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 Redwood City
Lock installation and rekeying in Redwood City runs $35-$95 per cylinder for standard rekeys and $180-$450 for a full deadbolt replacement with hardware, quoted in writing before we start. Those are the numbers we give on the phone, and they’re the numbers on the invoice. We serve every part of Redwood City, from the 1940s bungalows in Mount Carmel to the HOA-governed townhome complexes in Redwood Shores, usually within 45 minutes of your call. Call (331) 310-8471 and a live person answers, 24 hours a day.
Here’s what separates us from every other locksmith you’ll find in Redwood City: Haven Standard Clause 1. The price we quote on the phone is the price on the invoice. Our technicians are not permitted to change it at the door. That rule has been in place since 2002, and it is the reason Daniel Novak put his name on the van.
Why Novak Lock & Security Is Redwood City’s Preferred Lock Installation & Rekey Company
We do a volume of HOA and property-management work in Redwood Shores that most locksmiths never see. That matters because rekeying a condo off Marine Parkway is not the same job as rekeying a single-family home on the other side of El Camino Real. The HOA holds a master key. The property manager controls the key log. If you rekey a unit without preserving that hierarchy, the gate fob still works but the common-area doors stop opening for the resident. We coordinate directly with property managers, confirm credential authority before we arrive, and leave a written record of every cylinder change.
Our Redwood City customers see the same pattern: a background-checked, uniformed technician arrives, writes the scope, does the work, and leaves a documented photo record showing exactly what was installed and what was removed. That’s not a courtesy. It’s Haven Standard procedure on every visit. Daniel Novak built the company on the idea that a lock is a record, and so is the job that installs it. See our Lock Installation & Rekey services for the full breakdown of what we cover across the Bay Area.
We answer calls live. No voicemail queue, no callback window. When a Redwood Shores resident is locked out at 2 a.m. or a property manager needs a unit rekeyed before a 9 a.m. tenant walkthrough, the person who picks up the phone has the authority to quote a firm price and dispatch a technician. That’s how we’ve operated since the beginning.
Our Lock Installation & Rekey Services in Redwood City
We cover the full range of residential and commercial lock work in Redwood City, from entry-grade Kwikset to high-security Medeco and Mul-T-Lock cylinders. Four services account for most of what Redwood City homeowners and property managers call us for.
Smart Lock Installation
Smart lock installation in Redwood City typically runs $220-$480 including hardware, depending on the lock grade and whether we’re retrofitting an existing deadbolt or starting fresh. In Redwood Shores condos, we verify HOA rules before recommending a smart lock, because many associations restrict WiFi-connected locks on unit doors or require that the lock remain compatible with the master key system. We stock Schlage Encode, Yale Assure, and Kwikset Halo locally, and we install them so the mechanical key override still works.
Keyless Entry and Keypad Lock Installation
Keypad entry on a Redwood City front door is the single most requested upgrade in the inland neighborhoods, where older ranch homes in Friendly Acres and Mount Carmel still have original single-cylinder deadbolts. A keypad deadbolt with a mechanical key override installs for $180-$320. For common-area gates in Redwood Shores complexes, we install commercial-grade keypad systems that tie into the existing access control, not consumer units that fail in marine air within two years.
Biometric Lock Installation
Biometric locks in Redwood City run $350-$700 installed, and we mostly install them on interior doors, home offices, and storage rooms, not exterior entry doors. The reason is practical: fingerprint sensors degrade faster in salt-laden bayshore air, and exterior exposure on a Redwood Shores door means more service calls than most homeowners expect. We give you the honest trade-off before you spend the money.
Rekeying and Key Duplication
Rekeying a standard cylinder in Redwood City runs $35-$55 per cylinder. Key duplication for standard Schlage and Kwikset keys runs $3-$8 per key at our service van. High-security keys from Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, or Abloy require a card or authorization from the original system owner, which is exactly how it should work. In Redwood Shores, that means the property manager or HOA board confirms you’re the authorized key holder before we duplicate anything. No exceptions to key control. That’s a feature, not a hurdle.
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 Redwood City
We’re factory-authorized on Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, Abloy, Baldwin, and Schlage, and our technicians carry common parts for those brands on the van. That means a Baldwin deadbolt replacement in Redwood Shores doesn’t turn into a two-visit job because we had to order a part. We also carry Sargent commercial hardware for the office buildings and tech campuses along the Bayshore corridor. When you call for a rekey or install, tell us the brand on the face of the lock. We’ll arrive with the right parts and the right price.
Common Lock Installation & Rekey Problems We See in Redwood City Homes
- Salt-air corrosion on bayshore lock cylinders. Redwood Shores sits on reclaimed tidal marshland directly exposed to San Francisco Bay air. We routinely find lock cores so oxidized that pins won’t move and a standard rekey is impossible. The fix is full cylinder replacement, which we quote before starting.
