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 Key Biscayne
Rekeying locks in Key Biscayne typically costs $85 – $190 for the first lock and $25 – $45 for each additional cylinder, with most homes done in under two hours. We serve the entire island, from the Village of Key Biscayne to the oceanfront condos along Crandon Boulevard. If you’ve just closed on a home, lost a key, or ended a relationship with someone who still has access, call (956) 275-7388 and a live person answers. We do not route you to a call center, and we do not send someone to your door without a written price in your hand first.
Why Ridley Locksmith & Security Is Key Biscayne’s Preferred Rekey Locks Company
Ridley Locksmith & Security operates under The Garrison Standard, a written code that every technician signs onto before they ever touch a lock in Key Biscayne. That code requires a written price before work starts, a written one-year guarantee on every repair, and a background-checked, uniformed technician on every call. Drew Kowalski runs our operation, and he holds every job to the same benchmark whether it’s a single deadbolt in a condo on Crandon Boulevard or a full rekey of a gated waterfront property.
Key Biscayne customers have learned to ask who is actually coming through the gate. Our technicians arrive in marked vehicles, in uniform, and they carry identification that matches the name on the dispatch. If you’re in the Village of Key Biscayne near the Village Green, or down at the south end by Cape Florida, you know the person at your door is the person we described on the phone.
Our response time to most of Key Biscayne is under 45 minutes during normal business hours. We schedule rekey work across the island every day, and because we are part of the Garrison Partners family operating since 2007, we carry the parts and pin kits for the hardware already on your doors, not just what we happen to have in the van.
Lock Rekey in Key Biscayne
Lock Rekey in Key Biscayne is the process of changing a lock’s internal pin and tumbler configuration so the old keys stop working, without replacing the lock body, the deadbolt throw, or the trim. For most Key Biscayne homes, this is the right call after a closing, after a tenant moves out, or after a key goes missing. A typical single-cylinder rekey runs $85 – $110 per lock, and a high-security cylinder like a Medeco or Mul-T-Lock runs $135 – $190. The price is written down before we begin, and it is the price on your invoice.
Pin and Tumbler Work on Existing Hardware
On Key Biscayne, most doors are still wearing the hardware the builder hung in the 1960s through the 1980s. That’s good news. A Schlage or Kwikset cylinder from that era rekeys cleanly because the brass is solid and the pin chambers are still true. We pull the plug, swap the pins, bench-check the key, and reinstall. Old keys are dead before we leave the driveway.
High-Security and Smart Lock Cylinders
Some Key Biscayne homeowners have moved to high-security hardware from Medeco or Mul-T-Lock, or to smart locks with cylinders that accept both a key and a code. These rekeys cost more because the pins and keys are proprietary and factories control the key blanks. We are certified on those lines, and we rekey them the same day in most cases.
Locksmith Rekey in Key Biscayne
Locksmith Rekey in Key Biscayne is what we do when the door slab has shifted and the cylinder no longer sits square in the bore. It is the same pin and tumbler work, but the fitting matters more here. On the island’s 1960s – 80s concrete-block ranch homes, the salt air and seasonal humidity swell the wood door cores, and many cylinders bind on the door even though they test fine on the bench. A thorough Rekey Locks job on this island means checking every key in the existing cylinder before rehanging it, then operating the lock with the door actually closed.
Fitting to Shifted Doors in Older Key Biscayne Homes
If a cylinder binds after a rekey, the problem is rarely the pins we just set. It is the door slab or the strike alignment. We square the bore, adjust the strike plate if needed, and test the key under real door pressure. That extra fitting step is priced honestly, and we tell you before we do it.
Multi-Lock Keying on a Single Property
Many Key Biscayne homes mix hardware brands: a Kwikset knob on the front, a Baldwin mortise lock on the rear slider, a Schlage deadbolt on the garage. We rekey all of them to a single key in one visit. Each cylinder gets its own pins, but the key cuts match, so one key turns every door. The old keys, all of them, stop working.
Trusted Brands We Service in Key Biscayne
We carry pin kits and parts for the hardware already on Key Biscayne doors: Schlage, Kwikset, Yale, and Baldwin on the residential side, plus Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, Abloy, and Sargent for high-security properties. If your condo building on Crandon Boulevard uses a restricted keyway, we can match it. Because our van stock is set up for this island’s housing mix, we rarely need to leave for parts. Most rekeys are finished in one trip, same day, with a written guarantee in your hand.
