Rekey vs. Change Locks: What Sacramento Homeowners Should Know
By Ray Delgado, Sacramento Field Locksmith · Published July 1, 2026
A couple in Curtis Park closed on their first house in May and called me for a quote on "changing all the locks." Six exterior locks, and they'd budgeted around $900 based on hardware-store math. The right answer for their house was a $260 rekey. They used the difference on a real Grade 1 deadbolt for the front door, which is the upgrade that actually mattered.
"Change the locks" is what everyone says. Rekeying is what most people need. Here's how to tell which side of that line your situation falls on.
The short answer
Rekey when the hardware is fine and the problem is who has keys. Replace when the hardware itself is the problem: worn, corroded, builder-grade junk, or the wrong type for the door. Price difference in Sacramento: rekeying runs $25 to $50 per lock plus a $60 to $90 service call; replacement runs $150 to $250 per door with decent new hardware, installed.
What rekeying actually is
Inside every pin-tumbler lock is a row of five or six spring-loaded pins cut to match your key. A locksmith removes the cylinder, swaps those pins for a new combination, and cuts fresh keys to match. Ten minutes per lock, and every old key on earth stops working: the previous owner's copies, the contractor's, the one under the flowerpot the last family forgot about.
The lock on your door afterward is the same lock. Same finish, same feel, same security grade. That last part is the honest limitation: rekeying a flimsy lock gives you a flimsy lock with new keys.
Rekey or replace: the decision table
| Situation | Do this | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Just bought or rented a home | Rekey | Unknown key copies are the whole risk; hardware is usually fine |
| Roommate or ex moved out | Rekey | Same — kill the old keys, keep the hardware |
| Key sticks, lock grinds or wobbles | Replace | Worn internals only get worse; rekeying won't fix the feel |
| Builder-grade Grade 3 locks on main entry | Replace (upgrade) | $150 - $250 buys real kick resistance where it counts |
| After a break-in | Replace damaged, rekey the rest | Forced hardware is compromised; untouched locks just need new pins |
| Want one key for every door | Rekey all to match | Keyed-alike setup is a standard rekey, even across mixed locks of one brand |
| Want a keypad or smart lock | Replace | Different hardware category; $100 - $180 labor plus the unit |
The move-in case, because it's most of you
A typical resale home in Sacramento has been through inspectors, stagers, cleaners, contractors, and at least a few neighbors holding "just in case" copies. Escrow transfers the deed, not the key inventory. Nobody knows how many copies exist, which is exactly the problem.
The move-in rekey is the cheapest security decision in homeownership: every exterior lock re-pinned to one new key, usually $200 to $300 total for a typical house, done in under an hour. Do it the week you get the keys. Landlords: most California leases put the same obligation on you between tenants, and a keyed-alike master setup makes turnover cheaper every cycle after this one.
When replacement earns its price
Three signals say replace, not rekey. One: the key already needs jiggling, the bolt grinds, or the knob wobbles. Those are worn internals, and new pins in a worn body fix nothing. Two: your main entry wears a builder-grade lock. ANSI grades run 1 (commercial) to 3 (builder basic), and most Sacramento tract homes ship with Grade 3. A Grade 1 or 2 deadbolt with a reinforced strike plate and 3-inch screws into the stud is the difference between a door that pops on the first kick and one that doesn't pop at all. Three: you're going keypad or smart lock, which is simply new hardware.
On the older side of town it cuts the other way. The original mortise sets in East Sacramento and Midtown Victorians are usually worth repairing rather than replacing; the right move is a rebuild of the vintage lock plus a discreet modern deadbolt above it, not a hole saw through a 100-year-old door.
My take
Spend on the front door, save everywhere else. Rekey the house to one key, put one genuinely good deadbolt on the main entry, reinforce the strike plate, and you've covered the way most residential break-ins actually happen: brute force at the primary door. Matching designer hardware on six openings looks great in photos and does nothing on a Tuesday night.
Frequently asked questions
How much does rekeying cost in Sacramento?
$25 to $50 per lock plus a $60 to $90 service call. A whole typical house runs $200 to $300 and takes under an hour. Replacement with quality hardware runs $150 to $250 per door installed.
How fast can a locksmith rekey my house?
Usually same day. Each lock takes about ten minutes once the van arrives, so even a six-lock house is done within the hour. Move-in rekeys can be scheduled for closing day.
Can all my locks work on one key?
Yes, if they're the same keyway — all Kwikset or all Schlage, for example. Mixed-brand houses can usually be consolidated by swapping a cylinder or two. Ask for a keyed-alike setup when you book.
Do I have to rekey after buying a house?
Nothing legally requires it, but you have no way to know how many key copies the previous owners handed out over the years. It's a $200 to $300 fix for an unknowable risk, which is why it's the standard recommendation on closing day.
Is rekeying as secure as replacing the lock?
Against old keys, identical — every previous copy dies either way. Against physical attack, the lock is only as strong as its hardware, so a rekeyed Grade 3 lock is still a Grade 3 lock. That's why the usual advice is rekey everything, upgrade the main entry.