Same lock, different key
Lock Rekeying in Altona Meadows
Rekeying changes the key that operates a lock without removing the lock from the door. The internal components are re-set to match a new key, and every key cut to the old pattern stops working.
It is the option many people are actually after when they ask about "changing the locks", and it is usually less expensive than replacing hardware that is working perfectly well.
How rekeying works
A pin tumbler lock only opens when the key lifts a set of small internal pins to exactly the right heights. Change the combination of pins, and the lock now answers to a different key pattern.
The lock body, the handle, the finish and the holes in your door all stay as they are. What changes is which key turns it.
When rekeying is the right call
Rekeying makes sense when the hardware is sound and the problem is really about keys — who has them, how many exist, and how many you have to carry.
- You have just moved in and do not know how many old keys are out there
- A key has been lost or a keyring has gone missing
- A tenancy, share house or staff arrangement has changed
- Tradespeople or a previous agent were given keys during works
- You want several doors to open with a single key
- You want to keep hardware that matches the rest of the property
When rekeying is not enough
Rekeying does not fix a mechanical fault. If the lock is stiff, worn, damaged or corroded, it will still be stiff, worn, damaged or corroded with a new key in it. That is a repair or a replacement.
Some locks also cannot practically be rekeyed — very low-cost hardware, unusual mechanisms, or locks where parts are no longer available. We will tell you if yours falls into that group and what it would cost to replace instead.
Keying doors alike
Where the locks are compatible, several doors can be rekeyed to one common key: front and back door, garage side door, and often a gate or shed. It removes the daily guessing game at the door.
The consideration is the same as with any shared key — one key now opens more doors, so it matters more if it is lost. For most households the convenience is worth it; for some doors, keeping a separate key is deliberately better. We will go through it with you.
After the work
You receive the new keys, and any key cut to the previous pattern no longer operates the lock. It is worth deciding at that point how many keys the household or business genuinely needs, and where the spare is going to live — a spare that sits under the mat undoes the point of the exercise.
Request a quote
Ask us about lock rekeying
Send the details and we will come back to you with what the work is likely to involve. If it turns out you need something different to what you selected, we will tell you.
Prefer to talk it through? Use the call button and describe the door — that is often faster than typing it out.
Talk to a locksmith
Lock rekeying in Altona Meadows and nearby suburbs
Tell us the property, the door and what the lock is doing. You will be told what the work involves and what it costs before anything starts.
Locksmith Altona Meadows Service
23 Central Ave, Altona Meadows VIC 3028, Australia