacing. Pick the brand you own most of, or the one whose parts are easiest to find.
• Ask whether a replacement lock will be easy to rekey later. Some budget models use unusual cylinders that are costly to re-pin, which turns the next lost key into another full replacement. A mainstream pin tumbler from a major maker keeps your options open.
• Look at the door and frame before spending on a lock. A strong deadbolt in a split jamb or a thin hollow door is a vault door on a tent. The money may do more good on a reinforced strike, longer screws or a solid-core door.
• Test new keys from the outside with the door shut, then try an old key to confirm it no longer turns. Do both before the locksmith leaves the property. Finding a stiff key a week later is far less convenient than catching it on the spot.

Getting to Devore

Devore is about 8 miles from our San Bernardino base, roughly 14 minutes in light traffic via Kendall Drive or Palm Avenue to I-215 North, through the Devore junction onto I-15 North, exit Kenwood Avenue for Devore Heights. When you call, you get an arrival estimate based on where the technician is and the traffic at that moment.

If you're close to Kendall Drive, tell us which exit or cross street you're nearest. It trims the last mile and keeps the van from circling a block that looks right on the map but isn't.

About Devore: A two-story Santa Fe depot served Devore as a railroad station from 1908 to 1930 and was demolished around 1958.

We start at half past six every morning, seven days a week. Every day the phones stay on until 11:30 at night, so an after-dinner lockout is usually still within reach. Saturday is no exception, with service ending at 11:30 at night. Call early that day if the problem can't wait until Sunday morning.

For businesses, the person who calls isn't always the person who can approve the work. Expect us to ask for an employee ID, a business card or a quick call to the owner or manager before we open, rekey or change locks on a storefront, office or warehouse. Property managers can set up an authorized-contact list with us ahead of time.

Locked out in Devore?

Call (951) 903-3193 with the address and what's locked. You'll get an arrival estimate and a quote before anyone heads out, and when we arrive we'll ask for ID that ties you to the property. If a child or pet is shut inside a hot car or building, call 911 first.