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.
Before
AfterFast, Reliable Rekey Locks Across Alamo
If you’ve just bought a home in Alamo, fired a contractor, had a tenant move out, or lost a key somewhere between Stone Valley Road and Danville Boulevard, the answer is usually the same: rekey the locks. Rekeying changes the internal pins inside each cylinder so the old keys stop working, and new keys are cut to match. It’s faster and less expensive than swapping out the hardware, and on most Alamo homes it takes about 20 to 40 minutes per lock. Call (956) 275-7388 and we’ll give you a written price before any technician is dispatched.
We’ve worked on enough Alamo properties to know what’s behind the door before we open it. Older ranch homes off La Serena and Hemme carry original mortise cylinders. Gated estates up near the Diablo foothills run Schlage and Baldwin hardware with keyways that don’t play well with generic pins. A Rekey Locks job here rarely means one lock. It means a matched set, a written key count, and a guarantee that the old keys are actually dead.
Why Ridley Locksmith & Security Is Alamo’s Preferred Rekey Locks Company
Ridley Locksmith & Security has operated as part of the Garrison Partners family since 2007, and every technician runs on The Garrison Standard. That’s not a slogan. It means we arrive in a marked van, in uniform, with a background check already on file, and we hand you a written price before the first screw comes out. If you’ve ever had a locksmith quote one number on the phone and a different one at the door, you understand why we put it on paper.
Alamo homeowners call us because the person who shows up is the person you were told to expect. Drew Kowalski leads our team, and he holds every technician and every job to The Garrison Code: confirm the hardware, agree on the price in writing, do the work cleanly, and leave with the locks tested and the customer holding every key. That’s the whole job. A rekey that leaves one old key working isn’t a rekey.
The reviews we get from Alamo homeowners and business owners mention the same things: the tech knew the hardware, the bill matched the quote, and the work was backed by a document that says we’ll return free if it fails inside a year. That’s the 365-Day Done Right Promise, and it’s written on every job we do.
Keyed Alike in Alamo
Keyed Alike is what we call matching multiple locks in your Alamo home to a single key. If your front door, side gate, and laundry room each take a different key, we re-pin each cylinder to the same keyway and cut one key that works them all. For Alamo homeowners with three or four exterior doors on different brands, this is one of the most common requests we get. The cost in Alamo typically runs $25 to $35 per cylinder when multiple locks are keyed alike in one visit, depending on the brand and whether any cylinder is a mortise body.
When Single-Key Makes Sense
You just closed on a 1960s rancher off Danville Boulevard and the previous owners handed over a ring with seven keys. Keyed alike cuts that down to one. It also simplifies things for a new tenants, a nanny, or aging parents who don’t want to fumble through four keys at the front door.
A Straightforward Job, Done on Site
Our tech removes each lock cylinder, replaces the existing pins with ones matched to a single key code, and reassembles. We cut fresh keys on the spot and test every cylinder in front of you. No hardware gets replaced unless something is actually broken, and if it is, we show you before any additional cost is discussed.
Rekey Deadbolt in Alamo
Rekey Deadbolt work in Alamo means changing the internal pins on your deadbolt cylinder so old keys no longer turn it. It’s the fastest way to close off access after a tenant vacates a rental on the east side of Alamo, or after a contractor who had a key finishes a remodel. Cost in Alamo runs $30 to $45 per deadbolt for standard Schlage or Kwikset cylinders, and $45 to $70 per deadbolt when we’re dealing with high-security or Baldwin hardware. Those prices are set before we arrive and written down.
High-Security and ANSI Grade 1 Deadbolts
Some of the newer homes off Stone Valley Road have Medeco or Mul-T-Lock deadbolts. Those use restricted keyways and signature cards, so a generic rekey won’t work and could damage the cylinder. We hold certification to service those lines, which is not something every shop in the area can say. Rekeying a high-security cylinder takes longer and costs more, but it keeps the restricted key control intact.
Old Deadbolts With Life Left
If your deadbolt is original to a 1980s build and still engages the strike plate cleanly, a rekey makes more sense than replacement. We clean the cylinder, re-pin it, and test the throw and the alignment. If the lock fights the bolt or the strike is misaligned, we’ll tell you and give you a written price to correct it.
