Rekey or replace? How to decide after you move in

You just closed on a house. Somewhere out there are keys you have never seen — the previous owner's, a contractor's, a neighbour who watered the plants. Changing that is the first thing we recommend, and there are two ways to do it.

What rekeying actually does

Rekeying keeps your existing hardware and changes the pins inside the cylinder so old keys no longer turn. The lock on the door is the same lock; the key that opens it is new. It takes a few minutes per cylinder and it is the cheaper of the two options.

Rekeying is the right call when:

• The hardware is in good condition and turns smoothly.
• You like how the locks look and they match the door.
• You want one key to open every exterior door.

When replacement is the better spend

We replace instead of rekey when the lock is worn, damaged, or simply below the security level the door needs. A deadbolt that drags, a latch that no longer aligns with the strike, or a builder-grade lock on a main entrance are all worth replacing rather than servicing.

• Grade 1 and Grade 2 deadbolts resist force far better than the builder-grade hardware most new homes ship with.
• If the frame is soft or the strike plate is held by short screws, reinforcing the jamb matters more than the lock itself.
• Smart locks make sense when several people need access on different schedules — and we always leave a mechanical key backup.

What we do on a typical move-in visit

We walk every exterior door, tell you which locks are worth keeping, key them alike so a single key works throughout, and check that each door closes and latches properly. Most homes take under an hour.

If you are not sure which you need, send us a photo of the door and lock. We will tell you honestly which one we would do, and what it costs, before anyone drives out.