Open 24 hours
Rekeying and lock changes in Toronto
Rekeying locks in Toronto changes the pins inside the cylinder you already have, so every old key stops working and a new one works instead. The hardware stays on the door. A lock change replaces the hardware itself. Rekeying is the cheaper of the two and it solves the same problem whenever the existing lock is sound.
If you have just moved into a new house, rekeying is almost always the right answer. It retires every key held by the previous owners, their relatives, and any tradesperson who ever worked on the place.
If this is happening right now
Lost all my keys
Have some photo identification ready that shows you live or work there. We need it before we open a door for anyone.
Moving in, rekey it
Count the doors that need to match one key, and check whether the deadbolt and the handle are the same brand. That is the whole quote.
Rekey or replace: how to decide
Rekey when the lock works properly and the only problem is who else might hold a key. That is the situation after a house purchase, after a tenancy ends, after a break-up, or after a set of keys goes missing.
Replace when the hardware is damaged, when the key already turns roughly, when your doors carry mismatched brands you want brought onto one key, or when you have decided to upgrade to something better than what is there. Age alone is not a reason: the security of a cylinder comes from how it is built, not from how long it has been on the door.
Changing the locks after moving house in Ontario
Nobody hands over a complete list of who holds a key to a house, because no such list exists. Previous owners, their adult children, a cleaner, a contractor, and the neighbour who watered the plants are all plausible and none of them is on the closing documents.
Count your exterior doors before you call, including the garage entry and any side or basement entrance, and check whether one key already opens more than one of them. On a recent build the deadbolt and the handle set are often already keyed alike, which makes the whole job quicker.
If you are renting, speak to the landlord before changing anything. Most Ontario tenancy agreements have something to say about it, and a lock changed without agreement can become a dispute you did not need.
One key for the whole house, or several
Most homes want one key for every exterior door. Some want two: one that opens everything for the owner, and one that opens only the front door for a tenant, a cleaner, or a family member. That second arrangement is a small master key system and it is set up at the time of the rekey rather than as extra work afterwards.
This matters most on a house with a basement apartment, which is common across Scarborough, North York, and York. Separating the units properly means the upstairs key and the downstairs key no longer open each other's door, while the owner keeps one key that opens both.
Extra keys
Decide how many you need before the visit. Keys are cut on site as part of the same job, and working out afterwards that you needed two more means a second trip.
{{TBD: starting price per cylinder for rekeying, and the price per additional key}}
Rekeying and lock change across the GTA
This is one of the jobs we are called for most in these cities. Each page covers the doors and the property stock you actually find there.
- Rekeying and lock change in Scarborough
- Rekeying and lock change in York
- Rekeying and lock change in Markham
- Rekeying and lock change in Aurora
All ten cities we cover or call (289) 460-1916 to check your address.
Request a call back
For anything that is not urgent, leave your details and we will call you. For anything that is, the phone is faster.
Toronto Prime Locksmith
287 Bridgeland Ave Ste B, North York, ON M6A 1Z4, Canada
Open 24 hours, 7 days, including holidays
What happens next. Your details go to the shop and somebody calls you back on the number you give us, {{TBD: how quickly someone calls back}}. Nothing is booked and nothing is charged until you have spoken to a person and agreed a figure.
If you are locked out right now, do not wait for a call back. Ring (289) 460-1916 and we will start straight away.
We use what you send here only to call you back about this job. See our privacy policy.
Rekeying and lock change: common questions
What is the difference between rekeying and changing the lock?
Rekeying changes the pins inside the existing cylinder so the old keys stop working and a new key works instead. The hardware stays on the door. Changing the lock replaces the hardware itself. Rekeying is the cheaper of the two and it solves the same problem whenever the existing lock is sound.
I have just moved in. Which one do I need?
Rekeying, in almost every case. It retires every key held by the previous occupants, their relatives, and any tradespeople who worked on the house. Replace the hardware instead only if it is damaged, mismatched across doors, or you have decided to upgrade it anyway.
Is rekeying as secure as a brand new lock?
Yes, provided the existing lock is in good order. The security of a cylinder comes from its construction, not from its age, and a rekeyed cylinder is as unfamiliar to an old key as a new one is. If the lock is already worn or damaged, that is an argument for replacement on its own merits.
Something not covered here? Call (289) 460-1916 and ask. We would rather answer it on the phone than have you guess.