What is the difference between rekeying and replacing the locks?

Rekeying changes the lock so it takes a new key and the old keys no longer work. Replacing means fitting new hardware, which makes sense where a lock is worn or mismatched. The locksmith can tell you which suits each door, and you approve the price first.

Can the gate and the shed be done at the same time as the house?

Yes. The job covers every exterior lock, including the garage side door and any gate or shed. Tell us about them when you call. Davie has many properties with long driveways, gates and outbuildings, so this is common.

Does the humidity in Davie affect my locks?

It can. Humidity here is high year-round, and moisture corrodes cylinders and strikes. Prolonged heat and humidity can also swell wood doors and frames so a deadbolt binds against the strike plate. If a lock already feels stiff, say so when you call.

Do I need to be home, and what will I be asked for?

Someone entitled to enter the property should be there. The locksmith will ask for identification and proof that you are entitled to enter before opening anything, such as a lease, deed or utility bill.

Does Florida license locksmiths?

Florida has no statewide locksmith license. The trade is regulated at the county or municipal level, and requirements vary, so check with the county or city licensing office where the work is done. For business registration and consumer complaints, the usual contacts are the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the Florida Department of State.

Rekeying, booked with one call, in Davie, FL

Davie kept its large-lot, equestrian and ranch-style zoning, so a new home here often comes with a long driveway, a gate, a barn or a shed as well as a front door. If you have just moved in and want the locks changed, that is a bigger list of locks than most people expect. Plan around all of them, not only the front door.

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What has almost certainly happened is simple. You were handed a set of keys, but you cannot know how many others exist. A previous owner, a contractor, a former tenant or a letting agent may still hold a working key. Rekeying makes every one of those old keys useless, and it is the first job to book in a new place.

While you wait — please don't

Do not assume the old keys are all accounted for. The number of copies is unknowable, so the only safe move is to change what the keys fit.
Do not hand out copies of the old key. Every copy you cut now is one more key that stops working once the locks are rekeyed.
Do not forget the side door, gate and shed. A new front door lock does little good if the garage side door or a gate still takes the old key.
Do not leave it until the lock fails. Rekeying is planned work, and it is much easier to book it before a stiff or worn lock turns it into a lockout.

What the technician does

You call and describe the homeCall (866) 690-5848 and say how many exterior doors you have, and whether there is a garage side door, a gate or a shed. We arrange the job with an independent locksmith. We are a referral and scheduling service, not the locksmith.
Identification is checked firstThe locksmith will ask for identification and proof that you are entitled to enter the property before touching anything. This is routine, and it protects you as the new owner or tenant.
You get the price before work startsThe estimate is free. The locksmith gives you the price, and nothing begins until you approve it.
Every exterior lock goes onto one new keyExterior locks are rekeyed so one key fits them all. Where hardware is worn or mismatched, the locksmith can replace it instead. The garage side door and any gate or shed are included.
Old keys stop workingOnce the work is done, the keys that came with the house no longer open anything.
Keys are cut for the householdYou leave with working keys for everyone who lives there.

Why this happens in Davie, FL

Davie homes vary a lot from one street to the next. Much of the housing is 1970s through 2000s concrete block and stucco. There are also newer gated subdivisions, townhomes and condos, manufactured homes, and acreage-style equestrian properties. Attached garages are standard in post-1980 subdivisions, so the garage side door is a regular part of the count. Gated and HOA-governed communities are very common on the western side of town. If you are in one, check with your management about any shared or controlled access points before the visit.

Humidity in Florida is hard on hardware, and Davie is no exception. Moisture corrodes cylinders and strikes, and a wet season from roughly May through October keeps outdoor locks and gate hardware damp. Long driveways with swing and slide gates, keypads and barn locks live in that moisture and dust all year. If a lock on your new place feels rough or worn, mention it when you call so the locksmith can plan to replace it rather than rekey it. Timing matters too. The summer moving season is when this work stacks up, and demand also rises in May and June ahead of hurricane season. It is worth booking rather than leaving it.

Questions people ask

What is the difference between rekeying and replacing the locks?: Rekeying changes the lock so it takes a new key and the old keys no longer work. Replacing means fitting new hardware, which makes sense where a lock is worn or mismatched. The locksmith can tell you which suits each door, and you approve the price first.
Can the gate and the shed be done at the same time as the house?: Yes. The job covers every exterior lock, including the garage side door and any gate or shed. Tell us about them when you call. Davie has many properties with long driveways, gates and outbuildings, so this is common.
Does the humidity in Davie affect my locks?: It can. Humidity here is high year-round, and moisture corrodes cylinders and strikes. Prolonged heat and humidity can also swell wood doors and frames so a deadbolt binds against the strike plate. If a lock already feels stiff, say so when you call.
Do I need to be home, and what will I be asked for?: Someone entitled to enter the property should be there. The locksmith will ask for identification and proof that you are entitled to enter before opening anything, such as a lease, deed or utility bill.
Does Florida license locksmiths?: Florida has no statewide locksmith license. The trade is regulated at the county or municipal level, and requirements vary, so check with the county or city licensing office where the work is done. For business registration and consumer complaints, the usual contacts are the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the Florida Department of State.

One call

Call (866) 690-5848 and one call arranges the rekey for your Davie home. The estimate is free, and the locksmith gives you the price before any work starts, so you approve it first.

Call now · (866) 690-5848

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