Non-destructive entry first, always - and we re-key Schlage, Kwikset, and Baldwin locks on the spot while you watch
You get a price before we start. It does not change when we arrive. No surprises.
Fast, Reliable Lock Installation & Rekey Across Nashville
Lock installation and rekeying in Nashville runs $95-$225 per cylinder for standard residential hardware, with smart lock installation typically $150-$300 including programming. We quote the full price in writing before we dispatch, and that price is the price on the invoice. If you’re in East Nashville, Germantown, Belmont-Hillsboro, or anywhere across Davidson County, call (331) 310-8471 and you’ll talk to a live person who can schedule you today.
Why Novak Lock & Security Is Nashville’s Preferred Lock Installation & Rekey Company
We have worked on Nashville doors since 2002, and the housing stock here is unlike anything else in Tennessee. On the same block in East Nashville you’ll find an 1890s mortise-lock bungalow, a 1990s builder-grade entry door, and a 2015 tall-and-skinny with a keypad rough-in. That range means a locksmith who only knows modern hardware will misdiagnose half the jobs. Our technicians see the difference between a worn mortise cylinder that can be rekeyed and a door frame swelling from freeze-thaw cycles that just needs the strike plate adjusted.
Every Nashville job is priced on the phone before anyone gets in a van. That’s Haven Standard Clause 1, and it has been non-negotiable since the day we opened. The dispatcher quotes a firm number, the technician is contractually prohibited from changing it at the door, and you receive a documented photo record of the work before we leave. If you want a second opinion on any written estimate, bring it to us and we’ll review it free.
We are Nashville-focused in a way national chains can’t replicate. We stock replacement cylinders for pre-war mortise locks, we program Schlage Encode and Yale smart locks daily for short-term rental owners, and we answer the phone at 3 a.m. when a guest code fails in Germantown. That’s not marketing language. That’s what the call log shows.
Our Lock Installation & Rekey Services in Nashville
Most Nashville homeowners don’t need a full hardware swap. They need someone who can look at what’s on the door and tell them honestly what can be saved. Here’s what we handle most often.
Smart Lock Installation
We install and program Schlage Encode, Yale Assure, August, and other smart locks across Nashville every week. The biggest failure point here isn’t the lock. It’s the assumption that a 2020s smart lock will drop cleanly into a 1920s mortise-prepared door. It usually won’t. We measure the existing prep, tell you what will actually fit, and if the cross-bore doesn’t align we’ll say so before we start. Smart lock installation in Nashville runs $150-$300 including programming, app setup, and a walkthrough of code management.
Keyless Entry
Keyless entry means a deadbolt with a keypad or touchscreen, and it’s the default request from Nashville STR hosts who need to rotate guest codes between checkouts. We install keyless entry on everything from 12 South townhomes to Eastland Avenue bungalows, and we program the master code so you can’t be locked out by a cleaning crew’s mistake. Expect $130-$260 for hardware and installation, quoted in writing before we dispatch.
Keypad Lock
Keypad locks are the most common entry-level upgrade in Nashville, and the pattern we see is predictable: a builder-grade Kwikset keypad on a tall-and-skinny gets reprogrammed incorrectly between guest turnovers, and suddenly the owner’s code doesn’t work. We fix the programming, set a permanent master code, and show you how the override key works. Keypad installation and repair runs $110-$220 in the Nashville market.
Rekey
Rekeying is the least expensive way to regain control of a door, and in Nashville it’s a volume business. Short-term rental owners in East Nashville and Germantown regularly call us to rekey a half-dozen bungalows the same day after a bad guest. Standard rekey runs $95-$165 for the first cylinder and $18-$25 per additional cylinder, with written pricing before anything turns. If your existing cylinder is worn past the point where new pins will hold tolerances, we’ll tell you that too, and the replacement quote comes before we cut any metal.
What happens when you call
- 1
A real person answersNo phone trees - you reach a local pro.
- 2
You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
- 3
A background-checked tech heads outLicensed & insured, dispatched right away.
- 4
You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
Trusted Brands We Service in Nashville
We are factory-authorized for Medeco and Mul-T-Lock, and we work daily on Schlage, Kwikset, Yale, Baldwin, and Sargent hardware. That matters in Nashville because pre-war homes here often have original mortise locks that need specialty cylinders, and you don’t want a technician learning on your 1905 entry door. We keep the common replacement parts on the van, and for high-security cylinders we can typically have Medeco or Mul-T-Lock pins in hand within one business day.
Common Lock Installation & Rekey Problems We See in Nashville Homes
- Mortise locks that won’t take a rekey. Homes in Germantown, East Nashville, and Belmont-Hillsboro built before 1940 frequently have original mortise lock bodies. The cylinder pins wear out, and a standard rekey won’t hold. We rebuild the cylinder to fit the existing mortise body rather than drilling out the door and leaving a patch plate. That preserves both security and the original hardware.
