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 Residential Locksmith Across Burlingame
Locked out of your apartment near Broadway, or need a deadbolt replaced on a 1930s two-flat near the Caltrain corridor? A residential locksmith in Burlingame typically charges $95 – $180 for a lockout and $25 – $45 per cylinder to rekey a lock, with most jobs completed same-day. You get a written price before dispatch, a live arrival time you can track, and a background-checked technician in uniform who arrives with the right hardware for Burlingame’s mixed housing stock. Call (409) 405-4485 and you’ll speak to a live person, not a voicemail tree.
We know this city’s doors because we work on them every week. Burlingame isn’t one kind of housing: it’s mid-century ranch homes on the flats off El Camino Real, 1920s and 1930s two-flats near the downtown core, and a dense stretch of apartments along Broadway. Each of those buildings has different lock hardware, different door prep, and different failure patterns. A locksmith who only stocks one brand of deadbolt or one standard backset will have a rough day in Burlingame. We stock parts that match what’s actually installed here.
Why Preston Locksmith & Security Is Burlingame’s Preferred Residential Locksmith Company
Preston Locksmith & Security has been doing residential locksmith work since 2008, and we’ve built our reputation in Burlingame on one thing: the price we quote on the phone is the price on the invoice. No “the lock is more complicated than we thought” surcharge after the tech arrives. No vague hourly rates that balloon. You get a written price before anyone is dispatched, and that’s the number you pay. This matters especially in Burlingame, where older mortise locks and non-standard door preps can tempt less scrupulous shops into padding the bill.
Our Burlingame customers see the same routine on every job: a live person answers the phone 24/7, a background-checked technician in uniform arrives with a trackable ETA, and before-and-after photos document the work. The 365-Day Done Right Promise backs every repair in writing, including a free second visit if a fix doesn’t hold. Kevin Yoon, who leads our team, insists on that standard because he knows Burlingame homeowners talk to their neighbors.
We’re equipped for the hardware this city actually uses: Kwikset and Schlage on builder-grade rental units, Baldwin and Yale on the nicer homes in Easton Addition, and Medeco high-security cylinders where property managers or owners want key control. If you’re in Burlingame and need a rekey, lock change, or lockout response, we’re the Residential Locksmith team that shows up with the right parts the first time.
Locked Out of Apartment in Burlingame
Locked out of apartment in Burlingame is our most common call from renters along Broadway, Carolan Avenue, and the streets around Washington Park. Getting locked out of a Burlingame apartment typically costs $95 – $180 for a standard lockout, depending on the cylinder type and whether it’s a single-cylinder deadbolt or an older mortise lock. We always try non-destructive entry first: picking or bypassing the lock without drilling. Drilling is a last resort, and we’ll tell you before we do it and confirm the added cost.
Burlingame’s apartment stock includes a lot of buildings from the 1960s through the 1980s, and many still have their original entry hardware or replacement knobs that have been rekeyed a dozen times over the years. Worn pins and loose cylinders make lockouts more frequent. Our techs carry the full range of picks, bypass tools, and replacement cylinders for Kwikset, Schlage, and Yale hardware, so we can usually get you back inside without touching the door frame.
Non-destructive entry first
Unless the lock is already failing or physically broken, we open Burlingame apartment doors without drilling. That preserves the lock, the door, and your security deposit. If you’re a renter, you don’t need landlord permission for a lockout, but if we replace any hardware we’ll document it with photos you can share with your property manager.
What to expect on the call
When you call (409) 405-4485, the dispatcher confirms your address, the lock type if you know it, and quotes a flat price before anyone leaves. You’ll get a live arrival time you can track, and the tech will text a confirmation with their name and photo before they knock.
Apartment Locksmith in Burlingame
Apartment locksmith in Burlingame work runs from a simple $25 – $45 rekey per cylinder up to $150 – $300 for replacing a deadbolt and entry knob set with new hardware. Renters near Broadway and owners of smaller buildings off El Camino Real call us most often for rekeys between tenants, lost-key replacements, and upgrading entry doors with a deadbolt where only a knob lock exists. Every job gets a written price before work starts, and the total doesn’t change when the tech arrives.
We also do a lot of apartment work for Burlingame property managers who need multiple units rekeyed in one visit. On a multi-unit property, we can key all the apartments alike with a master key system, or key each unit separately with a manager override. Burlingame zoning means many older buildings have original door slabs and frames, so we always check the backset, bore diameter, and strike alignment before recommending new hardware.
Rekey vs. replace for Burlingame renters
Rekeying is usually the right move for renters or new owners: we swap the internal pins so old keys stop working, keeping the existing visible hardware. It costs $25 – $45 per cylinder. Replacement only makes sense when the hardware is visibly failing: loose knob, heavy wear, or a deadbolt that won’t throw smoothly.
Landlord and property manager lock changes
For owners and managers in Burlingame, we document every lock change with before-and-after photos and can provide a key register. If a unit turns over and you need the locks changed same-week, we schedule multi-unit jobs without the four-hour waiting window.
