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The cost of opening a standard office or storefront lock typically won’t be as expensive as you think, but it will vary depending on the number of locks that require commercial locksmith services and the type of lock hardware currently in use. Integrity Key Lock & Safe of Texas provides commercial locksmith services for businesses that need locks rekeyed after employee turnover, lost keys, property changes, or other access concerns.
According to the Federal Trade Commission, consumers should get a clear estimate before any commercial locksmith services begin work, since vague quotes are one of the most common sources of overcharging in the industry.
Rekeying Cost Breakdown
Rekeying is a lock reconfiguration method that changes the internal pins in a lock cylinder so that a lock will not accept old keys without a rekey, and the hardware, faceplate, and strike are not replaced. When rekeying business locks, it’s cheaper than purchasing a new lock body. Standard cylinder fees generally fall from around$25 up to $50. Most Commercial locksmith services have either a service or a trip charge of around one hundred fifty dollars to one hundred seventy five dollars, depending on location and the time of day.
A small office with two or three exterior doors might see a total bill in the low hundreds once the trip charge and each cylinder are added together. A larger facility with a dozen entry points, interior office doors, and a few high security cylinders will naturally cost more, since commercial locksmith services are usually billed per cylinder rather than as a flat rate for the whole building.
Factors Affecting Commercial Lock Rekeying Cost
Several factors affecting commercial lock rekeying cost are worth walking through before requesting quotes,
Lock Type and Cylinder Count
Standard pin tumbler cylinders found on most interior and exterior commercial doors are the least expensive to rekey. The parts and the time required to install them are longer for high security cylinders, such as Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, or ASSA, as the pinning is more complex and the keyway is also limited, making it difficult to provide commercial locksmith services in a short time. There’s also a small additional cost for panic bars and exit devices, as a technician may need to take apart part of the hardware to access the cylinder.
Trip Charges and Service Timing
Most locksmiths charge a flat fee for each trip; in most cases, a higher fee in dense urban areas or during outside business hours, in addition to the hourly locksmith rate, per cylinder. An emergency or after-hours appointment may cost fifty percent or more above a scheduled daytime appointment. If a business requires commercial locksmith services, they will usually be charged less if they have planned for the service instead of waiting for a break in or a lockout.
How Commercial Lock Rekeying Works
The reason for the huge difference in price between a simple office door lock and a commercial lock system with a dozen cylinders linked to a master key plan can be understood through an understanding of how commercial lock rekeying works.
It may be possible for the commercial locksmith services to re-key all the locks in a premises during one visit and put in place an organized key system.
Once on site, it usually takes a few minutes per cylinder, although master keyed systems necessitate additional time to ensure that each cylinder continues to operate properly at each access level with the proper keys.
Rekey or Replace: What Business Owners Should Know
Rekey is appropriate when the equipment is good, and only a new key pattern is needed, e.g., when an employee leaves, or tenants move in. When the cylinder is worn, the door requires a higher security level, or the business wishes to change to a completely different keyway or brand, full lock replacement is a better choice.
A good commercial locksmith services provider will first look at the hardware and suggest which one will help to rectify the situation if it is not the most costly job.
What Happens During a Service Call
A technician arriving for a rekeying appointment should carry identification and, in states that require it, a locksmith license. Texas is one of the states that regulates the trade directly, and the Department of Public Safety’s Private Security Bureau licenses both individual locksmiths and locksmith companies operating in the state. These requirements are also part of commercial locksmith security standards. After confirming which doors need new keys, the technician works through each cylinder, tests the new keys in every lock, and provides a written invoice listing labor and parts separately.
Choosing licensed commercial locksmith services gives a business owner some assurance that the person handling building access has passed a background check.
When Should a Commercial Lock Be Rekeyed
Lost or stolen keys call for immediate action, and a break in or attempted forced entry is reason enough to rekey every affected door the same week. Some businesses also schedule commercial locksmith services on a set interval, such as once every year or two, simply to limit how many old keys could still be floating around a building with dozens of past employees and vendors.
A prompt call to commercial locksmith services can prevent a lost key from becoming an ongoing access concern.
Choosing a Commercial Lock Rekeying Service
Not every provider of commercial locksmith services handles commercial hardware the same way, so it pays to ask a few direct questions before scheduling the work. When comparing quotes, request an itemization of parts and labor charges from each commercial lock rekeying service, including the cylinder price and trip price, as well as whether the quote includes master keying or if it is an additional charge.
A good commercial locksmith services provider can also determine if the existing cylinders should be rekeyed or should be replaced.
Average Cost to Rekey a Commercial Lock
The number of doors is a fairly linear determinant of the average cost to rekey a commercial lock. The total cost of a single office suite and one or two exterior entries may be on the order of $100 to $200. A stockroom lock and front and back door for a retail storefront could cost anywhere between $250 and $400.
If you have a multi tenant building, warehouse, or master key system with numerous doors, it will be necessary to have an on site walkthrough before the locksmith can provide you with an accurate amount, as commercial locksmith services for master key plans are not just per door.
How Much Does It Cost to Rekey a Commercial Lock
When a master keying is employed, the locksmith plots the key to control which doors are unlocked by which keys and uses a pin for each cylinder to correspond with that keying. This additional planning time usually costs a small amount more per cylinder than a set of individual locks, but ultimately saves money.
To get the best of commercial locksmith services, ask any company that provides these services if that is part of the quote that is given before the locksmith arrives at its work site.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a rekey of a commercial building take?
Most jobs involving a single door can be completed by a technician within a few minutes once on site. For multiple doors, a master key system, or a property with a significant number of cylinders, this can range from a few hours, depending on the number of pin replacements to be done and the access hierarchy.
Can a business owner rekey locks without a pro?
While we have rekeying kits available for some makes of residential locks, most of our commercial products are higher security cylinders or master key systems/exit devices which cannot be rekeyed properly by someone without the correct training and equipment. It is also costly to repair hardware that gets accidentally broken during a rekey.
Is rekeying as secure as installing brand new locks?
Yes, provided the existing hardware is properly functional. Rekeying reconfigures the pins in the cylinder such that old keys are rendered invalid, virtually giving the same security as a new hardware package but for a fraction of the price, as it doesn’t involve replacing the entire locking mechanism.
How often does a business need to update people with keys to building management?
No golden rule; most facility managers review their key management system when new staff join, if an office changes owners, or after a lost key.
Schedule Your Commercial Lock Rekey
Getting a straight answer on price before work begins makes the whole process easier to plan around. Integrity Key Lock & Safe of Texas provides commercial locksmith services that are focused on providing honest and easy to understand, line item quotes for your commercial building security solution.
An employee might still have a key even if their badge/fob was returned to the property manager. A new owner or new lease is also an obvious telltale sign, since the old owner, contractor, or property manager likely had the spare key. Call (830) 868-8608 or email at integritylocksmithtx@gmail.com to arrange your quote!
Sources
- Federal Trade Commission. Guidance on hiring a reputable locksmith and avoiding common overcharging tactics used in the industry.
- Texas Department of Public Safety, Private Security Bureau. Overview of state licensing requirements for individual locksmiths and locksmith companies operating in Texas.
- Associated Locksmiths of America (ALOA), Find a Locksmith. Consumer guidance for finding qualified and reputable locksmith professionals.