Lock Change and Rekey in Wichita Falls, TX
Need your old keys to stop working? That is usually a rekey, not a new lock.
Rekey or Change the Locks? How to Decide Before You Call
Rekeying
means the cylinder comes out of the lock you already own.
Changing the lock
means new hardware on the door, which is labour plus the cost of the lock itself.
Rekey when
the lock works properly, you like the hardware, and the only thing wrong is who holds a key.
Change when
one of these is true:
The honest version
rekeying a worn lock gets you a worn lock with a new key on it.
What Rekeying Costs in Wichita Falls
The first lock carries the trip.
Prices move with the lock type, the condition of the door, and how many doors.
Keyed Alike, or One Key for the Whole House
Worth asking for, and it usually costs nothing extra when it is done as part of a rekey.
Keyed alike means every lock in the set opens with the same key.
The requirement is that the locks share a keyway, meaning the shape of the slot the key goes into.
Master keying a house, which almost nobody offers and some people genuinely need.
Kwikset SmartKey, Because It Behaves Differently
How it works
SmartKey cylinders are designed to be rekeyed by the homeowner using a small tool and a working key, in under a minute, without taking the lock apart.
Which means, if you have a working key
you may not need a locksmith at all.
Where it gets complicated
The standard reset procedure needs a working key.
One caution
SmartKey cylinders have a reputation for wearing out faster than conventional pin tumbler cylinders under heavy use, particular…
Texas Law on Rekeying Rental Property
The rule
Under Texas Property Code § 92.156, a security device operated by a key, card or combination has to be rekeyed by the…
What “tenant turnover date” means
The date a new tenant moves in under a lease, after all previous occupants have moved out.
It applies even when the landlord was the only previous occupant
An owner who lived in a house since it was built still has to rekey before leasing it out.
The rekey can happen before or after move in
as long as it lands within seven days of the turnover date.
Tenants can request more, at their own cost
Under § 92.156(b) a tenant may request additional rekeying or a changed security device at their own expense, and may…
Master key rekeying is on the landlord
Under § 92.156(c), if the landlord’s own master key system is the reason for the rekey, the landlord pays.
Interior doors are excluded
§ 92.156(d) does not cover closet doors or other interior doors.
Deposit deductions are restricted
Under § 92.156(e), where a tenant breaks a written lease and vacates, a landlord can only deduct the rekey cost from…
There are separate requirements for what hardware has to be there at all
Section 92.153 covers required security devices on exterior doors, including keyed and keyless deadbolts and a door v…
If a landlord does not comply
the statute gives the tenant real options, including rekeying and deducting the reasonable cost from the next rent pa…
This is a summary of a statute, not legal advice
The text is on the Texas Legislature’s site under Property Code Chapter 92, Subchapter D.
If you have just moved into a rental in Wichita Falls and nobody rekeyed it
ask. It is the landlord’s job, on their money, within seven days.
For Landlords and Property Managers in Wichita Falls
Turnover here runs on two clocks, the Sheppard Air Force Base rotation and the MSU Texas academic year, and both cluster in summer.
Tenant turn rekeys priced per cylinder rather than per visit, which is how the maths works in your favour on a multi unit property.
Volume pricing on jobs of five cylinders or more, typically $25 to $60 per cylinder.
Master key systems for multifamily, so maintenance carries one key instead of forty, with the landlord’s master expense handled as § 92.156(c) requires.
Lockbox installation and code changes between showings.
Itemised invoices per unit, which matters when you have to allocate costs by property and when you want a record showing the seven day requirement was met.
A documented rekey log. Worth keeping. If a compliance question ever arises, a dated invoice per unit is the thing that answers it.
Scheduling around make ready. Rekeying during the make ready window rather than after move in is usually cleaner, and the statute allows it.
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When You Should Change Your Locks
You just bought a house
You have no idea how many keys the previous owner handed out over the years, and neither do they.
A tenant or roommate moved out
A returned key proves nothing. Any hardware counter copies a standard key for a few dollars, and nobody announces that they did.
After a breakup or separation
Somebody has a key to a place they no longer live. This is a completely normal call and nobody handling it should make it awkward.
After a break in or an attempted one
Rekey or replace the affected locks, and have the strike plates looked at while the technician is there.
You lost your keys
If your address was on the ring, or anything on the ring identified where you live, treat it as urgent.
Your keys were stolen
which is different from lost. A stolen purse or wallet usually contains both keys and an address.
The house was listed and there was a lockbox on it
Agents, inspectors, appraisers and buyers all had access to that code.
What Happens During a Rekey
The technician takes the cylinder out of the lock
On most residential deadbolts that means removing two screws from the interior side.
The cylinder comes apart over a tray
There is a spring and a pin above each bottom pin, and they are under tension.
The old bottom pins come out and a new set goes in
cut to match the new key. Only the bottom pins change. The springs and top pins stay.
Then both keys get tested
The new key gets tried in every lock it should open.
Tightening matters
Too tight and the key is hard to turn.
Ten minutes a door
once the tools are out. A three door house is inside an hour including setup.
Should You Rekey It Yourself?
Sometimes, and here is the honest split.
Worth doing yourself. A Kwikset SmartKey lock where you still have a working key and the tool. That is genuinely a one minute job.
Possible but usually not worth it. A conventional pin tumbler rekey kit for your brand runs $15 to $40 and works if you are patient.
Not worth attempting. Mortise hardware, anything on an older door in Floral Heights or the streets near Lucy Park, high security cylinders, and any situation where you need…
The arithmetic. If you are rekeying one Kwikset deadbolt and already own the kit, do it yourself.
Coverage
All Wichita Falls ZIP codes, 76301, 76302, 76305, 76306, 76308, 76309 and 76310, including Floral Heights, Faith Village, Country Club, Tanglewood, downtown, the Southwest Parkw…
Also Burkburnett, Iowa Park, Holliday, Electra, Henrietta and Archer City.
Rekeying Questions
Is it cheaper to rekey or replace locks?
How much does it cost to rekey a house in Wichita Falls?
How long does rekeying take?
Can all locks be rekeyed?
Can I keep one key for every door?
Does my landlord have to rekey before I move in?
Can my landlord charge me for the move in rekey?
I just bought a house. Do I need to change the locks?
Someone still has a key to my house. What do I do?
Can you rekey locks after a break in tonight?
Can I rekey my own locks?
Do you rekey padlocks and gate locks to match the house?
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Lock Change and Rekey in Wichita Falls, TX
Professional locksmith service serving Wichita Falls, Wichita County, Burkburnett, Iowa Park, Holliday, Electra, Henrietta and Archer City.
CALL NOW: (940) 557-5112