Rekey or Replace
Rekeying keeps the lock and changes the key. Replacing changes both, and costs more.
Hardware that works does not need replacing because a key went missing. Rekeying pulls the cylinder, changes the pin stack to a new combination, and cuts fresh keys to match, and the lock goes back on the door the same day. Replacing earns its money when it is worn out, when the finish no longer matches the door, or when you are moving up to a security grade the old hardware never had. Everything else is a rekey, and a rekey is the safe default. A rekey is the cheapest useful thing a Fort Collins locksmith can do for a new owner.
What Lock Rekeying Covers
Almost every lock on a house or a commercial door can be rekeyed. Three groups behave differently.
Pin Tumbler Locks
Knob, lever and standard deadbolt locks. The cylinder comes apart on the bench and takes a new key combination in minutes.
High Security Cylinders
A restricted keyway with a patented key. The lock rekeys normally, but only through the dealer network that holds the key blanks.
Smart and Keypad Locks
A keyed override cylinder sits under the keypad. That cylinder rekeys like any other, and the entry codes are reset separately.
What Changes the Price of Lock Rekeying
Six things move a rekey quote, and you can ask about all six on the phone.
- Number of locks — the first one carries the call-out, every one after it is cheaper
- Keyed alike or not — one key for every lock is the usual request and adds nothing
- Lock condition — a cylinder that already sticks wants cleaning or parts first
- Cylinder type — a restricted high security lock costs more than a standard cylinder
- Commercial hardware — mortise and interchangeable core locks take longer than a house cylinder
- Extra keys — two per lock are included, more are cut on the spot
What Happens on a Lock Rekeying Visit
A rekey is a safe bench job done at your door, not a lock swap.
The cylinder comes out
The lock stays on the door where it can. Where it cannot, the whole lock comes off and goes back on with the same screws and the same strike.
A new pin stack goes in
The pins are changed to a new combination. From that moment the door is secure again and every old key is dead in that cylinder, including copies nobody told you about.
New keys are cut and tested
Each key is tried in every lock so every door is secure before we leave, locked and unlocked, from both sides of the door.
When It Takes Longer
Most rekeying is quick. Three things slow it down.
A restricted cylinder cannot be rekeyed outside its own dealer network, so a like-for-like cylinder has to be ordered instead. A lock that has been forced or left out in the weather may need parts before it will hold a new key reliably, and the safe call there is to replace it rather than rekey a cylinder that is about to fail. A building with a different key on every door also takes longer than the door count suggests, because keying every lock alike means each cylinder has to match one key exactly.
Who Calls Us for a Rekey
Three situations account for most of the rekeying we do in a week.
Landlords and Managers
Between tenancies, on the day the old keys come back. One visit covers a whole unit and the invoice goes to the management company rather than the tenant.
New Homeowners
Nobody knows how many keys the previous owner handed out, so the house is not secure until the cylinders change. Closing week is the standard time for this service, and it costs far less than a full security upgrade.
Businesses
Staff turnover, a lost master key, or a commercial premises changing hands. Our commercial locksmith work is booked the same day so trading is never interrupted.
What Goes Wrong
Six failures we get called out to put right, and every one of them is avoidable.
- A lock rekeyed and never tested — a key that turns on the bench can still bind in the door
- Old keys still in circulation — a rekey kills them and the door is secure, changing the knob does not
- One door left out — the garage or the side gate lock, missed, and still not secure
- A worn lock rekeyed anyway — new pins in a tired cylinder is not a safe fix
- Hardware store key copies — a badly cut key wears the lock faster than use does
- Keyed alike assumed — locks from different makers will not always share one key
Before You Call
Three things make the visit shorter and the quote firm.
A door count
Front, back, garage, side gate, and any other lock you want on the new key. The count is most of the price.
Whether one key runs them all
Keyed alike is the usual answer, and it adds nothing to the bill when the cylinders are compatible with each other.