Trusted Brands We Service in Alamo
Our techs work on the full range of hardware we see across Alamo: standard residential lines like Schlage and Kwikset, higher-end Baldwin and Yale, and restricted high-security systems from Medeco and Mul-T-Lock. Because we service all of them, a rekey call that starts as one brand often becomes a two-brand job without a second dispatch. We keep common pins, key blanks, and cylinder parts in our service vehicles, which means most Alamo rekeys are completed in a single visit. If your property runs a mix of brands across the house, we can key them alike or rekey them to separate keys, your call.
Common Rekey Locks Problems We See in Alamo Homes
- Mixed mortise and pin-and-tumbler hardware on one property. An estate home can have a Baldwin mortise on the front door, a Schlage deadbolt on the garage entry, and a Kwikset knob on the pool gate. A rekey that only covers one brand leaves old keys valid on the rest.
- Worn or painted-over cylinders on older builds. Original hardware from the 1950s and 60s is often buried under layers of paint or gummed up with decades of dust. We free the cylinder non-destructively where possible and re-key it in place rather than forcing a replacement.
- No key count after a sale or tenancy change. Homeowners off Livorna Road sometimes can’t tell us how many keys are out there. We re-pin to a fresh key code and cut a documented number of new keys so you know exactly what exists and who has one.
- Teaser quotes that don’t hold. A homeowner is told $19 over the phone, then hit with “mortise labor” charges when the tech arrives. We confirm lock types before dispatch and the written price you get on the phone is the written price you sign before work starts.
Pricing for Rekey Locks in Alamo, CA
Here’s honest money talk for Alamo. Standard pin-and-tumbler rekeys (Schlage, Kwikset, Yale) run $25 to $45 per cylinder. Baldwin and other premium residential hardware runs $35 to $60 per cylinder. High-security lines like Medeco or Mul-T-Lock run $45 to $85 per cylinder, because the pin kits cost more and the work requires certified handling. A typical Alamo home with four exterior locks will land between $140 and $260 total. That includes new keys cut, all cylinders tested, and a written guarantee. We do not add a call-out surcharge on arrival, and the price you agree to on the phone is the price on the invoice. Call (956) 275-7388 and we’ll walk you through exactly what your job will cost before a truck rolls.
We Also Serve Cities Near Alamo
Our crews serve Alamo and the surrounding corridor. That includes Walnut Creek to the northeast, Moraga and Lafayette to the west, and Danville to the south. If your property sits near the Alamo-Danville line or up toward the Lafayette border, we can usually reach you inside 45 minutes. Dispatch and scheduling are coordinated from our San Francisco Bay Area office, and the crews covering Alamo are local to this area.
Serving Alamo, CA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Alamo 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 Alamo
A four-lock rekey in Alamo takes about 60 to 90 minutes on site. That includes removing each cylinder, re-pinning, reassembling, cutting keys, and testing every lock in front of you. Call (956) 275-7388 and we’ll quote a written price for your exact setup.
Most original mortise locks in Alamo’s older ranch and estate homes can be rekeyed in place without replacement. We service Baldwin and Schlage mortise bodies and carry the pins needed on the truck. If the body is seized or internally broken, we’ll show you before recommending a replacement and give you a written price either way.
We service Schlage, Kwikset, Yale, Baldwin, Medeco, and Mul-T-Lock, among others. That covers the standard hardware on older Alamo homes and the restricted key systems on newer gated properties. A written estimate for your specific hardware is free.
Our technician arrives in a marked Ridley vehicle, wearing a uniform and carrying identification that matches the dispatch. We confirm the job details and price in writing before any work starts. You’ll always know who’s at your door and what they’re about to do.
In most Alamo homes, yes. We key all exterior cylinders alike so one key operates every outside door, even when the hardware is a mix of Schlage, Kwikset, and Baldwin. High-security keyways can sometimes be keyed alike too, though fresh signature cards may be needed. Call (956) 275-7388 for a written price.
Written by Drew Kowalski, Owner at Ridley Locksmith & Security, serving Alamo under The Garrison Standard.