Door Knob & Deadbolt Installation

Replacing a door knob lock sounds straightforward, but the details matter. Bore-hole diameter, backset measurement, door thickness, and the condition of the existing strike plate all affect which hardware will fit and how it needs to be prepared. On older Santa Monica homes — particularly the 1920s and 1930s Spanish Colonial and craftsman stock common in the Sunset Park and Ocean Park neighborhoods — doors were often built for mortise lock hardware rather than the cylindrical bores standard today. A mortise lock sits inside a deep rectangular pocket routed into the door edge and handles both the latch and the deadbolt in one integrated unit. Our technicians assess whether your door is a candidate for a direct-swap cylindrical installation or whether it is better served by a quality mortise lock set, which offers superior pick resistance and a cleaner look on period doors.

For newer construction, multi-family buildings along Lincoln Boulevard, or standard tract homes, a keyed entry knob paired with a single-cylinder deadbolt above it is the most common and cost-effective upgrade path. We prep the strike plate, reinforce the door jamb where needed, align the bolt throw, and test every function before we leave. If you are adding a deadbolt to a door that currently has only a lock door knob, we core a new bore and install the deadbolt in the same visit — no return trips, no subcontractors.

Hardware technology has moved well beyond the standard keyed knob. A smart lock door knob integrates with Wi-Fi or Z-Wave home automation systems, letting you grant access remotely, receive entry alerts, and set temporary codes for housekeepers, Airbnb guests, or contractors — all without duplicating a physical key. A keypad lock door knob eliminates keys entirely; access codes can be changed in seconds, which is especially useful for Santa Monica short-term rental owners managing turnover on properties near the beach. We carry and install a range of keypad and smart-enabled entry sets alongside traditional keyed hardware so you can choose the right fit for your lifestyle and door prep.

For doors that need a stronger barrier — a back door, a garage entry, or a rental unit that sees high turnover — a double lock door knob configuration adds a keyed function on both the interior and exterior rose. This prevents the latch from being turned from inside without a key, an important feature for storage rooms and secondary entry points. Whatever direction you go, our technicians will walk you through the specific security trade-offs of each option before any hardware is ordered or installed.

Mortise lock service is one of the more technically demanding things a locksmith does, and it is a core part of what we offer across Santa Monica's commercial and residential stock. Commercial storefronts along Main Street or the Third Street Promenade often rely on heavy-duty mortise lock sets that combine a spring latch, a deadbolt throw, and an auxiliary lock in a single case. When the case wears out, the cylinder is compromised, or a key breaks off inside, waiting until morning is not always an option. Our emergency locksmith response means a trained technician can be on-site at your business or rental property around the clock — the same insured professional who handles routine residential installs also responds to after-hours commercial calls.

We also handle situations where property managers or new homeowners need a complete re-key and hardware audit across multiple units. If you manage a building on Ocean Avenue or a cluster of bungalows near Pico Boulevard and you need consistent keying, master key systems, or a mix of electronic and traditional hardware on the same property, our commercial locksmith services cover that scope. Every job begins with a door-by-door assessment and a clear quote — factors that move the price include the type and grade of hardware selected, the number of doors, whether existing prep work fits the new hardware, and the time of day for emergency calls.

We are often asked how much a locksmith charges to change a lock or what the average locksmith charges per hour. We do not publish flat rates because honest pricing depends on several variables: the grade and brand of hardware (a Schlage B-series deadbolt and a Kwikset entry knob sit at very different price points), the complexity of the door prep, whether a mortise pocket needs to be cut or modified, travel distance within the Santa Monica service area, and — for emergency locksmith calls — the time of day. What we do commit to is confirming the exact total before any work starts. You will never open the door to a higher number than what was quoted.

One question we hear often is whether it is possible to pick a door knob lock as a DIY alternative to calling a locksmith. We want to be straightforward: picking a lock without proper training and the right tools almost always leads to damaged pins, a seized cylinder, or a scratched door finish. More practically, working on a lock you do not own or on a property where you cannot demonstrate your right to access creates serious legal exposure. If you are locked out, the right steps are checking for a spare key with a neighbor or property manager, trying a secondary entrance, and — when those options are exhausted — calling a verified, insured locksmith who can confirm ownership before proceeding. Our team carries out that verification process on every lockout call as standard practice. Call (310) 356-9461 — we answer 24/7 and can typically reach most Santa Monica addresses within a short response window.

Our full service list for residential and commercial door hardware in Santa Monica includes: cylindrical door knob lock replacement on interior and exterior doors; single-cylinder deadbolt installation on new bore; double-cylinder deadbolt installation for glass-panel doors; mortise lock case replacement and repair; mortise lock cylinder re-keying; keypad lock door knob installation and code programming; smart lock door knob setup including app pairing and network enrollment; Schlage Grade 1 and Grade 2 entry set installation; Kwikset entry set installation and re-keying; master key system design and implementation; door knob with lock for bedroom privacy sets; passage knob installation for interior doors; dummy knob installation for decorative inactive doors; double lock door knob installation for storage and utility doors; strike plate upgrade to heavy-gauge reinforced plate; door jamb reinforcement and hinge-side security upgrade; lock cylinder swap without full hardware replacement; broken key extraction from knob or deadbolt cylinder; door knob with lock and key duplication and matching; commercial-grade mortise lock installation for storefronts; multi-point locking system service for French and sliding patio doors; electronic access control integration for rental properties; emergency lockout response for residential and commercial addresses; after-hours lock change following a break-in or lost key; and full hardware audit and re-key service for property managers handling tenant turnover.

Santa Monica's housing mix is unusually diverse for a city its size — beachfront high-rises, century-old bungalows, mixed-use commercial lofts, and everything in between. Older properties, particularly those on streets like Berkeley Street or around the North of Montana neighborhood, often have original mortise lock hardware that has not been serviced in decades. The coastal climate — salty air, humidity swings — accelerates wear on exposed brass and zinc components faster than it would inland. Our technicians know this and factor it into hardware recommendations, steering coastal-exposed entry sets toward marine-grade finishes and corrosion-resistant cylinder cores. We are a genuinely local, mobile operation — we come to you, we know the area, and we carry the parts that Santa Monica doors actually need.