Trusted Brands We Service in Burlingame
Our techs are factory-trained on the big names in residential hardware, and we stock local parts for Burlingame customers so we can finish most jobs in one visit. Kwikset is the default on a huge share of Burlingame rentals and mid-century homes: we carry their cylinders, latches, and smart key systems on the truck. Medeco is the choice for owners in the Easton Addition and Hillsborough-adjacent streets who want restricted key blanks and bump-resistant cylinders. Yale and Baldwin come up often on the pre-war homes south of Burlingame Avenue where original lock bodies are still in service and need rekeying rather than replacement. If your lock is a brand we don’t stock, we’ll tell you that on the phone and give you a timeline for ordering the right part, not a bait-and-switch alternative.
Common Residential Locksmith Problems We See in Burlingame Homes
- Original mortise locks in pre-war two-flats. Burlingame’s 1920s and 1930s buildings near the Caltrain corridor often still have their original mortise lock bodies. These aren’t built for modern keyways, and many have been worn loose by eight decades of use. We rekey or rebuild them rather than ripping out the door.
- Builder-grade Kwikset knobs failing in rentals. Apartments along Broadway and Carolan Avenue tend to have entry knobs installed in bulk during 1980s and 1990s renovations. The pins wear, the latch binds, and renters get locked out. We replace cylinders and latches the same day.
- Non-standard door prep on older homes. Burlingame ranch homes from the 1950s and 1960s often have smaller bores or odd backsets that don’t match modern deadbolts from big-box stores. We check the fit before recommending hardware.
- Coastal moisture corrosion on exterior locks. Burlingame’s bayside air is damp enough that exterior deadbolts and knobs corrode faster than inland. We see frozen cylinders and rusted tailpieces on doors facing west and south. Regular lubrication and stainless internals solve most of it.
Pricing for Residential Locksmith in Burlingame, CA
So what does a residential locksmith in Burlingame, CA actually cost? A lockout runs $95 – $180. Rekeying is $25 – $45 per cylinder. A deadbolt installation is $90 – $160 including labor, and a full lock change with new hardware runs $150 – $300. Smart lock installations start around $140 and climb depending on the lock and whether your existing bore and backset need modification, which Burlingame’s older doors often do. The only variables are the lock type and the condition of the door, and we’ll tell you the exact number on the phone before anyone is dispatched. That’s the full price. No call-out fee added at the door, no “the job changed” add-on. Call (409) 405-4485 and you’ll have a written quote in minutes.
We Also Serve Cities Near Burlingame
We run residential locksmith calls across the upper Peninsula every day, so if you’re just outside the Burlingame line we can usually get to you just as fast. Our service area includes San Mateo, Millbrae, San Bruno, and Belmont, with the same written-price promise and live arrival tracking wherever you are. If you’re in one of those areas, just call and we’ll confirm the response time for your address. More about our work in this area: Residential Locksmith in Burlingame.
Serving Burlingame, CA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Burlingame 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 Residential Locksmith in Burlingame
Yes, in most cases. We use non-destructive entry methods first on Burlingame apartment locks: picking, bypassing, or shimming depending on the hardware. Most Kwikset, Schlage, and Yale cylinders can be opened without damage. Drilling is reserved for locks that are physically broken or frozen, and we’ll confirm the cost before doing it. Call (409) 405-4485 and the dispatcher will tell you what to expect for your specific building.
Before dispatch, we send the technician’s name, photo, and a live trackable arrival time to your phone. When the tech knocks, they’re in uniform and they’ll match the photo you received. You can also ask to see the license and Burlingame business registration on the spot. We train our team to expect that question and answer it without hesitation.
Rekeying an apartment lock in Burlingame runs $25 – $45 per cylinder, and that includes the labor and new keys. Rekeying is almost always cheaper than replacing hardware, and it does the same thing: old keys stop working. We’ll confirm the per-cylinder price before we start, and the number won’t change. Call (409) 405-4485 for an exact quote for your unit.
Yes. We work on original mortise locks in Burlingame’s 1920s and 1930s two-flats and downtown buildings regularly, including rekeying, rebuilding worn internals, and replacing broken springs. Many of these lock bodies are solid brass and worth keeping. If the mortise lock is beyond repair, we’ll show you photos and recommend a replacement that fits the existing pocket.
That depends on the door and your lease. Smart locks work well on standard-prepped doors, but many Burlingame rentals have older door slabs with non-standard bores or backsets that need modification first. We’ll assess the fit and tell you honestly whether the lock you want will work, and what the install will cost. If you’re a renter, get your property manager’s written approval before we make changes to the door.
For a free estimate on any residential locksmith job in Burlingame, call (409) 405-4485. You’ll get a live person, a written price, and a trackable arrival time, every time.
Written by Kevin Yoon, Owner at Preston Locksmith & Security, serving Burlingame since 2008.






