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 Ojus
Rekeying a lock in Ojus typically runs $25 – $45 per cylinder, with most single-family homes done in under an hour once we’re at the door. That price includes the new pins, labor, and a written price before we start. Rekeying means swapping the internal pins so old keys stop working, and no new hardware is needed. Preston Locksmith & Security sends a background-checked, uniformed technician to homes across Ojus, from the ranches off Northeast 199th Street to the streets west of West Dixie Highway. Call (409) 405-4485 and a live person answers, 24/7. No voicemail tree, no callback queue.
Why Preston Locksmith & Security Is Ojus’s Preferred Rekey Locks Company
Our technicians know Ojus housing stock. A lot of the single-family homes south of the Broward line were built between the 1950s and 1970s, and many still have their original knob sets and deadbolts. That matters when you’re deciding between a rekey and a replacement. We’ve pulled enough worn Weiser and Kwikset cylinders out of Ojus doors to know within thirty seconds whether a lock will hold new pins or needs to go. Kevin Yoon, who leads our team, insists on that level of honesty because a rekey quote that blows up on the doorstep is exactly what this trade gets wrong too often.
Every Ojus job is covered by The Relay Visibility Guarantee. You get a live trackable arrival time, before-and-after photos, and a written price before a single tool leaves the bag. If the repair fails within 365 days, the second visit is free. Our 365-Day Done Right Promise is stamped on every repair. That’s not marketing language, it’s the invoice.
Rekey Service in Ojus
Rekey Service in Ojus means removing the lock cylinder, swapping the internal pins and springs for a fresh set, and cutting a new key that operates it. Old keys die on the spot. For a standard Schlage or Kwikset deadbolt on a ranch house near Ojus Elementary, the work takes twenty to thirty minutes per lock, and the cylinder goes right back into the same hardware. You don’t pay for new locks unless the cylinder is too worn to hold a reliable pin set, and if that’s the case, we show you the worn cylinder before discussing a replacement.
When Ojus Homeowners Call for a Rekey
New home purchases trigger most calls. You closed on a house off Northeast 26th Avenue and you have no idea how many prior owners or their relatives still hold keys. Rekeying every exterior lock costs less than replacing three deadbolts and gets the same result: old keys stop working. Landlords between tenants call for the same reason, and so do homeowners who lost a key at the Ojus Community Center or had a cleaning service end badly.
What a Technician Actually Does
Our tech pulls each cylinder, empties the old pins, loads a fresh pin-and-tumbler set matched to a new key, and reinstalls. We then test the key in the lock while it’s still in the door, not on the bench. One cylinder usually takes twenty to thirty minutes. If the cylinder fights us because of corrosion, which is common on the Intracoastal side of Ojus, we free it before rekeying rather than forcing it and damaging the lock body.
Keyed Alike in Ojus
Keyed Alike in Ojus means rekeying two or more locks so a single key operates all of them. The cylinders still get fresh pins, but we match the new pin heights across every lock on the property. For the typical Ojus ranch with a front deadbolt, a rear knob set, and a side door, keying all three alike runs roughly $75 – $135 total, depending on cylinder condition and whether any need freeing first.
Why One Key Beats Three
Most 1960s and 1970s Ojus houses were built with different keyways on the front and back doors. The front got a deadbolt, the back got a knob lock, and they were never matched. Keying them alike kills the bulky ring of keys and makes it far less likely a family member gets locked out in the rain during a summer storm. It’s also a practical step for a landlord who wants one key for the front, the back, and the utility room.
When Keyed Alike Goes Wrong Without It
A landlord off Northeast 199th Street near the Ojus Mobile Home Park called us because a tenant had moved out and two prior tenants still had keys to the front deadbolt and the rear mortise lock. Our tech pulled both cylinders, rekeyed them to a fresh pin sets on one new key, and keyed the two doors alike so old keys were dead the moment we handed over the new one. Done in under an hour, no hardware replaced.
Trusted Brands We Service in Ojus
We rekey Schlage, Kwikset, and Yale cylinders daily across Ojus, and we’re trained on Medeco and Mul-T-Lock high-security systems for commercial doors and multi-family buildings. Most older Ojus homes have builder-grade Kwikset or Weiser cylinders, which are standard work for us, but plenty of newer townhomes east of West Dixie Highway use Schlage deadbolts with anti-pick pins. We stock pins, tailpieces, and clip rings for these brands so we’re not waiting on a parts run when your lock is already off the door. That matters when the tech is already standing in your carport.