- Deadbolts that bind every winter. Nashville’s freeze-thaw cycles are short but repeated. A pre-1980s wood door frame swells and racks by late winter, and a deadbolt that was rekeyed fine in July suddenly grinds against the strike plate. The lock isn’t broken. The frame moved. We re-align the strike, and if needed, we rekey the cylinder so it operates smoothly through the season.
- Builder-grade keypads on tall-and-skinnies. The 2010s spec-built infill units across Nashville shipped with Kwikset or Schlage keypad locks that are functional but weak. Owners wanting Schlage Encode or Yale Assure hardware often discover the door prep is slightly off. We handle the retrofit and programming in one visit.
- Smart locks on doors that were never prepped for them. You can’t bolt a modern smart lock onto a 1920s mortise-prepared door without addressing the existing hardware. We’ve seen property managers buy a dozen smart locks, then call us after the first one wouldn’t mount. We assess the door first, quote honestly, and do the install right the first time.
Pricing for Lock Installation & Rekey in Nashville, TN
Here are the numbers we quote most often in Nashville. Standard rekey: $95-$165 first cylinder, $18-$25 each additional. Smart lock installation: $150-$300 including programming. Keypad lock installation: $110-$220. Keyless entry deadbolt: $130-$260. Mortise lock rebuild or cylinder replacement: $185-$340 depending on the lock body. The quote you get on the phone is the price on the invoice. No call-out surcharge added on arrival, no job-site markup. Call (331) 310-8471 and we’ll price your specific door before anyone leaves the shop.
We Also Serve Cities Near Nashville
If you’re outside Davidson County, Lock Installation & Rekey service from Novak Lock & Security covers Brentwood, Hendersonville, Mount Juliet, and La Vergne. Same written pricing, same photo record, same 365-Day Done Right Promise. Scheduling is coordinated from our Memphis office, but crews serve the Nashville metro daily.
Serving Nashville, TN - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Nashville area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage - if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
FAQs - Lock Installation & Rekey in Nashville
Yes, in most cases we can rekey or rebuild the original mortise lock without replacing it. On a bungalow off Eastland Avenue, our tech rebuilt a 1920s Craftsman mortise lock with worn pins that wouldn’t take a rekey. He machined a replacement cylinder to fit the original mortise body, cut new keys, and restored smooth operation with no new hardware and no damage to the door. If the lock body itself is cracked or the bolt is compromised, we’ll say so and give you a replacement quote before any work starts. Call (331) 310-8471 for an honest assessment.
We can typically rekey a dozen STR bungalows in Germantown the same day or next morning, depending on call volume. This is a volume-account pattern we handle regularly. We quote a flat per-cylinder price when you call, we arrive with enough pins and blanks for the full job, and you get a documented photo record for every unit. If you manage 10-20 units in East Nashville or 12 South, call (331) 310-8471 and ask about setting up a recurring schedule.
Usually not. Nashville’s freeze-thaw cycles swell pre-1980s wood door frames by late winter, and the deadbolt throw binds against the strike plate. The lock cylinder is often fine. We realign the strike plate and, if the cylinder has worn pins contributing to the bind, we rekey it at the same time. A rekey in February that works through the following summer is the test. Call (331) 310-8471 and we’ll diagnose it over the phone first.
We remove the existing Kwikset keypad, verify the cross-bore and backset alignment, install the Schlage Encode, and program it with your master code, user codes, and app access. Most tall-and-skinnies built after 2010 have standard 2-1/8″ cross-bores, so the swap is straightforward, but we always check the door prep before we quote. Smart lock installation runs $150-$300 in Nashville including programming. Call (331) 310-8471 to schedule.
Yes. We are factory-authorized for Medeco and Mul-T-Lock, which means we can cut and program high-security keys and rekey your cylinders to match an existing key. If you have one Medeco key and three locks on different keys, we can rekey all three to that key in one visit. High-security rekey in Nashville runs $35-$60 per cylinder plus the cost of additional keys, quoted in writing before we start. Call (331) 310-8471 with your key number or bring it to your appointment.
Key Takeaways
- Standard rekey in Nashville runs $95-$165 first cylinder, $18-$25 each additional; smart lock installs run $150-$300.
- Mortise locks on pre-1940 bungalows in East Nashville and Germantown can usually be rebuilt rather than replaced.
- Winter deadbolt binding is usually a swollen wood frame, not a bad lock.
- Every quote is firm, written, and priced before dispatch. Haven Standard Clause 1.
- We handle volume STR rekeys across East Nashville, Germantown, and 12 South same day.
If you need a lock installed, rekeyed, or rebuilt on a Nashville door, call (331) 310-8471. You’ll get a live person, a firm price, and a technician who knows the difference between a 1920s mortise body and a 2015 builder-grade keypad. Estimates are free.
Written by Daniel Novak, Owner at Novak Lock & Security, serving Nashville since 2002.