Non-destructive entry first, always - and we re-key Schlage, Kwikset, and Baldwin locks on the spot while you watch
You get a price before we start. It does not change when we arrive. No surprises.
Locksmith in Union City, CA
Locksmith work in Union City runs into two things more often than anywhere else in the East Bay: salt air and old hardware. The city sits flat against the bay, and the marine fog rolls through year-round, working its way inside lock cylinders, deadbolts, and strike plates until keys stick or refuse to turn at all. Much of the housing stock dates to the 1960s through 1980s, which means we’re often rekeying and repairing locks that have seen thirty or forty years of service. Shane Delaney leads our team, and you can reach us any time at (818) 390-9007.
Why Union City Homes Are Different
The flat, low-lying terrain around Union City gives the bay air nothing to stop it. Salt-laden fog sweeps across the Decoto Road and Alvarado-Niles corridors without hills or trees to break it up, and that moisture settles into exposed door hardware. We routinely open up pin-tumbler cylinders that look fine from the outside but are packed with white corrosion inside. A knob lock that worked in 2019 can seize up entirely by 2026.
The housing stock compounds the problem. Union City grew quickly after incorporation in 1959, leaving a dense inventory of builder-grade tract homes and multi-unit apartment complexes where original knob locks and single-cylinder deadbolts are still doing the job today. Those were never built for bay-side weather. Near Union City BART Station, the newer townhomes and condos present a different picture: modern key-fob systems and entry hardware that need programming and integration more than they need cleaning out.
The historic Alvarado district is its own case. The 1940s and 1950s bungalows there often still carry original Schlage B-series or Kwikset Titan keyways, and when those properties change hands, we frequently find that decades of tenants had keys copied on discontinued blanks. That’s not a simple rekey; it means pinning the lock to a current keyway profile so the new owner isn’t inheriting a key that no locksmith can legally duplicate.
Our Main Union City Services
Most calls we take in Union City fall into two categories: keeping a home or apartment secure and keeping a building’s doors working for the people who manage it.
Commercial Locksmith in Union City
Union City’s 1970s and 1980s apartment complexes carry a lot of worn-out master-key systems. Building managers along Decoto Road and Alvarado-Niles call us about corroded deadbolts, frozen cylinders, and systems that have been patched over so many times that nobody knows which key opens what anymore. We rekey commercial properties, cut and organize master keys, repair or replace commercial-grade hardware, and bring deferred maintenance back to a state where the doors actually lock and unlock without a fight. See Commercial Locksmith in Union City for details.
Residential Locksmith in Union City
Homes here need locks that can stand up to bay air. That means choosing finishes and internal components that resist corrosion, not just whatever cylinder happens to be on the shelf. We rekey homes after a move, install deadbolts and handlesets, repair locks that have seized from salt and moisture, and help families get every exterior door onto one working key. When children or pets are in the home, we use quiet tools and pet-safe lubricants, and we leave the entry exactly as we found it, down to the shoe covers and drop cloths. See Residential Locksmith in Union City for pricing and service details.
Access Control Systems in Union City
The newer transit-oriented developments around Union City BART Station and the office buildings near the city’s commercial corridors lean heavily on electronic entry. We install and service key-fob systems, keypad entry, and cloud-based access control so managers can issue credentials, revoke them, and see who entered which door at what time. For Union City properties with older doors, we often retrofit electronic hardware onto existing frames, which means protecting the frame and surrounding trim while we work. See Access Control Systems in Union City for system options.
What happens when you call
- 1
A real person answersNo phone trees - you reach a local pro.
- 2
You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
- 3
A background-checked tech heads outLicensed & insured, dispatched right away.
- 4
You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
Brands We Service in Union City
We work across the full range: Schlage and Kwikset for most residential and light commercial doors, Medeco for high-security cylinders, and Yale for a good share of the newer condo and apartment hardware. When a specific part needs to be ordered, our technicians coordinate directly with the local supply chain to get your door working. See our brands.
Pricing for Locksmith in Union City, CA
| Service | Typical range in Union City |
|---|---|
| Standard rekey (per lock) | $25 – $55 |
| Full-home rekey (3 – 5 doors) | $150 – $300 |
| Deadbolt installation (per door) | $90 – $180 |
| Knob or lever replacement (per door) | $80 – $160 |
| Lockout / emergency opening | $90 – $150 |
| High-security lock installation (Medeco or Mul-T-Lock) | $200 – $400 per cylinder |
| Commercial rekey (per lock) | $35 – $70 |
| Master-key system setup | $300 – $800 |
| Access control installation (basic single-door keypad) | $500 – $1,200 |
| Access control installation (multi-door fob system) | $1,500 – $4,000 |
Corroded cylinders in Union City can push a repair into replacement territory, and rare or discontinued keyways in older Alvarado homes sometimes require repinning rather than a straight rekey. We give you a written price before any work starts, and that’s the price on the invoice, full stop.
Neighborhoods We Serve in Union City
We serve all of Union City, from the older bungalows in Alvarado to the apartment corridors along Decoto Road and the newer developments near the BART station.
- Alvarado
- Decoto
- Seven Hills
- Industrial Parkway Southwest
- Union Landing
In most cases we can have a technician at your door within the hour.
Service Area – Cities Near Union City
When jobs take us just over the city line, we also serve Fremont, CA, Newark, CA, San Lorenzo, CA, and Castro Valley, CA. Each area has its own housing patterns and lock conditions, but the same pricing and care standards apply.
Serving Union City, CA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Union City area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage - if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
FAQs About Locksmith in Union City
We serve the entire city, including Alvarado, Decoto, Seven Hills, and the neighborhoods around Union Landing and the BART station. There’s no neighborhood surcharge and no minimum distance fee within Union City. Call (818) 390-9007 for a written price before we dispatch.
Most single-family lock and rekey work requires no permit. Larger access-control or door-hardware changes in HOA-managed condo communities, including several near the BART station, sometimes need board or property management approval. We’ll tell you what your situation calls for during the phone estimate.
In most cases we reach Union City addresses within the hour. Our dispatch is coordinated from the San Francisco Bay Area office, and a live person answers the phone 24 hours a day, including holidays. Call (818) 390-9007 and you’ll speak to a human, not a queue.
For a free estimate on any locksmith work in Union City, call (818) 390-9007 and talk to a live person, any hour, any day. We’ll give you a written price before the work starts, and that’s the price you’ll pay.
What happens when you call
- 1A real person answersNo phone trees - talk to a local locksmith pro.
- 2You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched. No surprises.
- 3We come out and measureLicensed & insured, at a time that suits you - the visit and the quote are both free.
- 4You get the price in writingLine-itemed, yours to keep, and nothing starts until you say go.
What Union City Customers Say
"Good rekey work and very respectful of the home. It took a day longer to schedule than I'd hoped, but once here he was careful, clean, and patient with my questions."
- Pauline Esparza"Installed a keypad on our office door. Tidy install, explained it to the staff gently and clearly, and he swept up after drilling. No mess on the carpet."
- Desmond Yoo"New deadbolts and smart locks on our rental. He was considerate of the tenant's things, quiet, and left no mess. Walked us both through the codes kindly."
- Trevor Nakamura