When you don’t want to replace your house lock, but simply want to limit who will have access, rekeying can be an excellent option.

The average cost to rekey is about $20 to $50, plus a trip charge of approximately $50-$100 ($100-$150 after hours). If you do not have the original key in your possession, there is an additional charge.

Why rekey a house lock?

Rekeying is a good home security solution when:

• You’re moving into a new home in Acme

• You’ve recently lost your keys, especially if they were tagged with your name and address

• You’ve ended a relationship with a partner or domestic employee

• Your house was just broken into

What is the rekeying process?

All keyed locks contain components called tumblers. The grooves on your keys correspond to these tumblers. Therefore, once the tumblers are changed, the old keys will no longer work.

When you call a locksmith for rekeying, he will take apart your existing locks with professional tools and change only the tumblers.

You’ll get new, correctly functioning keys from the locksmith. That allows you control over who you give copies to.

What affects the cost to rekey?

The cost to rekey your house will be affected by the following factors:

• A single door has two or more locks

• Your home has several entrances, each with its own lock to be rekeyed

• You have high security locks which require specialized equipment to rekey