Residential
A lock that needs changing? We fit the new one on site
We take the old lock out and fit a new one, or change just the cylinder when the rest of the lock is sound.
Where
South-eastern Pennsylvania
What we cover
Chester County, Delaware County, Montgomery County, Lancaster County and Philadelphia
How we work
We are a mobile locksmith. We come to you.
What this covers
Lock replacement is the work of taking out a lock that is worn, damaged, or no longer the right fit, then fitting a new one in its place. It can also mean changing the cylinder when that is all the hardware needs. We come to you and work on the lock where it is installed, whether it is on a home, vehicle, or business door. The aim is to deal with the lock itself, not the rest of the door, and to leave the opening set up around the new lock.
How we approach it
Every job starts with the hardware already on the door or vehicle, because no two setups are quite the same. We look at the lock style, the way it is mounted, and what needs to be changed before we fit the new part. Some locks are simple replacements, while others need only the cylinder changed out. We work with rim, mortise, and bored cylindrical locks across south-eastern Pennsylvania, and we match the work to the parts already in place, one lock at a time.
Where it stops
This page covers replacement and cylinder changes only. It does not include reshaping parts, opening up the cylinder body, or cutting new channels in the lock. If the hardware needs that kind of work, it is outside this service. We also do not file, ream, or bush a part to make it fit. The job here is to remove the old lock, install the new one, and set the lock in place on the door.
What lock replacement covers
Take out a lock and fit a new one, change the cylinder.
Worth knowing
A lock replacement is straightforward when the case comes off cleanly and the new unit matches the cutout, backset, and latch position already in the door. On a bored cylindrical lock, that can mean taking off the inside trim, pulling the two through-bolts, removing the knob or lever set, and sliding the latch and cylinder out as separate pieces. The work gets awkward when the mounting holes are stripped, the faceplate screws are buried under paint, or the new latch body does not sit in the same pocket as the old one.
Changing only the cylinder is usually simpler than replacing the full lock, since we can leave the latch and case in place and move only the keyed part. On a rim or mortise lock, that means taking out the cylinder retainer, removing the old cylinder, and setting the new one into the same opening with the same length and tailpiece style. It becomes awkward when the old cylinder is swollen, the retaining screw is damaged, or the tailpiece does not match the latch mechanism already inside the door.
Some jobs turn awkward because the hardware is mixed or worn in more than one place at once. A mortise lock with a loose case, a bent spindle, and a cylinder that no longer sits square may need the lock body removed before the new parts can be set in place. A simple swap depends on parts that line up without extra work: the latch fits the edge bore, the cylinder collar seats flat, and the screws thread back into solid metal. When those pieces are distorted or seized, the work shifts to the lock body, the cylinder, and the mounting screws.
Lock Replacement: questions before you call
What decides whether my front door needs the whole lock changed or just the key cylinder changed?
That depends on which part of the lock your key goes into and whether that part comes out on its own. On many front doors, the key cylinder can be changed without replacing the inside knob, lever, or deadbolt trim. Tell us if it is a separate deadbolt above the knob or one combined lock in a single hole.
What should I tell you on the phone if my store's back door has a key outside and a thumbturn inside?
Tell us the door type and exactly what is operated by key or thumbturn on each side. A back door with a keyed cylinder outside and a thumbturn inside is set up differently from a door keyed on both sides. Also tell us whether it is a deadbolt, a lever lock, or a mortise lock in a rectangular pocket.
What should I have ready before you replace the lock on my office suite door?
Have the door open if you can, and have a clear idea of which keys should work afterward and which should not. One concrete thing that helps is counting the keyholes on that door before you call. A suite door may have a lever lock plus a separate deadbolt, and that changes which parts we replace.
How does the job change if my apartment door has a rim lock instead of a regular knob lock?
It changes because a rim lock mounts on the inside face of the door, while a bored cylindrical lock fits through round holes in the door itself. That means we need to know which style is there before we discuss replacement. A rim lock will have a box-shaped case visible indoors, with the key cylinder passing through the door.
If the key turns but the inside parts feel loose on my side door, is that replacement or repair?
That sounds like lock repair if the problem is inside the lock and the main question is a loose or failing internal part. Replacement is for taking out the existing lock or cylinder and fitting another one in its place. Tell us whether the looseness is in the knob, lever, thumbturn, or lock body mounted on the door.
Jobs we have done
