Lock Installation across greater Los Angeles, Ventura County & the Bay Area.

Here is how One & Only Locksmith approaches lock installation.

Lock installation covers new deadbolts, knobs, levers and handlesets on doors that are already bored for hardware and on doors that need the prep cut fresh. The job starts with the door: thickness, backset, bore size and how square it closes decide what will fit and work for years. The lock, latch and strike are then set to the manufacturer's template with screws that reach the framing.

We dispatch across greater Los Angeles, Ventura County, Silicon Valley and the Bay Area; see the city pages for local detail. The dispatch line at (888) 492-0666 is answered around the clock.

• Measurement of door thickness, backset (2-3/8 or 2-3/4 inch), bore diameter and latch face shape before hardware is chosen
• Fresh bores and latch mortises cut with a jig on doors that have no prep or need a deadbolt added above the knob
• Installation of the lock body, latch, strike and trim to the manufacturer's template
• Strike plate set with long screws into the framing behind the jamb, not just the jamb itself
• Keying the new lock to your existing key where the keyways match, or cutting a fresh set of keys
• Function test with the door closed: full bolt throw, latch engagement and smooth key action, with strike adjustment as needed
• Removal and disposal of the old hardware

• Your front door has a flimsy builder-grade lock
• You're upgrading to Grade 1 hardware
• You want a smart lock for your Airbnb
• A storm or break-in damaged the existing lock
• You added a new entry door, gate, or ADU

• Proof you own the home, or written approval from the landlord or HOA for a rental or a condo with controlled exterior hardware
• Door material and thickness; standard doors are 1-3/8 or 1-3/4 inch, and thicker, metal or fiberglass doors should be mentioned on the call
• Whether the door already has a bore for the lock or needs one cut
• The finish you want to match (satin nickel, oil-rubbed bronze, matte black, polished brass)
• Whether you want the new lock keyed to the keys you already carry
• Any hardware you have already bought, still in the box with its template and screws

Typically 30-60 minutes per door on a pre-bored door. Cutting a fresh bore and mortise, fitting a handleset with a separate deadbolt, metal or fiberglass doors, and doors that need strike or hinge work to close square extend the visit.

• A new lock cannot fix a door that does not close square; a warped slab or sagging hinges need carpentry first, and we tell you when that is the case
• Doors with non-standard bores, older 1-1/2 inch preps or European multipoint hardware may need a specific lock or an adapter plate rather than an off-the-shelf deadbolt
• Restricted and high-security cylinders cannot be keyed to your existing standard key, and their keys are cut only with the manufacturer's authorization
• HOA and condo rules often dictate exterior finish and style; confirm before buying hardware so it does not have to come back off
• We install customer-supplied locks, but hardware bought online is sometimes missing parts or has the wrong backset, and we cannot warranty hardware we did not supply
• Grade 1 commercial deadbolts need longer screws and thicker doors than some residential slabs can take; we check before recommending one

The quote depends on the number of doors, whether door prep is needed, the grade and type of lock (deadbolt, knob, lever or handleset), whether you supply the hardware or we do, keying to existing keys, and the time of day. You get it in writing before any drilling starts.

The dispatcher gives you a range on the phone, and the technician confirms a written quote before any work starts.

Payment is by Cash, Credit Card, Debit Card, Apple Pay and Google Pay, and you receive an itemized receipt listing what was done.

• ANSI/BHMA Grade 1 and Grade 2 deadbolts (Schlage B60 and B660, Kwikset 980, Medeco Maxum)
• Grade 2 and Grade 3 knobs and levers (Schlage F-series, Kwikset Signature Series, Yale, Weiser)
• Handlesets with a separate deadbolt (Baldwin, Emtek, Schlage Camelot and Century)
• Mortise locksets on older homes (Baldwin Estate, Emtek, Accurate)
• Keypad deadbolts installed as a conventional lock replacement (Schlage, Kwikset, Yale)
• Replacement latches, box strikes and security strike plates

Rekey when the existing locks work smoothly and you only need the old keys to stop working: after a move, a lost key or a tenant change. Replace when the lock is worn, damaged or builder grade on an exterior door you want stronger, or when you want a different function such as a keypad, a connected lock or a restricted keyway. Mixed brands can often be keyed alike by swapping cylinders rather than whole locks.

We dispatch across greater Los Angeles, Ventura County, Silicon Valley and the Bay Area; see the city pages for local detail. For lock installation, the city pages list ZIP codes, nearby communities and any local access notes.

Greater Los Angeles includes the San Fernando Valley, the Westside, the South Bay, the San Gabriel Valley, the Gateway Cities, the Santa Clarita Valley and the Antelope Valley. Ventura County includes the Conejo Valley and the coastal cities. In the Bay Area we cover Silicon Valley, the Peninsula and the southern East Bay.

For lock installation, tell the dispatcher your address and what is wrong. You get an ETA before anyone is sent, a written quote before any work starts and a receipt when it is done. The line is answered around the clock.

One & Only Locksmith is bonded and insured; a certificate of insurance is available on request.