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 Pasadena
Lock installation and rekey in Pasadena, CA typically runs $25-$95 per cylinder for rekeying and $85-$240 per lock for new installation, quoted in writing before we dispatch. Most jobs in Pasadena are done same day, often within two hours. Novak Lock & Security has served the homes, ranches, and industrial facilities along the Ship Channel corridor since 2002, and our technicians arrive in uniform with a documented photo record of every step. Call (331) 310-8471 and a live person answers, 24/7.
Why Novak Lock & Security Is Pasadena’s Preferred Lock Installation & Rekey Company
Pasadena is not a generic suburb. The homes we work on here run from 1950s ranch houses off Red Bluff Road to acreage properties with detached workshops and gate posts set back hundreds of feet from the main house. Our crews know the difference between a Harvey-swollen door frame and a worn cylinder, and they bring the right tools for both. That local knowledge is why Pasadena homeowners call us when a deadbolt stops throwing after a humid summer.
Daniel Novak founded this company on one rule, now written into Haven Standard Clause 1: the price quoted on the phone is the price on the invoice. No dispatcher may change it, no technician may “adjust” it at the door. Pasadena customers have cited this policy in reviews more than any other single thing we do. It is the reason people who read three-star reviews before calling end up calling us.
We also hold TWIC credentials for our commercial technicians. That matters in Pasadena specifically, because a large share of our work here is on industrial properties along the Ship Channel where a TWIC card is required just to reach the front gate. Most locksmiths covering this area do not carry it. We do.
Our Lock Installation & Rekey Services in Pasadena
Smart Lock Installation
Smart lock installation in Pasadena usually runs $150-$325 depending on the model. We install Schlage Encode, Kwikset Halo, and August locks, plus retrofit Kevo conversions on existing deadbolts. On acreage properties, we often pair a smart lock on the main house with traditional keyed hardware on outbuildings so the system works even if Wi-Fi drops at the back gate.
Keyless Entry
Keyless entry for Pasadena homes includes stand-alone keypad deadbolts, garage keypads, and gate entry systems. A keypad deadbolt installation typically costs $180-$220 plus hardware. We program all codes on site and leave you a printed code-change sheet before we leave. No callback to add a temporary code for a house cleaner or contractor.
Keypad Lock
Keypad lock replacement or fresh installation in Pasadena runs $120-$240 for common residential models. We stock keypads suited to the local climate. Cheap zinc-alloy keypads corrode quickly in Ship Channel air, so we spec models with stainless or marine-grade interiors. The price difference is modest; the lifespan difference is years.
Biometric Lock
Biometric lock installation in Pasadena starts around $250 for a fingerprint deadbolt and rises with multi-user capacity or Wi-Fi integration. We install and calibrate the reader, enroll all household fingerprints, and provide a tamper-evident record of the setup. These units also need to hold up to coastal humidity, so we recommend models with sealed sensor housings.
What happens when you call
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A real person answersNo phone trees - you reach a local pro.
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You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
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A background-checked tech heads outLicensed & insured, dispatched right away.
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You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
Trusted Brands We Service in Pasadena
We are factory-authorized for Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, Abloy, Baldwin, and Schlage. That authorization matters because Lock Installation & Rekey jobs on high-security cylinders require proper pinning kits and key blanks, which we carry on the van. For Pasadena homeowners with Baldwin hardware on an older ranch, we keep matching finish plates and tailpieces in our local stock so we are not making a second trip or ordering from a warehouse.
Common Lock Installation & Rekey Problems We See in Pasadena Homes
- Harvey-swollen door frames. Post-Hurricane Harvey, many 1950s and 1960s ranch homes in Pasadena absorbed enough floodwater that door frames never fully dried back to square. When a new deadbolt will not throw, the problem is usually the frame, not the lock. We re-align the strike plate and, when needed, router the frame before installing.
