Closing on a house in Haughton or Benton usually ends with a handshake and a ring of keys. What nobody can tell you is how many other copies of those keys are still floating around. Previous owners, their families, real estate agents, cleaning crews, and contractors may all have had access at some point. Rekeying your locks is the simplest way to make sure the only working keys belong to you.
Who Might Still Have a Key to Your New Home
Keys have a way of multiplying over the years. A previous owner might have given spares to a neighbor, a dog walker, or a relative who never returned them. During a sale, lockboxes, agents, inspectors, and repair crews can all handle keys as well.
Newer homes are not immune either. Builders and subcontractors often use the same keys throughout construction, and those keys can stay in circulation long after the final walkthrough. That applies to new construction in Haughton and Benton just as much as to older homes.
What Rekeying Does and Does Not Change
Rekeying changes the small pins inside each lock cylinder so a new key operates it. Once the pins are swapped, the old keys simply stop turning the lock. Your knobs, handles, and deadbolts stay on the door, so the outside of your home looks exactly the same.
What rekeying does not do is fix a lock that is damaged or worn-out. If a deadbolt sticks or a knob wobbles, replacing that lock may be the better choice. During the visit, we check each lock and point out any that would be better replaced.
Rekeying vs. Changing Every Lock
Many new homeowners assume they need to buy all new locks, but that usually costs more than necessary. Rekeying keeps your existing hardware and only changes the parts inside the cylinder. With pricing that starts at $25 per cylinder, it is one of the most affordable security steps you can take after closing.
Each keyed lock counts as its own cylinder, so a front door with both a knob and a deadbolt has two. Counting your exterior locks before you call makes the quote simple. Most homes have at least two or three outside doors to count.
A Simple Move-In Security Checklist
Rekeying is the biggest step, but it works best alongside a few others. None of them take long on their own. Here is a short list to work through during your first week in the house.
- Rekey every outside door, garage entry included
- Reset your garage door opener codes
- Account for every key the seller handed over
- Cut enough copies of the new key for everyone in the household
- Check window latches and sliding door locks
Most of that list takes an afternoon or less. The rekeying part is the piece we handle, and we can cut extra copies of the new key during the same visit. Each house key copy costs $4 while we are on-site.
One Key for the Whole House
Rekeying is also a chance to simplify your key ring. If your exterior locks are all made by one brand, there is a good chance we can set them to work with a single key. That leaves you carrying one key for every outside door instead of three.
Locks from different brands may not accept the same key. In that case, replacing the odd lock out with a matching brand usually solves it. A smart lock is another option, with installation starting at $95 and help connecting it to your phone.
Rekeying in Haughton and Benton
Haughton sits along I-20 east of Bossier City, and Benton serves as the seat of Bossier Parish to the north. Both are part of our regular service area, so we come to your new home with the pins, tools, and keys required. You never have to take a lock off the door and haul it to a shop.
Before we start, we confirm that you own the home with an ID and a closing document. If you are renting, check with the landlord before booking, because most leases call for approval. Once that is settled, rekeying a typical home is a straightforward job.
Schedule Your Rekey
Moving week is busy, but rekeying deserves a spot near the top of the list. Contact us, let us know how many locks the house has, and you will have a price within that same call. Our lock rekeying service covers homes throughout Haughton, Benton, Bossier City, and the rest of Bossier Parish.