Common Rekey Locks Problems We See in Ojus Homes
- Worn 1970s cylinders that won’t hold new pins. The brass tumbler holes elongate over fifty years of daily use, and a fresh pin set just slops around. We spot this within the first minute and show you before recommending a replacement cylinder rather than a rekey.
- Mismatched hardware on the front and back doors. A lot of Ojus ranches have an ANSI Grade 1 deadbolt up front and a builder-grade knob set in back. Keying them alike can mean a small additional pin kit, and we quote that before anyone is dispatched, not after the cylinders are on the bench.
- Humidity and salt-air corrosion on the Intracoastal side. Locks a few blocks from Oleta River State Park take a beating from airborne salt. Cylinders seize, and a rekey that should take twenty minutes can stall on a seized retainer clip that needs freeing first. We carry penetrating oil and replacement clips for exactly this.
- Tenant turnover with duplicate keys floating around. Ojus has a steady rental market, and landlords often don’t know how many copies of a key were made by three tenants ago. A rekey after every move-out is the cheapest way to reset access without swapping door hardware.
Pricing for Rekey Locks in Ojus, FL
A rekey in Ojus runs $25 – $45 per cylinder for standard Schlage, Kwikset, and Yale locks. Most single-family homes have three to four exterior cylinders, so $75 – $140 covers the typical house, assuming no cylinders need freeing or replacement. High-security systems like Medeco or Mul-T-Lock run higher because the pin kits cost more and the cylinders require specialized followers. The price you get on the phone is the price on the invoice. Full stop. We don’t add a call-out surcharge on arrival, and we don’t discover hidden work after we’re already in your driveway. If a cylinder is too worn to rekey, we show you the worn part and quote a replacement before doing anything. Call (409) 405-4485 for an exact quote, estimates are free.
We Also Serve Cities Near Ojus
Preston Locksmith & Security handles Rekey Locks calls across the North Dade area, including Miami, Hialeah, Miami Gardens, and Homestead. Our Ojus crew is dispatched from our South Florida scheduling office, and we coordinate arrival times with live tracking so you always know where the tech is. If you’re in a neighboring city and need a rekey with a written price before work starts, the same guarantee applies.
Serving Ojus, FL - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Ojus 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 Ojus
Yes, in most cases. The original builder-grade Kwikset or Weiser cylinders from that era can be rekeyed as long as the internal pin chambers aren’t so worn that new pins won’t seat reliably. We’ll pull the cylinder, inspect it, and rekey it on the spot if it’s sound. If it’s too far gone, we’ll show you the wear and quote a replacement cylinder before doing the work. Call (409) 405-4485 and we’ll give you an honest read over the phone first.
Before our tech arrives, you get a live trackable arrival time and a photo of the technician, so you see the face and the uniform before the knock. Our techs are background-checked and arrive in branded attire. The written price is sent before anyone is dispatched, so there’s no mystery person showing up with a different quote. If anything doesn’t match, call us at (409) 405-4485 and we’ll confirm in real time.
Rekey is the cheaper and faster fix. For $25 – $45 per cylinder, the old keys stop working and you get new ones. Replacing a deadbolt costs $60 – $120 or more for the hardware alone, and you’re still paying labor. Unless the deadbolt is physically failing, a rekey resets access completely. Call (409) 405-4485 and we’ll quote both options so you can choose with real numbers.
A standard rekey on a single cylinder takes twenty to thirty minutes. A full house with three or four exterior locks, including keying them alike, usually runs forty-five minutes to an hour and a half, depending on cylinder condition. Humidity corrosion on the Intracoastal side can add time if a cylinder needs freeing. We quote the estimated window before dispatch and keep you updated with the live arrival tracker.
Yes. We rekey Kwikset, Schlage, and Yale cylinders daily, and we’re trained on Medeco and Mul-T-Lock high-security systems. Keying different brands alike is possible when the cylinders share the same keyway, and we’ll tell you up front if yours don’t. The price is already in writing before a single tool leaves the bag. Call (409) 405-4485 for a free estimate on keying your Ojus home to one key.
Written by Kevin Yoon, Owner at Preston Locksmith & Security, serving Ojus since 2008.