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 Tamalpais-Homestead Valley
Rekeying locks in Tamalpais-Homestead Valley typically runs $20 – $35 per cylinder, with most hillside homes needing 3 – 6 cylinders done in a single visit. We quote the full price on the phone before anyone is dispatched, and that number is the number on your invoice. If you’ve just closed on a Homestead Valley rancher or you’re renting out a Tamalpais Valley in-law unit, call (409) 405-4485 and we’ll have a background-checked, uniformed tech at your door with a live arrival time you can track on your phone.
Why Preston Locksmith & Security Is Tamalpais-Homestead Valley’s Preferred Rekey Locks Company
We know this valley. Homestead Valley’s mid-century ranchers still carry their original Schlage and Kwikset pin-and-tumbler locks, and a lot of Tamalpais Valley homes have four, five, even six exterior doors once you count the detached studio or the in-law unit. That’s a different job than a two-door flatland house, and we quote it as such from the first phone call. No per-lock teaser rate that doubles when the tech pulls up the driveway.
Kevin Yoon has run Preston Locksmith & Security with one rule since 2008: the price is in writing before a single tool leaves the bag. Every technician is background-checked and arrives in uniform. You’ll see a photo of the tech and their live location before they knock. That’s The Relay Visibility Guarantee, and it applies to every rekey in Tamalpais-Homestead Valley.
When a rekey is done, you get before-and-after photos of each cylinder, a digital invoice with a pay link, and a written 365-Day Done Right Promise. If something isn’t right, we come back free. Phones are answered by a live person 24/7, so when you call at 9 p.m. after getting the keys to your new place, a human picks up.
Lock Rekey in Tamalpais-Homestead Valley
Lock Rekey in Tamalpais-Homestead Valley means swapping the internal pins inside each cylinder so the old keys stop turning and a new key operates the same hardware. Nothing gets replaced. The lock body, the deadbolt, the strike plate all stay. Only the pin configuration changes.
This is the right job when you’ve bought a home and don’t know how many copies of the old key are floating around with contractors, cleaners, or the previous owner’s relatives. It’s also the move when a tenant leaves a Homestead Valley rental and you need a fresh key before the next lease starts.
When to rekey instead of replacing
If the hardware is in good shape, a rekey is faster and cheaper than replacement. A standard Schlage or Kwikset cylinder in decent condition can be re-pinned in under ten minutes per lock. You keep the existing finish and hardware style.
What a multi-door rekey looks like
On a typical Tamalpais Valley hillside home, we’re rekeying three to six cylinders: front entry, back door, side door off the carport, maybe the detached studio. We repin all of them to one new key unless you want separate keys for a rental unit. Tell us on the call and we’ll set the keying plan before we dispatch.
Locksmith Rekey in Tamalpais-Homestead Valley
Locksmith Rekey in Tamalpais-Homestead Valley is the service where a Preston tech re-pins existing cylinders in place, without removing the lock from the door in most cases. It’s the most common request we get from new homeowners between Evergreen Avenue and the Homestead Valley side streets.
The job starts with a keyed-alike decision: one key for every door, or separate keys for the main house and the in-law unit. Then we pull each cylinder, swap the pins to match the new cuts, and test the old key in front of you. If the old key no longer turns, the rekey is confirmed. We photograph every cylinder before and after.
Medeco and high-security cylinders
Some Tamalpais Valley homes run Medeco or Mul-T-Lock cylinders. Those take longer because the pins are angled or telescoping. We carry the pin kits for those and can usually rekey them in one visit, though the per-cylinder rate runs higher than a standard Schlage.
Mortise locks and older hardware
Mid-century Homestead Valley homes sometimes still have mortise lock bodies. We inspect the cylinder first. If it’s a standard mortise cylinder, we can re-pin it on site. If the body is worn past service, we’ll show you the damage in a photo and quote a replacement before doing anything you didn’t approve.