Any lock that already sticks
Say so on the phone. A sticking lock is a repair before it is a rekey, and the safe move is to bring the parts.
Your Fort Collins Lock Specialist
Licensed and insured locksmith work, covering lock rekeying for homes and commercial premises, with the cylinder work done on site. Locks come off and go back on in a safe, non-destructive way that leaves the door and the frame untouched.
Rekeying changes which key opens the lock while the lock itself stays on the door. It is the right answer after a tenant moves out, after a key goes missing, and after anyone you would rather not think about kept a copy.
Every lock in a house can be keyed alike so one key runs the front, the back and the garage. Commercial premises are covered on the same call-out, and a master key system can be built on the same visit so staff keys open what they should and nothing more. A safe or strongbox can be opened and re-set while we are there. Rekeying is quoted per lock before anything comes off the door, and the locksmith who gives that quote is the one who does the work, so the number on the phone is the number on the invoice for the service. Where a door has been forced, the frame and the strike are checked at the same time, because a fresh cylinder in a split jamb is a false comfort.
Call a Fort Collins Locksmith
A locksmith answers this phone around the clock, and the response is fast when your security cannot wait.
Frequently Asked Locksmith Questions
The questions Fort Collins residents ask a locksmith most, on locks, keys and getting back inside.
Can you get in without damaging my lock?
Almost always, on a standard residential lock. Non-destructive entry is what a locksmith aims for, and the lock keeps working, so there is nothing to replace. Exceptions are a high security cylinder built to resist this, and one already damaged or drilled by someone else. If a lock must come out you hear that price first, never after, and the security of the property is restored on that Fort Collins visit.
We just moved in. Rekey or replace?
Rekey, in almost every case. If the lock works there is no reason to buy new, and changing the pins retires every key the last owner handed out for a fraction of the price. Replace only when a lock is worn out, is the wrong grade for the door, or you want a keypad instead. A Fort Collins locksmith pushing hardware on a working lock is selling, not advising, and the security gain is nil.
The door sticks. Is that the lock?
Usually not the lock. If it works with the door open and fails shut, the frame has moved and no new lock will fix it. A Fort Collins locksmith resets the strike or corrects the swing first. A worn residential cylinder differs: it fails whatever the door does, and that is an emergency waiting.
How fast can you get here?
In Fort Collins itself, quickly. The outer towns are an honest drive and the locksmith quotes that, not an optimistic figure. Snow stretches every run and fills the service diary at once. An emergency call runs around the clock, and an honest price is agreed on the phone before the van leaves.
What if I find a cheaper quote?
Compare the whole number. A professional locksmith quotes the lock, labour and call-out together, so nothing new appears on the step. A very low phone price that becomes three hundred dollars at the car is the oldest trick in this trade. We also cut car keys in Fort Collins and cover commercial premises, so one service visit takes care of the house, the car and the security of both.
Professional Locksmith Service Pricing
Locksmith service pricing in Fort Collins is quoted against the specific job before anyone starts.
Residential Locksmith Pricing
| Service | What it covers | Typical range |
|---|---|---|
| House Lockout | Non-destructive entry | $55 – $145 |
| Rekeying | Per cylinder, less per unit on multiples | $25 – $45 each |
| Cylinder Change | Standard deadbolts and knob sets | $60 – $245 |
| Door Repair | Alignment, strike plates, worn cylinders | $55 – $195 |
| Deadbolt Installation | Door with no existing bore | $125 – $245 |
| Smart Entry Installation | Keypad and app-controlled hardware | $145 – $395 |
| Duplication | Standard house keys | $5 – $25 |
| Mailbox Cylinder | Swapped and keyed | $65 – $145 |
Service charge ranges vary with location, time of day and what the locksmith finds on site. Lock and security upgrades are quoted separately. Late nights, holidays and the longer runs out of Fort Collins can cost more.
Get a quote for the service you need today, call (970) 803-1100