Short answer: When you take over a home or unit, you rarely know how many copies of the old keys are still out there. Here's how to decide between rekeying, replacing, and which parts you can reasonably do yourself.
When you take over a home or unit, you rarely know how many copies of the old keys are still out there. Here's how to decide between rekeying, replacing, and which parts you can reasonably do yourself.
These solve two different problems, and people often conflate them. Rekeying re-pins the inside of your existing cylinder so the old keys stop working and a new key takes over — you keep the hardware you already have, and it's usually the cheaper path per lock when the existing locks are decent quality. Replacing swaps the whole lock, which makes sense when the hardware is worn, badly mismatched across doors, low-grade, or when you specifically want an upgrade. A useful middle option is having everything "keyed alike," so a single key runs your front, back, and garage-entry doors — that can be done whether you rekey the old hardware or install new.
DIY-friendly: same-brand rekey kits work well when all your cylinders match that brand, and a straightforward deadbolt swap is a solid beginner project. Worth handing off: getting mixed-brand locks onto one shared key, working with high-security or restricted-key cylinders, or simply getting every exterior door rekeyed alike quickly and correctly in one visit. If you value the convenience of one key and don't want to fuss with tiny pins and springs on your kitchen table, that's a perfectly good reason to let a pro handle it — and confirm any warranty implications before you take apart hardware that's still under one.
The front door gets all the attention, but the gaps are usually elsewhere. Rekey or secure the door leading from the garage into the house (it's often the flimsiest lock in the home), side and back doors, gate locks, and the sliding-door latch and anti-lift pin. Wipe or reset any smart-lock codes and deauthorize old fobs and app users, since digital "keys" outlive physical ones. Check for a lockbox a previous agent may have left behind, and change the mailbox lock if it uses a separate key. If the property has an added unit or was recently a rental, assume more keys are floating around and plan accordingly.
These solve two different problems, and people often conflate them. Rekeying re-pins the inside of your existing cylinder so the old keys stop working and a new key takes over — you keep the hardware you already have, and it's usually the cheaper path per lock when the existing locks are decent quality. Replacing swaps the whole lock, which makes sense when the hardware is worn, badly mismatched across doors, low-grade, or when you specifically want an upgrade. A useful middle option is having everything "keyed alike," so a single key runs your front, back, and garage-entry doors — that can be done whether you rekey the old hardware or install new.
DIY-friendly: same-brand rekey kits work well when all your cylinders match that brand, and a straightforward deadbolt swap is a solid beginner project. Worth handing off: getting mixed-brand locks onto one shared key, working with high-security or restricted-key cylinders, or simply getting every exterior door rekeyed alike quickly and correctly in one visit. If you value the convenience of one key and don't want to fuss with tiny pins and springs on your kitchen table, that's a perfectly good reason to let a pro handle it — and confirm any warranty implications before you take apart hardware that's still under one.
The front door gets all the attention, but the gaps are usually elsewhere. Rekey or secure the door leading from the garage into the house (it's often the flimsiest lock in the home), side and back doors, gate locks, and the sliding-door latch and anti-lift pin. Wipe or reset any smart-lock codes and deauthorize old fobs and app users, since digital "keys" outlive physical ones. Check for a lockbox a previous agent may have left behind, and change the mailbox lock if it uses a separate key. If the property has an added unit or was recently a rental, assume more keys are floating around and plan accordingly.
Call (650) 419-9595 and describe the situation, your exact location, and what you need. Timing is confirmed on that call rather than promised in advance.
Call for help: (650) 419-9595 — a straight answer and an honest estimate before any work begins.