Common Rekey Locks Problems We See in Key Biscayne Homes
- Swollen door slabs from salt air and humidity. Concrete-block homes from the 1960s through the 1980s have door cores that swell in the island climate. A rekey that tests clean on the bench can bind on the door unless it’s fitted in place, and we check every cylinder against its own key before we rehang it.
- A phone quote given before the cylinder is seen. On older Key Biscayne homes, the bore has often shifted with the door slab, so a rekey that should be quick turns into extra fitting time nobody priced in. Our written price comes after we see the lock, not before.
- Hardware replaced instead of rekeyed. Off-island locksmiths often default to swapping the whole deadbolt or knob set on island jobs because they don’t carry the pin kits. That charges you new-hardware money for what should have been a pin and tumbler rekey. We rekey first, and replace only what actually needs replacing.
- No way to verify who is at the door. Many Key Biscayne homes sit behind gates or courtyard walls. A third-party dispatcher cannot confirm the technician’s identity before you let them in. Our technicians arrive in marked vehicles with identification that matches the dispatch, so you know exactly who is coming through the gate.
Pricing for Rekey Locks in Key Biscayne, FL
A standard pin and tumbler rekey in Key Biscayne runs $85 – $110 for the first lock and $25 – $45 for each additional cylinder. High-security brands like Medeco or Mul-T-Lock run $135 – $190 per cylinder because the key blanks and pins are proprietary. If the door slab has shifted and we need to square the bore or adjust the strike, that fitting work adds $30 – $60 per door, and we tell you before we do it. Every quote is written before work begins. It is the price on the invoice. No service call surcharge added on arrival, no bait number on the phone that changes at the door. Call (956) 275-7388 for an exact quote. Estimates are free.
On Key Biscayne, the typical rekey job is 45 – 90 minutes for three or four cylinders. That includes bench-checking each plug before it is reinstalled, testing every key after the door is hung, and handing you the written guarantee. The 365-Day Done Right Promise covers the repair for one full year. If the work fails inside that window, we come back at no charge. Not a verbal promise. A document.
We Also Serve Cities Near Key Biscayne
When residents of Miami Beach, Miami, Coral Gables, or Hialeah ask whether we cross the Rickenbacker, the answer is yes. Our crews dispatch from a South Florida metro office and serve Key Biscayne along with those neighboring cities daily. The same written price, the same written guarantee, the same uniformed technician.
Serving Key Biscayne, FL - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Key Biscayne 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 Key Biscayne
Every Ridley technician arrives in a marked vehicle, in uniform, and carries identification that matches the name given on the dispatch call. When you call (956) 275-7388, a live person gives you the technician’s name before they leave for Key Biscayne. You can verify that name at the door before you open the gate. We never use subcontractors, and we never send an unmarked van to a Key Biscayne address.
Older concrete-block homes on Key Biscayne have door slabs that swell and settle in the salt air, and the cylinder bore often shifts with them. A rekey that tests fine on the bench can bind once the cylinder is reinstalled, and that extra fitting time is real work. We price the rekey after seeing the lock, not before, and we give you a written price before any work begins. That is the number on your invoice. Call (956) 275-7388 if you want an exact quote for your home.
Yes. We rekey every cylinder on the property to match a single key, regardless of brand. A Schlage deadbolt, a Kwikset knob, and a Baldwin mortise lock all have different cylinders, but we cut the pins so one key operates all of them. That is standard practice for us on Key Biscayne properties, and it is done in one visit. Old keys die as soon as the new key is cut.
No. Rekeying is done by removing the cylinder, swapping the internal pins, and reinstalling the same hardware. No drilling is involved unless the lock is already damaged or you have lost all working keys. In that case, we may need to remove the cylinder by drilling or shimming it, and we tell you before we do it. For most Key Biscayne homes, the door and hardware stay exactly as they are.
Rekey the locks. On Key Biscayne, the previous owner’s keys, their housekeeper’s keys, their contractor’s keys, and any spare given to a neighbor are all out there. Rekeying kills all of them for $85 – $110 per lock, which is a fraction of what replacing the hardware costs. We recommend rekeying every exterior cylinder on the day you close. Call (956) 275-7388 to schedule it before you move in.
Written by Drew Kowalski, Owner at Ridley Locksmith & Security, serving Key Biscayne under The Garrison Standard since 2007.