- Salt-corrosion on east-facing cylinders. Salt-laden air off the Ship Channel settles on east-facing exterior doors under direct afternoon sun. Cheap lock cylinders pit and seize, causing keys to stick or snap inside. We replace them with solid-brass or marine-grade cylinders and apply a dry lubricant rated for high-humidity environments.
- Detached outbuildings on separate keyways. Very common on Pasadena acreage. The house is on one key, the workshop on another, the gate on a third. A standard rekey that only touches the house misses the real security gap. We key everything alike, including padlocks and gate latch locks, in one visit.
- Old builder-grade Kwikset pin-and-tumbler systems. Many original locks on Pasadena ranch homes date to the 1950s-1980s and were never repinned. Wear over 40 or 50 years leaves them sloppy and easier to defeat. We replace or rekey these with fresh pinned cylinders and often recommend upgrading at least one lock to a grade 1 deadbolt.
Pricing for Lock Installation & Rekey in Pasadena, CA
The cost to rekey a lock in Pasadena runs $25-$45 per cylinder for standard pin-and-tumbler, $65-$95 for high-security or keyless cylinders. Installing a new deadbolt runs $85-$180, while a full smart lock installation with hardware ranges $150-$325. Gate and outbuilding padlock rekeying runs $20-$50 per padlock depending on whether we can reuse the existing cylinder or need a new core.
What affects the price is the condition of what you already have. A Harvey-swollen frame that needs re-alignment adds labor. Corroded cylinder housings that break apart on removal add time. We will tell you this on the phone before anyone is dispatched, and the dispatcher’s written quote is final. There is no call-out surcharge added on arrival. If you have a written estimate from another company, bring it to us and we will review it at no charge.
The full price is quoted in writing before we dispatch, and that price is the price on the invoice. Always. It has been that way since 2002.
We Also Serve Cities Near Pasadena
Along with Pasadena, our technicians cover Altadena, San Gabriel, Alhambra, and Temple City. We keep local stock and scheduling so a call from a neighboring city gets the same same-day service and written pricing as a call from Pasadena itself.
Serving Pasadena, CA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Pasadena 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 Pasadena
If the frame is swollen, a rekey alone will not fix the problem, because the cylinder works fine but the deadbolt cannot seat. We inspect the frame, re-align the strike, and determine whether you need frame work, a new lock, or both. The fix is usually frame re-alignment plus a fresh cylinder. Call (331) 310-8471 and we will quote it in writing before we arrive.
Yes. We key every house lock, gate latch, padlock, and workshop door to a single key in one visit. The cost depends on how many cylinders are involved and whether any corroded cores need replacement. We provide a written per-cylinder price before any work starts.
If your property sits inside a TWIC-controlled facility, your locksmith must hold a TWIC card to access the site. Novak Lock & Security maintains TWIC-credentialed technicians specifically for Pasadena’s industrial corridor. If you are unsure whether your site requires it, call us and we will confirm before dispatch so no one is turned away at the gate.
Humidity plus salt-laden air causes lubricant to thicken and steel internals to corrode, especially on east-facing doors. A gritty key turn is early corrosion. We clean the cylinder, replace it if pitting has started, and use a synthetic dry lubricant that stays stable through Pasadena’s heat and humidity cycles. Replacing it now is cheaper than extracting a snapped key later.
We include four keys with a standard house rekey, and we can cut additional keys for $2-$5 each while we are there. The exact number is set on the phone before dispatch, and you get the written scope with your invoice. There is no surprise key-cutting charge added on site.
Written by Daniel Novak, Owner at Novak Lock & Security, serving Pasadena since 2002.
Contact Novak Lock & Security in Pasadena
We answer the phone 24/7. A live person takes your call, gives you a written price, and a background-checked, uniformed technician arrives with the right parts for your lock installation or rekey. Every job gets a documented photo record before we leave, and every job is covered by our 365-Day Done Right Promise. Call (331) 310-8471 for a free estimate, or bring us another company’s written quote and we will review it at no charge.
Lock Installation & Rekey in Nearby Areas
