Locksmith & Rekeying: A Property Manager's Buyer's Guide

What the work involves

A locksmith call for a rental or commercial property usually falls into one of three buckets: rekeying (replacing the pins inside an existing lock cylinder so old keys no longer work, without replacing the hardware), full lock or hardware replacement (when a lock is damaged, outdated, or being upgraded to a higher security grade), and master-key system work (designing or repairing a hierarchy where a master key opens many units and individual keys open only one).

Rekeying after every tenant move-out is standard risk management for multifamily property, since there is no reliable way to know how many uncontrolled copies of the old key exist. For larger portfolios, some managers move to a keyway or restricted-key system that prevents unauthorized key duplication at hardware stores entirely.

How to scope and compare bids

• Ask for itemized per-door pricing (rekey vs. full replacement) rather than a single lump sum across a whole building.
• Clarify whether the bid includes common-area doors, mailboxes, gates, and storage units, or only unit entry doors.
• Ask whether the locksmith will preserve or redesign your master-key hierarchy, and get a written key-control log update.
• Confirm turnaround time for emergency lockout or break-in calls versus scheduled turnover work — these are usually priced differently.

Questions to ask before hiring

• Are you licensed and insured, and can you provide proof?
• Do you provide a written key-control log after rekeying multi-unit properties?
• What lock grades (ANSI/BHMA Grade 1, 2, or 3) do you install, and what's the price difference?
• Can you match or upgrade existing hardware finishes and door prep without replacing the whole door?

Red flags

• A locksmith who can't or won't provide a business license or insurance certificate on request.
• Pricing that's dramatically below other bids for the same scope — often a sign of unlicensed or uninsured labor.
• No written record of keys cut or master-key changes, which creates the same uncontrolled-key risk you were trying to fix.
• Pressure to pay in full, upfront, in cash, before any work is inspected.

How this interacts with guard coverage

Patrol officers routinely spot propped-open common doors, damaged strike plates, or broken gate locks during rounds and report them — but the actual rekey or repair needs a licensed locksmith. Fast turnaround between a patrol report and a locksmith's actual repair is what keeps a small hardware failure from becoming a real access-control gap.