Educational process note · Taylor
Rekey after a house closing
Educational process note — how this type of job is typically approached. It is not a write-up of a specific completed job.
- Typical setting
- Taylor, Michigan
- Vehicle or door
- Occupied house, closing keys still in use
- Locksmith
- Ryan Taylor, owner · City Locksmith Taylor LLC
- Problem
- New owner is in the house. Realtor, contractors, and the previous owner have had keys. Hardware is still working.
- Diagnosis
- If the cylinders turn cleanly, this is a rekey, not a full hardware swap. Front, back, and any side door should end up on one key if the keyways allow it. A smart lock can wait until the mechanical locks are actually yours.
- Work
- Pull cylinders, pin to a new key, old keys retired.
- Key alike across compatible doors.
- Check strikes. A rekey does not fix a bolt that never seated.
- Result
- New keys in hand. Old keys are metal souvenirs. If a cylinder was too far gone, that door got replacement instead of a wasted rekey.