If you have lost keys, completed a tenant turnover, or bought a property anywhere in New York City, you have two options: rekey the existing locks or replace them entirely. Rekeying is faster and costs less. A lock change makes sense when the hardware is worn, damaged, or you want to step up to a higher-security cylinder. Imperial Locksmith & Security handles both for commercial buildings, retail storefronts, multi-family properties, and residential apartments across Midtown Manhattan, the Financial District, Chelsea, Tribeca, the Upper East Side, Murray Hill, and every other neighborhood in all five boroughs.
When should you rekey versus replace a lock in NYC?
Rekeying works when the lock body itself is in good condition. A technician removes the cylinder, replaces the driver and key pins, and cuts a new key. The old key is dead. This is the right call after a lease ends, after an employee departure, or any time key control has been lost.
A full lock change is the better call in these situations:
- The lock is a builder-grade Grade 3 cylinder with no pick or drill resistance
- The hardware is more than ten years old and the keyway is worn
- You want to upgrade to a high-security cylinder such as a Medeco Maxum, Mul-T-Lock MT5+, or Abloy Protec2
- You are moving to a smart lock such as a Schlage Encode Plus or Yale Assure Lock 2
- The door prep does not match the current lock and new hardware is required
For commercial properties in Midtown or Downtown Manhattan, we often replace worn Grade 2 mortise locks with Schlage L9000 series mortise sets or Von Duprin exit devices paired with a new rim cylinder. These meet NYC Building Code and FDNY requirements for commercial egress.
What does a lock change or rekey cost in New York City?
Pricing in NYC reflects labor rates, hardware quality, and the number of locks involved. Here are realistic ranges:
- Rekey, single residential deadbolt: $45 to $85 labor, plus a small key-cutting fee per additional key
- Rekey, commercial office suite (6 to 10 cylinders): $200 to $450 depending on cylinder type and master key complexity
- Lock change, residential deadbolt (Schlage B60N or equivalent Grade 2): $120 to $200 installed
- Lock change, high-security cylinder (Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, Abloy): $250 to $500 per opening installed
- Commercial mortise lock replacement (Schlage L9000 series): $400 to $900 per opening installed
- Smart lock installation (Schlage Encode Plus, Yale Assure): $180 to $350 installed, hardware not included
These ranges cover standard door prep. If the door edge or strike needs modification, additional work is quoted before any cutting begins. We do not quote specific prices over the website because hardware costs shift and every door is different. Contact Imperial Locksmith & Security through the website for an accurate estimate for your property.
How does Imperial Locksmith & Security handle lock changes for commercial buildings and multi-unit properties in NYC?
Most of our commercial work starts with a site walk. A technician visits the property, audits every opening, and identifies cylinder brands and keyways already in use. This matters because a building in Murray Hill may have a mix of Best SFIC cores, Schlage D-series knobsets, and an older Sargent 8200 series mortise lock. Standardizing those to a single master key system during a rekey saves money on future key control.
For property managers and building owners, we offer:
- Master key system design - grandmaster, master, and change key levels mapped to your building's access hierarchy
- Tenant rekey on turnover - same-day service available for urgent unit turnovers in all five boroughs
- Restricted keyway systems - Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, and Abloy keyways that cannot be duplicated at hardware stores, giving you control over who holds a working key
- Electronic access integration - pairing a mechanical rekey with a Schlage CO-220 or LCN 4041XP closer for doors that also need audit trail capability
For homeowners and renters in neighborhoods like the Upper East Side, Chelsea, or Tribeca, we stock Schlage B60N and Kwikset 980 deadbolts for same-day installs and can rekey most existing Schlage, Kwikset, and Weiser cylinders on the first visit.
Imperial Locksmith & Security is based at 165 Madison Ave in Midtown Manhattan and dispatches to all five boroughs. Reach us through the contact section on this website to schedule service or request a quote.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a rekey take on a typical NYC apartment door?
Most single-cylinder deadbolt rekeyes take 15 to 30 minutes per lock. A full apartment with two or three locks is usually done in under an hour.
Can I rekey my office to a master key system at the same time?
Yes. We can rekey existing Schlage, Medeco, or BEST locks into a new master key hierarchy during the same visit, saving you a second service call.
What is the difference between rekeying and changing a lock?
Rekeying replaces the internal pins so old keys no longer work. A full lock change swaps the entire hardware, which is necessary when the lock is damaged, worn, or you want to upgrade to a higher-security grade.
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