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 Alameda
Rekeying a lock in Alameda typically costs $95 to $160 per cylinder, and for most homes built before 1950 it means pulling the original mortise or deadbolt cylinder and bench-pinning it to a new key, not swapping out the hardware. We start jobs island-wide the same day you call, and a uniformed Ridley technician can usually reach Oak Street, Bay Farm Island, or the Fernside district within 30 to 45 minutes depending on bridge traffic. You’ll get a written price before we dispatch, and the number you agree to on the phone is the number on the invoice. Call (956) 275-7388 any time, day or night. A live person answers.
Why Ridley Locksmith & Security Is Alameda’s Preferred Rekey Locks Company
Alameda homeowners hand us their keys because they’ve been burned before. We hear it constantly from customers near Webster Street and the Gold Coast: a shop quotes one price on the phone, then a technician in an unmarked van renegotiates at the door. Or the work gets done in place, no cylinder pull, and six weeks later an old tenant key still turns the lock. That doesn’t happen with us. Drew Kowalski runs our operation on a written code, The Garrison Standard, which every technician carries and every job is measured against. It’s been that way since 2007.
When we arrive at a home near Lincoln Avenue or the East End, the first thing we do is confirm the written price and show ID. The technician is background-checked, uniformed, and dispatched by our San Francisco Bay Area office specifically for Alameda work. No subcontractors. No mystery crew. And every rekey on the island carries a written one-year guarantee under our 365-Day Done Right Promise. If the lock fails inside that year, we return at no charge. That’s not a verbal promise. It’s a document you keep.
Rekey Service in Alameda
Rekey Service in Alameda means changing the internal pins inside a lock cylinder so every existing key stops working and a new key operates the lock. The lock body stays in the door. For a home near Park Street or along Otis Drive, this is what you need after a tenant moves out, a cleaner or contractor returns keys, or a set of keys goes missing somewhere between Shoreline Drive and the ferry terminals. A standard residential cylinder rekey in Alameda runs $95 to $130 per lock when we’re already on site. High-security cylinders from Medeco or Yale cost more because the pins are proprietary. Deadbolts and mortise locks take longer on pre-war hardware, which we cover below.
Cylinder Out, Bench Work, Back In
On Alameda’s older doors, we pull the cylinder, clamp it at the bench, remove the plug, and replace the bottom pins and springs to match the new key cuts. Then we reassemble, lubricate, and test with both the new key and a few common jiggle attacks. Working on a bench instead of in the door keeps old pin stacks from binding against 90 years of brass wear.
When You Need a Rekey, Not a Replacement
If your hardware functions but you’ve lost track of who holds keys, rekeying is the right call. You keep the original Schlage or Kwikset face, nobody drills into your door, and the process takes about 20 minutes per cylinder on modern locks and up to 45 on an original mortise.
Keyed Alike in Alameda
Alameda homes often have three or four different keys floating around: one for the front deadbolt, one for the side door, one for the garage. We key them alike so a single key operates every cylinder on the property. For a house near Grand Street or Bay Farm, keying all cylinders alike during an initial rekey visit runs $8 to $15 per additional lock, assuming the cylinders are in working order. It eliminates the ring of brass most Alameda homeowners have been carrying since they moved in.
Master Key Systems for Owner-Occupied Homes
Some duplex owners and live-in landlords near Central Avenue want a master key that opens all units plus individual keys that open only one. We build those systems on Kwikset and Schlage cores regularly. A basic one-master, two-change setup in Alameda starts at $160 to $220 and includes a written schematic of which key opens what.
Lever Sets and Entry Levers
If your Alameda door has a lever handle with an integrated lock, the wall thickness of the cylinder is often 1-1/8 inches rather than the standard 1 inch. We carry pin kits for both sizes, so the rekey doesn’t leave a wobble in the plug or a key that works only halfway.
Trusted Brands We Service in Alameda
Our technicians rekey and repair the full range of lock hardware found in Alameda, from the workhorse Schlage and Kwikset deadbolts on post-war bungalows to original Yale mortise bodies in Victorians off San Antonio Avenue, and high-security Medeco cylinders on Bay Farm and Harbor Bay Isle homes. We stock common pin kits, springs, and tailpieces locally, which means we’re not ordering parts and coming back a second day. If we don’t have the right pin depth for an odd-cut key, the bench kit does.
