Rekeying changes the inside of your lock so your old keys quit working and a brand-new key takes over. The lock stays on the door. We swap the small pins inside the cylinder, cut a fresh key to match, and anyone holding an old copy is locked out. It's the fastest, cheapest way to take back control of who can get into your home.
CLS - Chandler Locksmith Services handles rekeys all over Thousand Oaks and Ventura County. We're licensed and insured (CA BSIS #LCO8562), we come to you, and we'll tell you up front what it costs. No new hardware to buy unless you actually want it.
- Old keys stop working the moment we finish
- Keep your existing locks, no new hardware required
- Option to key every door alike for one single key
- Mobile service to your home or business, we come to you
- Licensed & insured, CA BSIS #LCO8562
- Free estimates and up-front pricing before we start
When you should rekey instead of replacing locks
The most common reason is moving into a new place. You have no idea how many keys are floating around out there: the previous owner, their kids, a dog walker, a contractor, the neighbor who watered the plants. Rekeying every exterior door the week you move in means none of those old keys open anything anymore.
It's also the right call after a breakup or roommate move-out, when a tenant leaves a rental, when you lose a key or a keychain goes missing, or when you've had work done and handed a key to a crew. In all those cases the lock itself is fine. There's nothing wrong with it. You just need it to answer to a different key, and that's exactly what rekeying does for a fraction of what new locks cost.
What CLS does on a rekey visit
We come to your door with the parts and the key machine in the van. First we check the locks you've got, make sure they're in good shape, and confirm how many you want rekeyed. Then we pull each cylinder, replace the pin stack inside so it reads a new bitting, and cut keys to match.
If you want every lock in the house to open with one key, we can key them all alike, so a single key runs the front door, back door, and side gate. We test every lock with the new key before we pack up, hand you the copies you asked for, and the old keys are now useless. Most jobs are done in one visit.
Homes, rentals, and small businesses around the Conejo Valley
We rekey single-family homes, condos, and townhouses from Newbury Park to Westlake Village, plus rentals where a landlord needs the locks turned over between tenants. For small shops and offices around Thousand Oaks and out across Ventura County, we rekey storefront and office locks too, and we can set up a master key so a manager's key opens everything while staff keys are limited to certain doors. If you're not sure whether rekeying or new locks makes more sense for your situation, ask us. We'll give you a straight answer and a free estimate.
Rekey or replace? A decision matrix
Rekeying changes the pins inside a lock so old keys stop working; replacing swaps the hardware itself. Here is how to tell which one a situation calls for.
| Condition of the lock | Action required | Relative cost | Security outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Works fine, but you just moved in or don't know who has keys | Rekey | Lowest — new pins and keys, same hardware | Every old key stops working |
| A key was lost or stolen | Rekey the affected locks | Low | The missing key no longer opens anything |
| Staff or tenant turnover | Rekey, or rekey into a master key system | Low to moderate | Former keys are revoked; access can be tiered door by door |
| You want one key for several doors | Rekey to key-alike (same brand and keyway) | Low | One key for every matched door; mixed brands may need a cylinder swap |
| Worn, sticking, damaged, or broken | Repair or replace the hardware | Moderate | Reliable locking restored — rekeying alone won't fix mechanical wear |
| You want more protection or key control | Replace with high-security or Grade 1 hardware | Higher | Pick-, drill-, and bump-resistant locks with restricted keys |
| You want code, phone, or fingerprint entry | Replace with a smart lock | Moderate to higher | Access codes can be added or removed without cutting keys |