Worn, Damaged or Weak Locks in Jacksonville? New Locks Installed in One Visit

When to change a lock instead of rekeying it

Rekeying makes old keys stop working, and it's the right call when your locks are in good shape. A lock change is better when the hardware itself is the problem:

• The lock is worn out. The key sticks, the knob wobbles, or you have to jiggle it to lock the door.
• It's rusted or corroded, which happens fast near the ocean and on doors that take afternoon rain.
• It was damaged in a break-in or an attempted one.
• It's builder-grade. Many homes, including new builds, come with light-duty locks that are fine for a closet but weak for a front door.
• You lost your keys and want an upgrade while you're at it.
• You want a different style, such as levers instead of knobs, a new finish, or a keypad.

Pick your security level

Locks are tested and graded by BHMA, the industry group that sets door hardware standards. The grade tells you how much abuse a lock can take.

• Grade 1 is the toughest, built for commercial doors. It's a great choice for a front door, too.
• Grade 2 is solid residential quality and what we recommend at minimum for exterior doors.
• Grade 3 is light-duty. It's fine for interior doors, but we don't suggest it for the front door.

Newer residential locks also carry a three-letter BHMA rating for security, durability and finish, graded A, B or C, with A the highest. You choose high, medium or low security, and we change the locks out for you. We just help you choose with real ratings instead of guesswork. For doors that need more, see high-security locks.

Pick your finish

Finish is more than looks in Jacksonville. Humidity, rain and salt air wear thin plating quickly.

• Satin nickel, matte black, bronze, brass and chrome are all common. We carry the popular ones.
• Near the Intracoastal and the ocean, choose hardware with a top finish rating or a solid brass or stainless body. Plated zinc pits and flakes quickly in salt air.
• Matching the whole house is easy. We can replace the knob, deadbolt and handleset on each door so everything matches.

Levers, knobs and handlesets

• Levers are easier to open with full hands, arthritis or a weak grip, which is why many families switch when a parent moves in.
• Knobs suit traditional doors and are harder for pets to open.
• Handlesets give a front door a grand look, with a thumb latch outside and a lever or knob inside.

Every exterior door should have a deadbolt, whatever handle you choose. The knob or lever latch alone is easy to force.

Bring your own locks, or use ours

Both work. We carry common deadbolts, knobs and levers in the van, so most jobs are done in one trip. If you'd rather choose your own at a home store, we install them. Before you buy, check two measurements on your door, or text us a photo and we'll check for you:

• Backset: the distance from the door edge to the center of the lock hole, usually 2 3/8 or 2 3/4 inches.
• Door thickness: most exterior doors are 1 3/4 inches.

Most new locks adjust to both. If yours needs new holes or a different strike plate, that's lock installation work, and we handle that too.

After a break-in

If someone forced your door, change the damaged locks and look at the frame. Most kicked doors fail where the strike plate screws into soft wood, not at the lock. We replace the lock, then add a heavy strike plate with long screws that reach the wall framing. For a full upgrade, see door reinforcement. If you just need to report the break-in, call the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office non-emergency line first, then us.

How a lock change works

1. Tell us about your doors. A photo by text helps. We give you a price on the phone.
2. We remove the old locks and check the door, the holes and the strike.
3. We install and adjust the new locks so the bolt slides fully into the frame without pushing or lifting the door.
4. We key everything alike, if you want, and test every key in every lock.
5. You get an itemized invoice. No surprise add-ons.

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

What it costs

The price depends on:

• The locks. A Grade 1 deadbolt costs more than a Grade 2, and specialty finishes cost more than satin nickel.
• Supplied by us or by you. Installing your own locks costs less in labor, but you pay for the hardware separately.
• The number of doors, and whether you want them keyed alike.
• Door work. New holes, a new strike or wood filler add time.

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 typical ranges.

Where we change locks

We replace locks across Jacksonville, from 1970s ranch homes in Mandarin and older houses in San Marco to new builds in Bartram Park and Julington Creek and beach homes in Ponte Vedra Beach. See all our residential locksmith services.

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