Common Rekey Locks Problems We See in Alameda Homes
- Original mortise cylinders left in place. A previous locksmith rekeyed the lock in the door, without pulling it. The worn pin stack still lets old keys turn if you wiggle them. We see this weekly in Fernside and Gold Coast homes.
- Mismatched springs from a DIY pin kit. Somebody bought a $12 rekey kit at a big box store near Oakland, used the wrong spring size. The deadbolt opens with a jiggle within a month. We reset it properly.
- Teaser call-out pricing that changed at the door. Alameda’s limited bridge access means the mainland call-center shops sometimes quote one price, then double it once they’ve crossed the Park Street Bridge and parked. We give a written price before dispatch.
- Deadbolt keyed to one side only. On an older Alameda home where a back door was rekeyed with the cylinder pinned in place, the fresh key works the front but the old tenant key still turns the back. One cylinder, not both, got re-pinned. We key every lock on the property alike when we leave.
Pricing for Rekey Locks in Alameda, CA
A standard single-cylinder rekey in Alameda runs $95 to $130. A deadbolt rekey is $105 to $160 depending on brand and condition. A high-security Medeco rekey starts at $150. Keying additional cylinders alike during the same visit adds $8 to $15 per lock. Pulling and bench-pinning an original mortise cylinder on a pre-war door takes longer, so an Alameda Victorian front door mortise plus deadbolt typically runs $180 to $260. You’ll get a written price before dispatch. We don’t add a call-out surcharge on arrival, and the price on the phone is the price on the invoice. Call (956) 275-7388 for an exact quote. Estimates are free.
We Also Serve Cities Near Alameda
When our crews aren’t crossing the bridges into Alameda, they’re covering Oakland, Piedmont, Emeryville, and Berkeley. We schedule those runs the same way: written price first, uniformed technician at the door, written one-year guarantee in hand. If you know someone near the Berkeley border who keeps a spare key under the wrong mat, they can call (956) 275-7388 too.
Serving Alameda, CA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Alameda 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 Alameda
Yes, we rekey original mortise locks, most of them from Yale, Sargent, and old Corbin lines, as well as every modern deadbolt found on the island. The mortise cylinder gets pulled from the edge of the door, bench-pinned, and reinstalled. We don’t drill or replace the body unless it’s cracked. Call (956) 275-7388 and tell us what year your house was built. We’ll give you a firm price before we come out.
Yes. That’s called keying alike. We re-pin both cylinders to the same key cuts, so one key works every door. On Alameda homes where the front deadbolt is a Schlage and the back door is a Kwikset, we can still key them alike if the keyway profiles match. If they don’t, we’ll tell you the cost to swap one cylinder so they do. The price is confirmed before we start.
No. Rekeying done at the bench with the correct pin and spring sizes extends the working life of the lock. We use factory-spec pins, not the mixed grab bags. For locks on homes near the Alameda Point and Bay Farm developments that are still under builder warranty, most manufacturers cover rekeying done by a licensed locksmith. We don’t drill, and we don’t force a plug that’s gummed up. Call us at (956) 275-7388 for the name of the pin kit spec if your warranty office asks.
The price we quote on the phone for Alameda rekey work is the written price you get before dispatch and the price on the invoice. We don’t renegotiate on the porch. When the technician arrives, they’ll be in a Ridley uniform, driving a marked vehicle, and carrying a Garrison Partners ID. If you want to see it before you open the door, we expect you to ask. Drew Kowalski holds every job to that standard. It’s written, and it’s been the standard since 2007. Call (956) 275-7388 for a free quote.
A modern deadbolt takes about 20 minutes per cylinder. An original mortise lock takes 30 to 45 when we pull and bench-pin. A typical three-bedroom Alameda home with a front mortise, a back deadbolt, a side door, and a garage lock takes about two hours in one visit. We’ll key every cylinder so one key works all of them. We bring everything to the door. The only reason we’d return is a lock that’s damaged beyond pin work, and we’ll show you the part before we recommend anything.
Written by Drew Kowalski, Owner at Ridley Locksmith & Security, part of the Garrison Partners family, serving Alameda and the East Bay since 2007.