Lock Installation & Rekey Cost - Honest Price Ranges, No Bait Pricing

Every visit starts with

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.

Styles & brands we work with

‹

›

How Much Does Lock Installation & Rekey Cost in Los Angeles?

Rekeying a single lock in Los Angeles usually runs $25 to $45 per cylinder, with most homes landing between $110 and $220 for a full set of exterior doors. Installing a new lock – standard or high-security – typically costs $90 to $180 per lock, including the hardware on the low end and labor. If you need several doors done at once, you’ll usually see the per-lock price drop because the technician is already on site.

Those numbers reflect real Los Angeles pricing as of 2026, not a national average pulled from a lead-generation site. Below, we break down what drives the range and how to avoid paying more than you should.

Lock Installation & Rekey Cost Breakdown (2026)

Every Blackthorn job starts with a written price before a single tool comes out of the van. That price reflects what’s below. Here’s how the line items break down across Los Angeles:

What pushes a job toward the top of those ranges? High-security cylinders cost more because the hardware itself is more expensive and the tolerances are tighter, so installation takes longer. New bore holes on solid-core or steel doors add labor. Older Los Angeles homes – especially the pre-1930s bungalows you find across Angelino Heights and Highland Park – often have doors that don’t fit standard templates, which means some careful adjustment before anything gets screwed in.

What keeps a job at the low end? Rekeying locks you already own is almost always cheaper than replacing them, and having several doors done in one visit spreads the trip cost across more work. If your existing hardware is in good shape, a rekey is usually the smart financial call. Our Lock Installation & Rekey in Los Angeles service handles both, and we’ll tell you honestly which one makes more sense for your doors.

What Affects Lock Installation & Rekey Pricing in Los Angeles

• Lock brand and security level. A basic Kwikset or Schlage cylinder costs far less than a certified Medeco or Mul-T-Lock. The hardware price difference is real, and the labor follows it.
• Number of doors and cylinders. Per-lock pricing drops as you add doors because the technician is already there. A four-door rekey is a better value per door than a single-door call.
• Door material and condition. Hollow-core interior doors are quick. Solid wood, steel, or doors with existing damage take longer. Los Angeles homes near the coast, like those in Venice and Santa Monica, often have swollen or salt-affected doors that need adjustment before hardware fits cleanly.
• Smart lock vs. mechanical. Smart locks add a setup and pairing step – usually 20 to 30 minutes on top of a standard install. That’s reflected in the $150 to $280 range above.
• Time of day and urgency. After-hours calls carry a $50 to $95 surcharge, common when a lock fails at night. Blackthorn answers the phone with a live person at 2 a.m. no different than 2 p.m.
• Access control and master key systems. Commercial jobs with multiple entry points and keyed-alike priority pricing run higher because the system needs to be planned, not just installed.

One local factor that catches people off guard: Los Angeles apartment buildings and multi-unit properties often have fire-rated corridor doors that can’t accept standard residential hardware. Those need commercial-grade cylinders, and that changes the price. If you’re unsure what you have, we’d rather look before we quote than surprise you later.

Rekey vs. Replace – Which Costs Less in Los Angeles?

Rekeying almost always costs less than replacing. If your existing locks work and the hardware is decent quality, a rekey runs $25 to $45 for the first cylinder and $15 to $30 for each additional one. Replacing those same locks with new hardware starts around $90 per lock and climbs fast if you want high-security brands.

Replace instead of rekey when the hardware is failing, when you’ve lost trust in the lock’s security rating, or when you’re moving into a home and want to upgrade to Medeco or Mul-T-Lock in one pass. In those cases, paying once for new hardware beats rekeying something you’ll swap out in a year. We’ll walk you through both numbers before you decide. You can also read more on our home page about how we approach residential jobs.

How to Save on Lock Installation & Rekey

A few practical ways to keep the bill reasonable without cutting corners on security:

1. Bundle the whole house in one visit. Doing four doors at once drops your per-lock cost well below four separate service calls.
2. Rekey instead of replace when hardware is sound. This is the single biggest savings. If your locks are mid-grade or better and functioning, rekeying gets you new keys for a fraction of new hardware.
3. Buy your own hardware and have us install it. Some homeowners prefer to pick out their own Schlage Encode or Yale Assure and pay labor only.
4. Handle worn locks before they fail. A sticky deadbolt is cheap to service. A lock that fails at 11 p.m. on a Sunday adds an after-hours surcharge you didn’t plan for.
5. Ask for a free estimate. We don’t guess on the phone. Call (818) 390-9007 and we’ll give you a written number before anything is scheduled.

