Rekey or Replace Locks After Moving in Lawrenceville?

Start with access, not the age of the house

After a move, you may know who handed over the keys without knowing who has copies. Previous occupants, contractors and relatives may all have held a working key. Taking control of access is a separate question from whether the door looks new.

Walk around your Lawrenceville home and list the doors you actually use. Include the garage entry door and any exterior side door. Check whether each lock works smoothly with the door both open and closed. That gives a locksmith a clearer starting point than simply asking for every lock to be changed.

When rekeying is the useful option

If the hardware is sound, rekeying may let you keep the existing locks while retiring the old keys. A locksmith changes the keying inside a compatible cylinder and supplies keys for the new combination. The outside appearance normally stays the same.

Ask whether your existing locks can share one key. Compatibility matters: different lock brands or keyways cannot always be combined into a single-key arrangement. Bring up that goal before the appointment so the visit can be planned around it.

When replacement deserves a closer look

Loose hardware, a damaged cylinder or a lock that regularly binds may need repair or replacement rather than a new key combination. A sticking bolt can also be a door-alignment problem. Changing the cylinder alone will not correct a door that no longer lines up with its strike.

If you want different hardware, such as a keypad or a different deadbolt style, explain how the door is used and whether anyone needs a physical backup key. The right decision should account for the door and frame as well as the lock.

• Count the exterior locks and photograph their faces.
• Explain which keys currently work and whether any are missing.
• Point out sticking, looseness or damage before work starts.
• Confirm the number of new keys and test every changed lock before the visit ends.