Rekey or Replace? The Question Most Houston Homeowners Get Wrong

A customer in Bellaire once asked us to replace six perfectly good Schlage deadbolts because her ex still had a key. We could have said yes and charged triple. Instead we rekeyed all six in under an hour for about $180, and she got exactly what she actually wanted: his key stopped working.

That conversation happens weekly. So let's settle it.

What rekeying actually does

Inside your lock cylinder there's a row of pins. Your key's cuts match those pins; that's the whole magic. Rekeying means we swap the pins for a different set — the lock stays on your door, the old keys die instantly, and you walk away with fresh keys that work in a lock you already own.

Ten to fifteen minutes per lock. A fraction of replacement cost.

Rekey when...

• You bought a house. Builders, contractors, the previous owner's dog sitter, the neighbor who watered plants in 2019 — you have no idea who's holding copies. Every home purchase should end with a rekey. Every single one.
• A key went missing and the locks themselves are fine.
• A roommate, tenant, contractor, or relationship moved out with a key and less-than-warm feelings.
• You want one key for every door. If your front, back, and garage locks are the same brand, we can key them alike. People are weirdly delighted by this one — it's cheap and it fixes a daily annoyance forever.

Replace when...

• The hardware is failing. Key sticks, deadbolt needs a shoulder shove, cylinder spins loose. Houston humidity and 30-year-old brass eventually lose the fight. Rekeying a dying lock is new pins in a bad engine.
• You have builder-grade bottom-tier locks and care about security. A $15 knockoff deadbolt can be defeated in ways we won't detail here. Stepping up to a Grade 1 deadbolt is one of the best dollar-for-dollar security upgrades a house can get.
• After a break-in or attempt. Even if the lock "still works," tool marks and internal damage compromise it. Insurance usually agrees.
• You're going keypad or smart. Different animal entirely — happy to talk you through which ones we'd put on our own doors and which ones we pull out of customers' doors monthly.

The short version

Old keys floating around, good hardware → rekey. Worn, weak, or damaged hardware → replace. Not sure which you have? Send us a photo of the lock, or just ask when you call — we'll tell you the cheaper answer if the cheaper answer is the right one. That's how we'd want to be treated.