Non-destructive entry first, always - and we re-key Schlage, Kwikset, and Baldwin locks on the spot while you watch
You get a price before we start. It does not change when we arrive. No surprises.
Fast, Reliable Rekey Locks Across Corte Madera
Rekeying a lock in Corte Madera typically costs $85 to $145 per cylinder, and in most cases we can have a technician at your door the same day you call. The work involves swapping the internal pins inside the cylinder so your old keys stop working and a new key takes over. No new hardware, no drilling in most cases, and the full price is quoted in writing before anyone is dispatched. Call (409) 405-4485 and a live person answers, any hour. If you just bought a house near Madera del Presidio Drive, let a contractor go after a remodel, or lost track of who has a copy of your key, rekeying is the fastest way to regain control of who can get in your door.
We know Corte Madera’s housing stock well, from the 1960s and 70s ranchers along Tamalpais Drive to the newer townhomes near The Village. Damp air off the bay works its way into exposed lock hardware here in ways you won’t find a few miles inland in Kentfield, and that changes how we approach a rekey. We plan for a cylinder that needs freeing first. Then we re-pin it.
Why Preston Locksmith & Security Is Corte Madera’s Preferred Rekey Locks Company
Preston Locksmith & Security has operated since 2008, and our Rekey Locks team works on everything from standard Schlage and Kwikset deadbolts to high-security Medeco and Baldwin cylinders. We are part of the Relay Home Co. family, but this location is independently owned and operated, which means the person who answers your call actually knows the Corte Madera schedule rather than reading from a national script.
The review count we quote is zero because we won’t invent one. What we will say is this: every Corte Madera job comes with The Relay Visibility Guarantee. You get a written price before work starts, a live arrival time you can track on your phone, before-and-after photos of the lock, and a written guarantee on the repair. If it isn’t done right, we come back free under the 365-Day Done Right Promise. That is the reason Corte Madera homeowners call us back when a second lock needs work, and it is the reason we don’t advertise a teaser number and then pad the invoice after the tech walks the property.
Response time to Corte Madera depends on where you are. Homes off Paradise Drive near the marsh typically see us within an hour on a weekday. Homes up in Marin Estates, where the roads curl a bit more, may run closer to ninety minutes. Either way, you’ll see the live arrival time before the van leaves, and a background-checked, uniformed technician is the one who knocks.
Keyed Alike in Corte Madera
Keyed Alike in Corte Madera means taking every lock on your entry doors, back doors, and side gates and re-pinning the cylinders so one key turns them all. It’s a common request when we meet a Corte Madera homeowner with a key ring that has five nearly identical brass keys that each open a different door. You’d rather carry one.
The job takes most of an afternoon on a typical 3-bedroom home here, running $275 to $420 for three or four cylinders including the call-out, labor, and two new keys per lock. Schlage and Kwikset cylinders rekey clean. Medeco costs more because the pins and the key blanks are more expensive, closer to $160 per cylinder.
The re-pinning process
Each cylinder gets pulled, disassembled, and rebuilt with new pins matched to a single key code. The old keys die right there on the bench. We clean the cylinder before the new pins go in, which matters near the water, and we test every key three times before we call the job done.
When one key makes sense
If your front door is a Schlage deadbolt but the laundry room door off the garage is an old Kwikset knob, keyed alike often still works. We may need to swap one cylinder to match the keyway, and we can tell you that on the phone before you commit. You’ll know the full price before dispatch, not after the tech arrives.
Rekey Deadbolt in Corte Madera
Rekey Deadbolt in Corte Madera usually costs $95 to $145 for a single-cylinder deadbolt, which is the most common door lock in Corte Madera, and it means that old keys stop working while the deadbolt stays on the door and the door stays in its frame. It’s the faster and cheaper alternative to replacing the hardware, typically done in 15 to 25 minutes per lock once the technician starts. If your deadbolt is a smart lock from Kwikset or a high-security Baldwin, the rekey still works the same way, though the cylinder can cost more, closer to $170.
Most Corte Madera front doors have a deadbolt paired with a knob or lever. We rekey both to the same key at the same time, which runs $180 to $250 for the pair. A single deadbolt on its own is quicker still. You get the price in writing before we roll, and that price is the price on the invoice.
How long per deadbolt
Fifteen to twenty-five minutes per lock, plus the trip. A home with three deadbolts and matching knobs usually keeps a tech busy for ninety minutes to two hours in total, assuming the cylinders don’t need extra work from corrosion, which we plan for in Corte Madera.
