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 San Diego
Rekeying a lock in San Diego typically costs $25 – $40 per cylinder when a technician is already on site, or $65 – $95 for the first cylinder plus $20 – $35 for each additional one when it’s a standalone trip. The work means swapping the internal pins inside your existing lock so old keys stop working, no new hardware required. We serve every neighborhood from North Park to Pacific Beach, and we quote the full price on the phone before anyone is dispatched to your door. Call (409) 405-4485 and you’ll speak to a live person who can give you an exact number for your specific locks.
Why Preston Locksmith & Security Is San Diego’s Preferred Rekey Locks Company
We’ve been rekeying locks across San Diego since 2008, and we built our reputation on something simple: the price we quote is the price you pay. Before our technician leaves the office, you get a written estimate covering every cylinder, the trip, and the labor. There’s no call-out surcharge added on arrival, and no “upgrade” pitch once we see your door. Our Rekey Locks team works under The Relay Visibility Guarantee, which means you can track our live arrival time on your phone and see before-and-after photos of the work.
Kevin Yoon, who leads our San Diego operation, insists every technician arrives in a branded uniform with company ID and a dispatch confirmation you can verify. That matters when you’re a landlord in North Park handing over keys to new tenants, or a homeowner in Clairemont who just lost a spare somewhere. We’re background-checked, we answer the phone 24/7, and we back every rekey with the 365-Day Done Right Promise: if it’s not done right, we make it right, in writing.
Rekey Deadbolt in San Diego
Rekey Deadbolt work in San Diego means removing the cylinder from your existing deadbolt, replacing the pin and tumbler stack inside it, and cutting a new key to match. The lock body stays in the door. Homeowners typically need this after buying a house, losing a key, or ending a lease. It runs $25 – $40 per cylinder when done as part of a larger job, or $65 – $95 for the first deadbolt on a standalone trip.
When a Landlord Needs It
San Diego’s rental market moves fast, especially in North Park and Pacific Beach. California Civil Code §1950.5 means landlords must rekey or replace locks between tenants, and a deadbolt rekey is usually the cheapest compliant option. We’ll give you a receipt that documents the work for your records.
What We Check Before Cutting Keys
Before we rekey a deadbolt, we verify it’s ANSI Grade 1 or at least bump-resistant. If the existing cylinder has been rekeyed too many times and the pins are worn, we’ll tell you before we start and give you a replacement price in writing, not after the fact.
Rekey House in San Diego
Rekey House service in San Diego covers every entry lock on the property: front door, back door, side door, and any deadbolts. We key them all to match one set of keys, or two if you want a landlord key plus a tenant key. The first cylinder runs $65 – $95, and each additional cylinder is $20 – $35. A typical three-lock house in Mira Mesa or La Jolla costs between $105 and $165 total.
Rental Turnover Compliance
San Diego has higher-than-average rental turnover in neighborhoods like North Park and Pacific Beach. State law requires a rekey or lock replacement between every tenancy. Most landlords choose rekeying because it’s faster, cheaper than new hardware, and satisfies the Civil Code requirement with dated documentation.
The North Park Bungalow Job
We were called to a 1920s craftsman bungalow on 30th Street in North Park where the new tenants had a single Kwikset knob lock and a worn Schlage deadbolt with no key control. We pulled the lock cylinder from both, replaced the pin and tumbler stacks to match a new key, and left the original mortise lock in place. No drilling, no new hardware, done in about 25 minutes. The landlord got a receipt showing the rekey satisfied the Civil Code requirement, and the tenants got keys that no previous renter could copy.
Trusted Brands We Service in San Diego
We rekey Schlage, Kwikset, Yale, Baldwin, and Medeco hardware daily, from standard residential deadbolts to high-security commercial cylinders. Because we stock common pin kits and cylinder parts for these brands, most San Diego jobs are finished in one visit without waiting on a parts order. If you have a Baldwin mortise lock in Coronado or a Medeco deadbolt in Chula Vista, we can usually rekey it the same day and give you the written price before we start.
Common Rekey Locks Problems We See in San Diego Homes
- Coastal salt air corrosion. Homes near Mission Beach and Ocean Beach deal with cylinder corrosion that makes key insertion stiff. We clean and lubricate the cylinder before rekeying so the new key turns smoothly from day one.
- Mixed lock brands on one door. A Kwikset knob paired with a Schlage deadbolt means two different keyways. We can rekey both to a single key, but it takes a conversion cylinder or a replacement knob, and we’ll quote that before starting.
- Old mortise locks in craftsman homes. North Park and South Park have thousands of 1920s mortise locks that big-box stores won’t service. We keep mortise cylinder pin kits on the truck and can rekey them without drilling or replacing the lock body.
- Previous tenant key copies. After a tenant moves out, you don’t know how many copies of the old key exist. Rekeying is the only way to guarantee no prior key works. A landlord in University Heights called us after realizing three former roommates each had copies.
Pricing for Rekey Locks in San Diego, CA
Here’s what you’ll actually pay in San Diego. A standalone rekey trip runs $65 – $95 for the first cylinder and $20 – $35 for each additional one. If you’re already having other locksmith work done, rekeying runs $25 – $40 per cylinder. A full house rekey of three to four locks typically lands between $105 and $200. The price is quoted on the phone before we dispatch, it’s the price on the invoice, and there is no call-out surcharge added when the technician arrives. Call (409) 405-4485 for an exact quote on your specific locks. Estimates are free.
We Also Serve Cities Near San Diego
Our San Diego office dispatches locally to Coronado, National City, Chula Vista, and Lemon Grove with the same written-price guarantee and the same trackable arrival time. If you’re just over the bridge in Coronado or south of the 54 in National City, call (409) 405-4485 and we’ll give you an exact rekey price on the phone.
Serving San Diego, CA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the San Diego 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 San Diego
Yes. California Civil Code §1950.5 requires landlords to rekey or replace locks when a tenancy ends and a new tenant moves in. Rekeying is typically the cheaper option, and we provide dated documentation that satisfies the legal requirement. Call (409) 405-4485 and we’ll quote your property’s exact rekey cost before anyone is dispatched.
A standard three-lock house rekey takes 20 to 35 minutes once we’re at the door, assuming standard Schlage, Kwikset, or Yale cylinders. Mortise locks take slightly longer due to cylinder removal. We’ll give you a live arrival time when you book, and you can track our technician as they drive to your San Diego address.
Yes. Both Schlage and Kwikset residential locks use removable cylinders that can be rekeyed by replacing the pin stack inside. The lock body stays in the door. If the cylinder is too worn from years of San Diego use, we’ll tell you before starting and give you a replacement price in writing.
That would mean the cylinder wasn’t fully pinned to the new key profile, which is exactly what our 365-Day Done Right Promise covers. We return at no charge and correct it. In practice, we test every key on-site before we leave, so you’ll see the old key fail and the new key turn before we pack up.
No. Drilling destroys the lock and turns a $25 rekey into a $150 replacement. We only drill as a last resort when a lock is seized beyond service, and we’ll never do it without your written approval. For standard rekey work on Schlage, Kwikset, Yale, Baldwin, or Medeco hardware, drilling is not part of the job.
Written by Kevin Yoon, Owner at Preston Locksmith & Security, serving San Diego since 2008.