- Original single-cylinder deadbolts on 1940s-1970s homes. In Mount Carmel, Friendly Acres, and along Woodside Road, many homes still have their original Kwikset or Schlage single-cylinder deadbolts. They’re easy to bump, and most have never been rekeyed since the previous owner moved out. We rekey these on day one of a new move-in.
- Broken master-key hierarchies in HOAs. When a resident rekeys a unit without HOA approval, the common-area gates and laundry rooms stop working for that unit’s key. We see this in Redwood Shores regularly. The fix is rekeying back to the HOA’s master system and updating the key control log with the management company.
- After-hours badge-system lockouts at commercial buildings. Oracle and the tech employers along the Bayshore run electronic access control systems that fail outside business hours. When a credential stops working at 11 p.m., the employee is locked out, and the facility manager needs a locksmith who understands access control, not just mechanical locks. We handle those calls same-night.
Pricing for Lock Installation & Rekey in Redwood City, CA
Here are the ranges Redwood City homeowners and property managers ask about most:
- Standard rekey, per cylinder: $35-$55
- Deadbolt replacement with new Schlage B60: $180-$280 installed
- Smart lock installation, hardware included: $220-$480
- Keypad deadbolt installation, hardware included: $180-$320
- Biometric lock installation, hardware included: $350-$700
- High-security cylinder replacement (Medeco or Mul-T-Lock): $150-$350 per cylinder
- Key duplication, standard keys: $3-$8 per key
- Key duplication, high-security keys: $15-$45 per key, authorization required
These are the prices we quote on the phone for Redwood City, and they are the prices on the invoice. No call-out surcharge added on arrival. No “it’s worse than we thought” markup at the door. Haven Standard Clause 1 has been our rule since 2002, and Daniel Novak enforces it on every dispatch. Get a written price before anyone rolls a truck by calling (331) 310-8471. The estimate is free, and it’s the number you’ll pay.
We Also Serve Cities Near Redwood City
Our technicians cover the mid-Peninsula beyond Redwood City, including Menlo Park, Palo Alto, Los Altos, and San Mateo. HOA work, commercial rekeys, and same-day lock installs are all available in those cities with the same written-price rule. See our Lock Installation & Rekey in Redwood City page for the full local breakdown.
Serving Redwood City, CA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Redwood City 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 Redwood City
Yes, in nearly all cases. Most Redwood Shores condo and townhome complexes operate under an HOA-controlled master key system, and the CC&Rs almost always require that any lock change on a unit door preserve the master hierarchy. We confirm ownership and authorization with the property manager before we cut or rekey anything. That saves you the cost of redoing a job the HOA rejects, and it keeps the common-area gates working for your key. Call (331) 310-8471 and we’ll contact your management company directly to get the process started.
It’s the marine air. Redwood Shores was built on reclaimed tidal marshland, and locks there sit in direct contact with salt-laden air off San Francisco Bay year-round. Oxidized pins and corroded cylinder housings are the single most common lock failure we see in the neighborhood. If your lock is seizing, don’t force the key. Call us. We’ll assess whether it can be saved with a clean and rekey, or whether the cylinder needs full replacement. Call (331) 310-8471 for an honest diagnosis and a written price before we start.
Sometimes. It depends on the specific HOA’s rules and which smart lock you’re considering. Many Redwood Shores complexes prohibit WiFi-connected locks on unit doors or require that any new lock remain mechanically compatible with the HOA’s master key. We install smart locks that accept a mechanical key override, which preserves the master hierarchy while giving you keypad or app access. We’ll check your HOA’s rules before recommending a lock, and we’ll quote a firm price for the install. Call (331) 310-8471 and ask for Daniel Novak or any technician to walk through your building’s specific requirements.
Key control is the system that tracks who holds every key and which doors each key opens. In a Redwood City HOA with a master key, key control is what prevents a former tenant or a contractor from still having access to common areas six months after they moved out or finished a job. When we rekey a unit in Redwood Shores, we update the HOA’s key log and provide a documented record of every cylinder change. That record is what keeps the master hierarchy intact and the community secure. For a full explanation of how we handle Lock Installation & Rekey, including key control procedures, see our service page.
Same day in most cases, often within a few hours. When a property manager calls us for a move-out rekey in Redwood Shores, we verify the unit and the master hierarchy, dispatch a technician, and complete the rekey with a written record for the key log. For urgent move-out rekeys, we can usually be on site within 45 minutes. Call (331) 310-8471 and give us the address and the management company’s name. We’ll give you a firm written price on that call.
If you’re a Redwood City homeowner or property manager dealing with a lock that won’t turn, a tenant who just moved out, or a hardware upgrade you’ve been putting off, call (331) 310-8471. You’ll speak to a live person, get a written price, and have a technician on the way. The price on the phone is the price on the invoice. That’s how we’ve done it since 2002, and that’s how we’ll do it for you.
Written by Daniel Novak, Owner at Novak Lock & Security, serving Redwood City with written-price lock installation, rekeying, and 24/7 emergency response under The Haven Standard.