Smart locks
House lockouts
Re-keying
Deadbolt upgrades
Schlage
Kwikset
Car keys & fobsNon-destructive entry first, always - and we re-key Schlage, Kwikset, and Baldwin locks on the spot while you watch
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How Much Does Lock Installation & Rekey Cost in Irvine?
Lock installation in Irvine runs $120 to $260 per lock for standard residential hardware, and a rekey costs $25 to $65 per lock cylinder when you’re keeping the existing locks. A full house rekey (four to six locks) typically lands between $120 and $300, while high-security hardware like Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, or Abloy pushes installation into the $350 to $900 per-lock range. Those are honest numbers for the Irvine market in 2026, and they’re the range we quote from before we start.
Whether you just closed on a house in Woodbridge or you’re a renter in one of the new towers near the Spectrum, the price you pay depends on the hardware, the number of doors, and whether anything needs to be drilled or retrofitted. Here’s how the numbers break down, what moves them up or down, and how to avoid the bait-and-switch pricing that gives this trade a bad name.
Key Takeaways
- Rekey: $25 to $65 per lock when keeping your existing hardware.
- Standard lock installation: $120 to $260 per lock, hardware included for common brands.
- High-security install: $350 to $900 per lock for Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, Abloy, and Sargent.
- Full house rekey (4 to 6 locks): $120 to $300.
- Free estimates and upfront pricing – call (877) 358-5506.
Lock Installation & Rekey Cost Breakdown (2026)
Here’s how line items price out in Irvine for 2026. These ranges reflect the labor and hardware we regularly see across residential, commercial, and automotive lock work.
| Service | Typical Irvine Price Range |
|---|---|
| Rekey, single lock (Schlage, Kwikset, Yale) | $25 – $65 |
| Rekey, single high-security lock (Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, Abloy) | $65 – $120 |
| Full house rekey (4 – 6 locks) | $120 – $300 |
| Standard deadbolt installation (Kwikset, Schlage, Yale) | $120 – $260 per lock |
| Premium hardware install (Baldwin, Sargent) | $200 – $450 per lock |
| High-security install (Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, Abloy) | $350 – $900 per lock |
| New door prep / deadbolt drilling (no existing bore) | $60 – $140 add-on |
| Smart lock installation (customer-supplied) | $90 – $180 per lock |
| Car key replacement / transponder programming | $180 – $450 depending on make and key type |
| Emergency lockout response | $75 – $200 service call plus hardware if needed |
What pushes cost to the top of a range: door prep when there’s no existing bore, high-security hardware with restricted keyways, multiplex master keying for a small office or multi-unit rental, and after-hours emergency calls. What pulls it toward the bottom: rekeying instead of replacing, matching hardware already on the door, and getting several locks done in one visit so travel and setup get shared across the job.
If you’re comparing our numbers to another Irvine quote and the other number looks impossibly low, ask what hardware it includes. A $39 “rekey special” that turns into a $400 bill once the tech is in your doorway is the exact pattern the home page exists to counter. Our quotes come in writing before any work starts.
What Affects Lock Installation & Rekey Pricing in Irvine
- Lock brand and grade. A builder-grade Kwikset on a Woodbridge tract home sits at the low end. A Medeco Maxum or Abloy deadbolt on a Turtle Rock property sits at the high end because the hardware costs more and the install requires certified handling. We work with eight major brands – Schlage, Kwikset, Medeco, Yale, Baldwin, Mul-T-Lock, Sargent, and Abloy – so the tech who shows up already knows what’s on your door.
- Number of doors serviced in one visit. Rekeying six locks in a single appointment costs less per lock than rekeying one, because the trip and setup are shared. Irvine homeowners who want every exterior door keyed to a single key often land near the low end of the house range.
- Door type and condition. Steel entry doors, fiberglass doors, and older wood doors each take a different approach. A door that’s never been bored for a deadbolt needs prep work ($60 to $140 add-on). A door with a stripped or misaligned strike also pushes labor up.
- Key control needs. A rental property in University Park or a small office near Irvine Center Drive often needs master keying, restricted keyways, or documented key control. That’s real work on the locksmith side and adds to the line item, but it’s what keeps former tenants and departed employees out.
- Timing. A scheduled weekday appointment prices at the standard rate. An emergency call at 2 a.m. carries a higher service-call fee, and that’s true across the trades, not just locksmithing. We keep after-hours availability because people lock themselves out at inconvenient times – not to pad a bill.
- Geography and access. Irvine spans a lot of ground, from older single-family homes off Culver to the newer high-rises around the Spectrum and the airport business district. Parking structures, gated communities, and multi-story buildings add access time, which occasionally shows up as a modest trip charge.
Rekey vs. Replace: Which Costs Less for Irvine Homes?
Rekeying is almost always the cheaper move when the hardware is still in good shape. A rekey changes the internal pins so the old keys no longer work, and it costs $25 to $65 per lock. Replacing the same lock with comparable hardware costs two to four times that once you add parts and labor. New homeowners usually only need the cheaper option, since the locks themselves are fine – the previous owner’s keys are the actual problem.
Replacement makes more sense when the lock is worn out, the door needs a security upgrade (a standard cylinder swapped for a high-security Medeco or Mul-T-Lock), or the hardware is builder-grade and you want something sturdier. For renters, rekeying is nearly always the right call – it’s cheap, reversible, and doesn’t involve touching the landlord’s hardware beyond the cylinder. If you’re weighing both paths, our team can walk you through it, and the same thinking applies to the Lock Installation & Rekey in Santa Fe Springs service we run for neighboring clients.
