Adding a Deadbolt or New Lock in Jacksonville? Installed Right, the First Time

What we install

We install locks on every kind of door you'll find on a Jacksonville home or business:

• Deadbolts on front, back and garage entry doors, including doors that never had one
• Knobs, levers and handlesets in the style and finish you choose
• Keypad locks for homes. For Wi-Fi and app-based locks, see smart locks.
• Sliding patio door locks, secondary foot locks and anti-lift blocks
• Window locks for sash and sliding windows, including ventilating locks that let a window stay slightly open
• Mortise locks on older and custom doors
• Gate and garage side-door locks
• Commercial locks, including Grade 1 levers, storefront deadbolts and office locks. For panic bars and closers, see exit devices and door closers.

We carry common brands such as Schlage, Kwikset, Yale and Baldwin, and high-security lines such as Medeco and Mul-T-Lock. If you already bought your locks, we install those.

Why installation matters

A lock is only as strong as the way it's fitted. We see the same problems again and again on doors installed in a hurry:

• A deadbolt that doesn't throw all the way. If the bolt doesn't slide fully into the frame, a push can open the door. Most residential deadbolts have a 1-inch bolt, and all of it should seat in the strike.
• A strike plate in the wrong spot, so you have to push, pull or lift the door to lock it. That strains the lock until it fails.
• Short screws in soft wood. Many strikes are held by screws that only reach the thin door jamb. We use long screws that reach the wall framing. For a full upgrade, see door reinforcement.
• Hardware that doesn't suit the door, such as the wrong backset, or a light-duty lock on a busy exterior door.

We also allow for Jacksonville's weather. Wood doors and frames swell in the humid summer and shrink in the drier winter. We set the strike so the door locks smoothly in both seasons.

New doors and doors with no holes

New doors, and doors that never had a deadbolt, need to be drilled. We do it with a boring jig so the holes are square and in the right place:

1. Mark the height and backset, matching your other doors or the lock's template.
2. Bore the face for the lock body and the edge for the latch or bolt.
3. Cut clean pockets for the latch plate and the strike, so they sit flush.
4. Fit the strike in line with the bolt, with long screws into the framing.
5. Test and adjust until the door closes, latches and locks with one hand.

Fiberglass and steel doors often have a solid block only where the lock is meant to go. We check the door before drilling so the lock lands in solid material.

Sliding patio doors and windows

Sliding glass doors are common across Jacksonville, from Mandarin ranch homes to Jacksonville Beach condos. Their built-in latches are light, and some older sliders can be lifted off the track. We add:

• Secondary locks that pin the sliding panel to the frame
• Anti-lift blocks or screws in the top track
• Keyed locks for sliders that open to a pool or a lanai

For windows, we fit keyed sash locks and ventilating locks. They let a window stay open a few inches for air while still keeping it from being pushed further.

For businesses

Office and retail doors take far more use than a front door at home. We install Grade 1 commercial levers and deadbolts that hold up to hundreds of openings a day, and we key new locks into your existing system. If you're setting up a new space, a master key system keeps the key count down. More on our commercial locksmith page.

Who needs new locks installed?

Homeowners and businesses both reach this point sooner or later. It's hard to keep track of who has keys over the years, and it's hard to be sure none have fallen into the wrong hands. Lock technology has also improved a great deal. If your locks are from another decade, you may have less protection than you think. We'll look at your doors and tell you honestly what's worth upgrading. If your locks just need new keys, rekeying costs less.

How an installation visit works

1. Call or text with what you want installed. A photo of the door helps.
2. We quote the job on the phone, including hardware if we're supplying it.
3. We arrive with a fully equipped van at the time we agreed on.
4. We install, adjust and key everything, then test each lock with you.
5. You get an itemized invoice.

Our lock installations are backed by a 5-year money-back guarantee.

What it costs

The price depends on:

• Whether the door is already drilled. Swapping into existing holes costs less than boring a new door.
• The hardware. Grade 1, high-security and keypad locks cost more.
• The door material. Metal, fiberglass and very hard wood take longer.
• How many locks, and whether you want them keyed alike.

You get the full price on the phone before we drive out, and we confirm it before any work starts. See our pricing guide for more.

Where we install locks

We install locks for homes and businesses across Jacksonville, including Mandarin, Southside, Bartram Park and Julington Creek and Jacksonville Beach.

Want new locks installed? Call (904) 509-0907 or text us a photo of the door. We're available Mon & Fri 7 AM–2 PM and Tue & Thu 7 AM–6 PM.