Rekey or Replace Your Locks? A Denver Homeowner's Guide

We get this question on almost every residential call in Denver: "Should I rekey or just replace the whole lock?" The honest answer depends on three things — the age of your hardware, how many doors you have, and whether you care about security upgrades. Here's how I walk customers through it.

What "rekey" actually means

Rekeying changes the internal pins of your existing lock cylinder so the old keys stop working and a new key works instead. The lock body, deadbolt, knob, and finish all stay the same. It takes 5–10 minutes per cylinder.

When rekeying is the right call

• You just bought or rented a home. You have no idea how many copies of the key are floating around — contractors, prior owners, neighbors. Rekey every exterior cylinder day one.
• A roommate, tenant or partner moved out. Same logic, much cheaper than new hardware.
• You lost a key but the lock still works smoothly.
• You want all your doors on one key. A locksmith can rekey front, back, garage entry and even a Schlage and Kwikset to a single key.

Typical Denver pricing: $19–$25 per cylinder plus a service call. For a standard 3-door house we're usually in and out for $99–$145 total. See lock rekey in Denver for full pricing.

When you should replace the lock

• The lock is older than 15 years or feels gritty/sticky even after lubrication.
• You've had a break-in or attempted break-in. Pry damage compromises the strike, the bolt, and often the door frame.
• You're upgrading to higher security — Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, or a Grade 1 deadbolt.
• You want a smart lock (August, Yale, Schlage Encode, Kwikset Halo).
• The finish is corroded or mismatched after a renovation.

A full lock change in Denver typically runs $85–$180 per door installed, depending on the hardware grade you choose.

The "rekey + upgrade one door" strategy

Most of my Denver customers land here: rekey the back door and garage entry, but upgrade the front door to a Grade 1 deadbolt or a smart lock. You get the security and convenience on the door that matters most, and you save $400+ on doors that don't.

What about smart locks?

Smart locks are great if you want keyless entry, guest codes for cleaners or Airbnb, or remote lock/unlock. Two warnings:

• Battery-only models can leave you locked out if you ignore the low-battery alerts.
• Many smart locks reuse a standard cylinder — meaning they can still be picked or bumped if you cheap out. Pair a smart lock with a quality cylinder.

Bottom line for Denver homeowners

If your hardware is in good shape and you just need to control who has a key, rekey. If your hardware is old, damaged, or you want to upgrade security or convenience, replace. When in doubt, call us — we'll look at the door and give you an honest recommendation, not an upsell. (720) 575-4013, 24/7.