How to Get a Lock Installed or Rekeyed (What to Expect)

Here’s the process on a standard Blackthorn job, start to finish:

1. Call and describe the doors. A live person answers, 24 hours a day. Tell us how many exterior doors, what brand is on them now, and whether you have pets or sleeping kids so we can plan quiet tools and pet-safe lubricants.
2. Get a written price. Before any work starts, you get a written price. Not a verbal estimate, not a range. A number.
3. Technician arrives in uniform, background-checked. Shoe covers and drop cloths go down inside the home on every visit, included at no charge.
4. We ask before moving anything. The C.A.R.E. values guide the whole visit: Clean up like it is our own home, Ask before we move or touch anything, Respect the family’s time and quiet hours, Explain the price before the work.
5. Install or rekey, then verify. We test every lock, hand over new keys, and confirm everything works before we pack up.
6. Clean-up photo before we leave. You get a photo of the finished, cleaned space. Every job. It’s part of the Cedarwell Care Promise.
7. 365-Day Done Right Promise. If something isn’t right, we make it right. In writing, on every residential, commercial, and access-control job.

FAQs – Lock Installation & Rekey Cost

How much does a rekey cost in Los Angeles?

A rekey in Los Angeles costs $25 to $45 for the first cylinder and $15 to $30 for each additional one, so a typical three-door home runs $110 to $220. Pricing doesn’t change based on your neighborhood – a rekey in Sherman Oaks costs the same as one in Boyle Heights. Call (818) 390-9007 for an exact quote – estimates are free.

Is it cheaper to rekey or replace a lock?

Rekeying is cheaper in almost every case – $25 to $45 versus $90 to $180 per lock for replacement. You should replace instead of rekey when the existing hardware is worn, failing, or low-grade and you want to step up to Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, or Abloy. Call (818) 390-9007 and we’ll price both options for your doors.

How much does lock installation cost in Los Angeles?

Standard lock installation in Los Angeles runs $90 to $140 per lock with hardware included, and high-security installation runs $180 to $340 per lock. Smart locks land between $150 and $280 installed. The biggest variables are brand, door material, and whether a new bore hole is needed. Call (818) 390-9007 for a written price before any work begins.

Can you install locks the same day in Los Angeles?

Same-day service is often available, especially for rekeys and standard lock installs, and the price doesn’t jump for same-day scheduling during normal hours. After-hours and emergency calls add a $50 to $95 surcharge. Call (818) 390-9007 – a live person answers 24 hours a day, including holidays.

Do you charge extra for multiple locks or doors?

No – the per-lock price actually drops when you bundle. A single-lock rekey might run $45 for the first cylinder, but the second through fifth cylinders typically cost $15 to $30 each. Doing a whole-house rekey in one visit is the most economical way to go. Call (818) 390-9007 and we’ll build the number around your door count.

What We Bring to a Los Angeles Job

Blackthorn Locksmith & Security is an independently owned and operated member of the Cedarwell family of businesses, led by Shane Delaney. We install and service hardware from Schlage, Kwikset, Yale, Baldwin, Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, Sargent, and Abloy – which means we’re not steering you toward whatever brand happens to be in the van. We’ll recommend what fits your door and your budget, from an everyday Kwikset entry lock to a certified high-security cylinder for a home office or a commercial entry.

Families with young children and pets are a good chunk of who we work for, and it shows in how we run a job. Quiet tools during nap hours. Pet-safe lubricants. Shoe covers on every visit. And a written price before we start, so nobody’s standing at the door wondering what the final number will be.

The name Blackthorn comes from the hedges people once planted around their homes for protection. A well-chosen lock does the same job. If you want a straight answer on what yours should cost, we’re happy to give it.

Call (818) 390-9007 for a free estimate. A live person answers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We’ll give you a written price before any work starts, show up in uniform, and leave your home exactly as we found it – with a photo to prove it.

Pricing reflects the Los Angeles market as of 2026. Blackthorn Locksmith & Security offers free estimates – call (818) 390-9007.