If you just moved into a Williamsburg apartment, ended a tenancy, lost a key, or simply want to know who has access to your space, a lock change or rekey is the right first step. Brooklyn Locksmith & Doors handles both services for residential and commercial customers across every Brooklyn neighborhood, same day in most cases. A rekey resets your existing lock so old keys no longer work. A lock change swaps out the hardware entirely. Knowing which one you need saves time and money.
What is the difference between rekeying and replacing a lock?
Rekeying changes the internal pins inside a lock cylinder so that only a new key operates it. The lock body, the door prep, and the strike plate all stay in place. This works well when your hardware is in good condition. Common candidates include Schlage B60N and B62N deadbolts, Kwikset 980 series deadbolts, and most standard knob or lever sets found in Park Slope brownstones and Crown Heights rental units. If your landlord never changed the locks before you moved in, rekeying is the fastest way to secure your space.
A full lock change makes sense when the existing hardware is worn, damaged, or simply not up to the security level you need. Cheap builder-grade knobs with no deadbolt, old rim locks on a Bushwick loft door, or a commercial mortise lock with a broken cam are all good reasons to replace rather than rekey. We stock and install Schlage, Kwikset, Baldwin, Medeco, and Mul-T-Lock hardware and can have the right cylinder on the truck the same day you call.
When should Brooklyn renters and homeowners rekey their locks?
Rekeying is smart any time key control has been lost. That covers a lot of common Brooklyn situations.
- Moving into a new apartment in Bay Ridge or Brooklyn Heights where you do not know how many copies of the existing key exist
- A roommate or partner moving out
- A lost or stolen key ring
- End of a contractor or cleaning service who held a spare
- Buying a brownstone or condo and wanting a fresh start on access control
Rekeying is also the right move when you want to key multiple locks alike. If your front door, rear gate, and basement all use Schlage C keyway cylinders, a locksmith can pin all three to work on one key. That is a practical upgrade for multi-unit brownstone owners in Park Slope or Crown Heights who manage several tenant doors and want a simple master key setup.
What commercial lock change and rekey work do you handle in Brooklyn?
Commercial lock work is a core part of what we do, not an afterthought. Storefronts, restaurants, offices, and warehouses across Brooklyn have different needs than a rental apartment, and we carry the hardware to match.
For storefronts and office suites, we install and rekey Medeco M3 and Mul-T-Lock MT5+ cylinders, which use restricted keyways and patented key cuts. That means keys cannot be copied at a hardware store without authorization. It is a practical layer of protection for a Bushwick studio or a Williamsburg retail space with multiple employees.
Older commercial buildings often use mortise locks rather than the cylindrical deadbolts common in residential work. We service and replace mortise lock bodies from Sargent, Corbin Russwin, and Yale, and we carry replacement cylinders that fit existing door preps so you avoid costly door modifications. We also handle BEST interchangeable core systems used in office buildings and schools, where the facility manager needs to rotate cores quickly without a locksmith on site every time.
Gate and roll-up door locks are another common job in Brooklyn commercial work. A padlock shackle on a Abus 83 series or Medeco high-security padlock paired with a hardened hasp is a significant upgrade over a standard hardware-store lock. We assess the full entry point, not just the cylinder.
When you are ready to schedule a lock change or rekey anywhere in Brooklyn, call Brooklyn Locksmith & Doors at (347) 357-0985. We answer fast, give you a straight assessment of what your door actually needs, and carry the hardware to finish the job in one visit.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a rekey or lock change take on site?
Most single-door rekeying jobs take 15 to 30 minutes. A full lock replacement, including a new deadbolt and cylinder, typically runs 30 to 60 minutes per door. Multi-unit brownstones or storefronts with several locks take longer, but we work efficiently to minimize your downtime.
Can I rekey my lock to match my other keys so I only carry one key?
Yes. This is called keying alike. A locksmith pins each lock cylinder to accept the same key cut. It works as long as all the locks are the same brand family or have compatible keyways, such as multiple Schlage B-series deadbolts or multiple Kwikset locks throughout your apartment or office.
I run a storefront in Brooklyn. Do you handle commercial lock changes too?
Absolutely. We change and rekey commercial-grade cylinders, including Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, and BEST, on storefronts, warehouses, and office suites across Brooklyn. We also work on mortise locks common in older commercial buildings and can upgrade to restricted keyways that prevent unauthorized key duplication.
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