Trusted Brands We Service in Tamalpais-Homestead Valley
We rekey and service Schlage, Kwikset, Medeco, and Yale hardware on a daily basis in Tamalpais-Homestead Valley. Schlage and Kwikset dominate the older Homestead Valley stock. Medeco and Yale show up more often on Tamalpais Valley homes that had a security upgrade at some point. We stock pin kits and common cylinder components for all four brands on our service vehicles, which means most multi-door rekeys finish in a single trip. No waiting on a courier for parts.
Common Rekey Locks Problems We See in Tamalpais-Homestead Valley Homes
- Undisclosed “hillside trip” fees. Some locksmiths quote a flat per-lock rate, then add a travel surcharge when they realize the address is off Panoramic Highway or up a steep Tamalpais Valley road. Our price includes getting to your door. If we quoted it on the phone, that’s the invoice total.
- The one-door quote on a six-door house. A homeowner assumes the $49 rekey covers the whole property. It covered the front door. Every other cylinder gets billed separately on arrival. We quote by cylinder count on the first call, so you see the full number before we dispatch.
- Mortise lock surprises. Older Homestead Valley ranchers sometimes have non-standard mortise cylinders that modern pin kits can’t repin. We inspect and quote a path forward before touching anything. If it needs replacement, you’ll know the price and approve it first.
- Previous keys that still turn. A poorly executed rekey can leave the old key working in one cylinder while the new key works in another. We test every old key we’re given in front of you and verify all cylinders match the new key before we leave.
Pricing for Rekey Locks in Tamalpais-Homestead Valley, CA
A standard pin-and-tumbler rekey in Tamalpais-Homestead Valley runs $20 – $35 per cylinder. Most homes need three to six cylinders, so a whole-house rekey typically lands between $80 and $210. High-security cylinders like Medeco run higher per cylinder. Mortise cylinder work falls in the $35 – $55 range.
What changes the number is cylinder count and keying plan. If you want one key for the main house and a separate key for the rental unit, that’s a different pinning scheme and we’ll price it as such. We don’t add a trip fee on arrival. We don’t add a “service call” surcharge at your door. The phone quote covers dispatch, travel, labor, and parts.
Call (409) 405-4485 for an exact quote. Estimates are free and the number we give you is the number you’ll pay.
We Also Serve Cities Near Tamalpais-Homestead Valley
Our Rekey Locks team serves Tamalpais-Homestead Valley and the surrounding Bay Area. We regularly dispatch to Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, and San Francisco. If you’re just over the line in any of those cities, the same written-price guarantee and live arrival tracking applies.
Serving Tamalpais-Homestead Valley, CA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Tamalpais-Homestead Valley 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 Tamalpais-Homestead Valley
Before dispatch you receive a text with the technician’s name, photo, and live arrival time. Our techs arrive in a Preston Locksmith & Security uniform, and you can verify the face at the door against the photo on your phone before opening it. That verification is part of The Relay Visibility Guarantee on every Tamalpais-Homestead Valley job. Call (409) 405-4485 if you ever want to confirm a dispatch directly with our office.
Most three-to-six-cylinder rekeys on Homestead Valley ranchers take 45 to 90 minutes on site. Standard Schlage and Kwikset cylinders run about ten minutes each. Medeco or mortise cylinders add time. We’ll give you a time estimate on the phone based on your cylinder count.
Yes, most standard mortise cylinders can be re-pinned on site. We inspect the cylinder first and quote before doing any work. If the mortise body itself is worn beyond reliable service, we’ll show you the issue and give you a replacement price. You approve everything before it happens.
Yes. A rekey changes the internal pin configuration, so every old key stops turning that cylinder. We test the old keys you have in front of you, and we verify every cylinder on the property is on the new key before we leave. If a copy of an old key surfaces later, it won’t turn.
Yes, the full price is quoted on the phone before dispatch and it is the price on your invoice. We don’t add trip fees or per-cylinder surprises on arrival. Call (409) 405-4485 for a free estimate, and the number you hear is the number you’ll pay.
Written by Kevin Yoon, Owner at Preston Locksmith & Security, serving Tamalpais-Homestead Valley since 2008.