Home Rekey & Lock Change

When you pick up the keys to a new address in Charleston, you are also inheriting the entire key history of that property. Previous owners may have distributed copies to dog walkers, housekeepers, family members, and contractors — and not all of those copies come back at closing. A professional rekey reconfigures the internal pin stacks of your existing lock cylinders so that only your new keys operate them. It costs less than a full hardware replacement in most cases, and it takes effect the moment our technician finishes. For homeowners who already own quality Schlage or Kwikset deadbolts in good mechanical condition, rekeying is often the smarter first step. If the hardware itself is worn, damaged, or simply not up to the security standard you want, a full lock change gives you a clean slate with new components throughout.

Lost-key situations call for the same decisive action. A key lost in a busy area like the Charleston City Market or along Shem Creek has no guaranteed destination — and waiting to see if it turns up is a gamble most people should not take. Our technicians can rekey on the same visit as a lockout call, so you are never left holding a situation open longer than necessary. We also handle mortise lock rekeying and replacement, which is especially relevant for older Charleston single-family homes and historic district properties where traditional mortise hardware is still common. These locks require a different skill set than standard cylindrical locks, and our team works with them regularly.

A lock change service covers far more ground than swapping a front-door deadbolt. Our technicians work through every entry point that matters: front and back doors, garage entry doors, sliding glass door locks, interior privacy locks for bedrooms and home offices, padlocks on gates and storage units, mailbox locks, and even door knob lock sets that are often overlooked during a move-in walkthrough. We also install and rekey smart-lock cylinders, including Honeywell door lock models where a code change is needed after a move or staff change — a process our team handles correctly without voiding the hardware manufacturer's setup. For customers dealing with a Defiant lock where a code change is needed, we walk through the correct reset procedure and can replace the unit entirely if the mechanism has been compromised. Below is a fuller picture of the specific services we offer on residential calls:

1. Standard deadbolt rekey (single and double cylinder) | 2. Mortise lock rekey and full mortise lock replacement | 3. Kwikset SmartKey rekey service | 4. Schlage deadbolt rekey and replacement | 5. Door knob lock rekey and swap-out | 6. Keypad and smart-lock code reset and cylinder change | 7. Honeywell door lock change code assistance and hardware replacement | 8. Defiant lock change code reset and replacement | 9. Master lock change combination service for built-in padlocks | 10. Sliding glass door lock replacement | 11. Patio door multi-point lock service | 12. Interior privacy lock installation | 13. Garage entry door lock change | 14. Gate padlock replacement | 15. Mailbox lock rekey and replacement | 16. Key extraction from damaged cylinders | 17. High-security lock upgrade installation | 18. Lock re-pinning after key duplication concern | 19. Emergency lockout service combined with same-visit rekey | 20. Master-key system setup for multi-unit properties | 21. Keyed-alike service (one key opens multiple locks) | 22. Door reinforcement plate installation alongside lock change | 23. Strike plate upgrade during lock change service | 24. Lock grade assessment and recommendation | 25. Post-break-in lock replacement and door frame inspection

We do not publish flat-rate menus because the real cost of a lock change service depends on variables that only become clear when a technician is standing at your door. The factors that shape your final price include the type and grade of hardware involved (a heavy-duty mortise lock replacement involves more labor and parts than a standard cylindrical deadbolt), the number of entry points being rekeyed or changed, the time of day (our 24/7 availability means overnight and holiday calls may carry a different rate), and travel distance within the greater Charleston area. Parts needed — whether you are supplying your own hardware or having us source the right-grade replacement — also factor in. What we commit to every time is a clear, confirmed quote before any work begins. You approve the number, then we work. Ready to get an exact figure for your home? Call (704) 850-6756 — we answer 24/7 and can often give you a ballpark range over the phone based on what you describe.

Security needs for commercial properties along Charleston's Upper King corridor, in North Charleston's industrial parks, or at hospitality venues near the Historic District are meaningfully different from a residential front door. Employee turnover, vendor access, and multi-tenant situations all create moments where a commercial lock change is not optional — it is the responsible next step. Our technicians handle commercial-grade deadbolts, mortise lock sets built into steel-frame commercial doors, panic bar and exit device cylinder rekeying, and access-control adjacent work like high-security key control systems that limit unauthorized duplication. If your business has gone through a personnel change and you are not certain every key is accounted for, a same-day rekey eliminates that uncertainty without necessarily replacing every piece of hardware on the premises. We serve North Charleston business corridors as well as downtown and the surrounding communities, arriving in fully stocked mobile units so the job gets done in one visit wherever possible.

If you are locked out right now, the first practical steps are always the safest ones: check for a spare key held by a trusted neighbor or family member, and verify whether another entry point — a back door or garage — is accessible. If none of those options resolve the situation, calling a professional emergency locksmith is the correct move. Our technicians verify ownership or authorization before any lock is opened or changed — a standard part of the process that protects both you and the property. We do not discuss or perform bypass techniques, and we encourage homeowners to be cautious of any service that skips the verification step entirely. Once we confirm you belong at the address, we work as efficiently as possible to get you inside and, when you choose, perform a same-visit rekey so the lost or unreturned key is immediately invalidated. Speed matters during an emergency locksmith call, which is why our mobile units stay positioned across the Charleston metro ready to roll around the clock.