How to Save on Lock Installation & Rekey
None of these tips involve calling the cheapest number you find and hoping for the best. They’re practical ways to keep the bill fair and the work done right.
- Rekey instead of replace when the hardware is sound. Most Irvine homes built in the last 15 years have decent locks already. Rekeying a full house runs $120 to $300 versus a replacement job that can hit four figures.
- Batch the work. Get every exterior door rekeyed in one appointment. The per-lock price drops because the trip is shared.
- Buy your own hardware for smart locks. A customer-supplied smart lock costs $90 to $180 to install, and you control the hardware cost. Bring the box and we’ll hang it.
- Ask for a written, line-item quote before work begins. This is the single most reliable way to avoid a surprise bill. Our free estimates are itemized by lock and service.
- Get the door ready if you can. Clearing furniture, removing old hardware, and unlocking the door for the tech saves a few minutes, which can mean a few dollars on some jobs.
- Call for a free estimate first. We’ll give you a real number over the phone – (877) 358-5506 – and that call costs nothing.
Why Irvine Customers Call True Blue Instead of the Cheapest Number
This trade has a reputation problem, and it’s earned. Bait-and-switch pricing, techs who quote one number and bill another, “locksmiths” who drill a perfectly good lock so they can sell a replacement – we’ve been called in to fix all of it. The True Blue name is our promise against that. When we quote a rekey at a given range, that’s what you pay, and if something changes mid-job you hear about it before we keep going.
The other difference is range. Plenty of shops handle cars only, or residential locks only. We run three core services: car key replacement, emergency response, and lock rekeying. That means one call covers the house, the car, and the small office. It also means the tech arriving at your door may have just finished programming a transponder key on a newer vehicle – the skill set is broader than a residential-only shop’s.
True Blue keeps after-hours emergency service for the simple reason that lockouts don’t wait for business hours. It also keeps certified capability on professional-grade hardware. If your door has a Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, Abloy, or Sargent lock, most residential locksmiths will tell you they can’t rekey it. We can. To understand where premium hardware fits into overall security, our deeper page on lock installation and rekeying lays out the whole picture.
When Should You Rekey Instead of Just Making a Copy?
Rekey whenever a key has gone out of your control. That includes after move-in, after a breakup, after a contractor or cleaner has held a key, after a lost set, or after a tenant moves out. Copying a key you still hold does nothing about the key someone else might have. A rekey changes the internals so every old copy stops working at once.
Rekeying also sidesteps a problem common in Irvine’s rental market: tenants aren’t allowed to swap hardware, but they are allowed to make their own unit safe. A rekey is the standard fix. Landlords should rekey between tenants every time, both for safety and to document that a change occurred.
How Long Does the Work Take?
A single rekey takes about 15 to 20 minutes per lock. A full house of four to six locks runs 45 minutes to an hour. Installing a new deadbolt on a prepped door takes 20 to 30 minutes per lock; adding door prep adds 20 minutes or so. High-security hardware installs take longer because the tolerances are tighter. In almost every case, you’re rekeyed and secure before we leave the driveway, and you don’t need to block out the whole afternoon.
FAQs – Lock Installation & Rekey Cost
How much does a rekey cost in Irvine?
A single-lock rekey in Irvine runs $25 to $65 for standard hardware, and $65 to $120 for high-security locks. Most homeowners rekey four to six exterior doors for $120 to $300 total. Call (877) 358-5506 for an exact quote – estimates are free.
Is it cheaper to rekey or replace locks?
Rekeying is cheaper in nearly every case: $25 to $65 per lock versus $120 to $260 or more per lock for replacement. Replace instead of rekey only when the hardware is worn out or you’re upgrading to high-security. Call (877) 358-5506 and we’ll tell you which is right for your door.
How much does lock installation cost in Irvine?
Standard lock installation runs $120 to $260 per lock in Irvine, all-in for hardware and labor on brands like Kwikset, Schlage, and Yale. Premium hardware like Baldwin or Sargent lands at $200 to $450, and high-security installs at $350 to $900. Call (877) 358-5506 for a free line-item estimate.
Can you rekey a Medeco or Abloy lock?
Yes. Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, Abloy, and Sargent are all within our certified range, and rekeys on those runs $65 to $120 per lock. Most residential locksmiths can’t service them, so a quick call to (877) 358-5506 saves you the runaround.
Can you come today?
Often, yes. Same-day scheduling is the norm for standard rekeys and installs, and emergency lockout response is available outside business hours. Call (877) 358-5506 and we’ll give you the next available window and a firm price up front.
Getting an Honest Quote
The price you see on this page is the range we quote from, and we don’t change it once we’re at your door. Whether you need a single rekey, a full house done in one visit, or a high-security upgrade, the honest number is the only number. Call True Blue Locksmith at (877) 358-5506 for a free estimate. We’ll tell you the range, confirm the hardware, and schedule the work. No games, no surprises.
Pricing reflects the Irvine market as of 2026. True Blue Locksmith offers free estimates – call (877) 358-5506.
What Our Customers Say
"Commercial job, panic bar and a master key system for a small office. Clean install and clear documentation of which key opens what."
— Norma Castillo"Rekeyed every lock in the house the day after we closed. Six doors, all matched to one key, done in about ninety minutes."
— Arjun Mehta"The old deadbolt was mounted crooked by whoever lived here before and had been sticking for years. He redrilled and reset it properly rather than just replacing the hardware."
— Miguel Salazar