When rekeying beats replacing
If your deadbolt is functioning, holds the door tight, and just needs key control back, rekey the cylinder. It costs less than half of what a new deadbolt runs, and the hardware stays matched to the rest of the trim. You replace the deadbolt when it’s worn, damaged, or you want an upgrade to a smart or high-security model, not just to change the key.
Trusted Brands We Service in Corte Madera
We keep a rolling kit stocked for Schlage, Kwikset, and Medeco cylinders, which covers most Corte Madera doors. Our techs are trained on Baldwin, Abloy, Mul-T-Lock, and Sargent hardware as well, from residential deadbolts to small commercial storefronts along Tamalpais Drive. If your lock is a Medeco high-security cylinder, we order the key blanks and have access to the pinning data through our distributor, so the rekey works the first time. Because we stock common Schlage and Kwikset pins locally, we aren’t waiting on a part to finish the job. Standard rekeys happen the same day.
Common Rekey Locks Problems We See in Corte Madera Homes
- Corroded cylinders off the bay. Winter salt fog and damp air seep into brass and zinc cylinders on older homes near the Corte Madera Ecological Reserve. Pins stick, springs weaken, and the key feels gritty. We free the cylinder before re-pinning.
- Teaser pricing after a move-in. A new owner calls a number they found online, gets a “starting at” figure, then the on-site tech finds a stiff cylinder and the bill climbs. We quote the full price before dispatch so there’s no after-the-fact surprise.
- Contractors holding keys. After a kitchen remodel or a landscape crew seasons in Corte Madera, neighbors on San Clemente Drive and around the marsh realize they don’t have a record of every key copy. Rekeying resets that.
- Unverified technicians at the door. We hear about anonymous “locksmiths” showing up to Corte Madera addresses with no company markings. Our tech arrives in uniform, in a marked vehicle, with a live arrival time you already tracked, and we show you the written price before any work begins.
Pricing for Rekey Locks in Corte Madera, CA
We Also Serve Cities Near Corte Madera
Preston Locksmith & Security handles rekey jobs across Corte Madera and the surrounding area, including Larkspur, Mill Valley, Kentfield, and San Rafael. If your home is in one of those nearby cities, the pricing and process stay the same: written quote first, live arrival tracking, and a written guarantee on the work.
Serving Corte Madera, CA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Corte Madera area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage - if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
FAQs About Rekey Locks in Corte Madera
How long does a rekey actually take on a typical Corte Madera home?
Most Corte Madera homes take 45 to 90 minutes total for two or three locks, assuming the cylinders aren’t badly corroded. If damp air off the bay has seized a cylinder, which we see regularly on older homes near the marsh, plan for an extra 15 minutes per lock while we free it before re-pinning. Call (409) 405-4485 for a same-day window.
Why would I rekey instead of replacing my locks?
Rekeying costs $85 to $145 per cylinder and keeps your existing hardware, while replacing a deadbolt typically runs $160 to $300 per lock installed. If your hardware is in good shape and you want new key control, rekeying is the better spend. If the deadbolt is worn or you want a smart or high-security upgrade, replacing may be the right call, and we can tell you which makes sense before you pay for anything.
Can you rekey my locks so one key opens everything?
Yes, keyed alike means one key opens every lock on the house, including deadbolts, knobs, side doors, and gates. A typical three or four-cylinder keyed-alike job in Corte Madera runs $275 to $420. You’ll get two keys per lock and the full price before we dispatch.
How do I know the person at my door is really from your company?
Our technician arrives in uniform, in a marked vehicle, and you will have already received a live arrival time through The Relay Visibility Guarantee that you can track from your phone. We walk through the written price before any tools come out, and we document the entire job with before-and-after photos. Kevin Yoon, who leads the Preston Locksmith & Security team, holds a simple rule: if the written quote doesn’t match what the tech says at the door, stop and call the office, because something is wrong.
Do you have to drill my lock to rekey it?
In almost every case, no. A rekey is done by picking the lock or using the existing key, pulling the cylinder, and swapping the pins. Drilling is a last resort for a seized or broken lock and we will tell you on the phone if we think there’s a chance of it based on what you describe. Call (409) 405-4485 with your address and what the lock is doing, and we will give you a straight answer before you’re committed to anything.
Call Preston Locksmith & Security for Rekey Locks in Corte Madera
Call (409) 405-4485, and you’ll reach a live person, not a voicemail tree. We’ll ask what locks you have, get you a written price range before dispatch, and send a background-checked, uniformed technician with a live arrival time you can track. Every rekey in Corte Madera is covered by the 365-Day Done Right Promise: if it’s not done right, we make it right, free of charge. One call, one key, no games.
Written by Kevin Yoon, Owner at Preston Locksmith & Security, serving Corte Madera and Marin County.