Lock Installation

Installation means fitting a lock where there was not one — boring a new door, adding a second deadbolt, securing an interior door, or putting hardware on a shed, gate or cabinet. It is different from replacement, where the holes already exist and dictate what fits.

Common installation jobs

• Adding a deadbolt above an existing knob lock on an exterior door
• Securing a door between a garage and the house, which is frequently the weakest point in a home
• Interior locks on a home office, nursery, medicine cabinet or gun storage
• Basement and cellar doors that were never fitted with anything serious
• Sheds, garages, gates and outbuildings
• Mailbox and package box locks
• Cabinet, desk and file locks
• New construction and renovation, where a whole house is fitted at once

Deadbolt installation

Fitting a deadbolt from scratch means boring a cross bore through the face of the door and an edge bore for the bolt, then mortising the frame for the strike. Done accurately, the bolt throws smoothly and the door looks factory-fitted. Done badly, the door is permanently marked and the bolt binds — which is why this is a job worth having done with the right jig rather than freehand with a hole saw.

Get the strike right at the same time. A deadbolt is only as strong as the frame it goes into, so we fit a reinforced strike with screws long enough to reach the stud behind the jamb. That single detail is the difference between a door that resists a kick and one that does not.

Double-cylinder deadbolts and a safety point

A double-cylinder deadbolt needs a key from both sides, which stops someone breaking the glass beside the door and reaching the thumbturn. It also means nobody can get out without a key. On an exit route that is a genuine fire risk, and the model residential and building codes restrict key-operated locking on egress doors — though exactly what is permitted depends on the code edition your jurisdiction has adopted and on the authority having jurisdiction. We fit them where they make sense, and where we think one would be unsafe on your door we will say so and explain why.

Landlords, HOAs and new builds

For multiple doors or multiple units we work through a property in one visit and key it to whatever scheme suits you — every unit on its own key with a master for the manager, or matched keys per building. That is a master key system, and it is worth planning before the hardware is bought rather than after.

Can you add a deadbolt to a door that only has a knob?

Yes. That is one of the most common installations we do, and it is a considerable improvement on a knob lock alone.

Will installing a lock damage my door?

A correctly bored door shows no damage — the hardware covers the bore on both faces. The risk is with inaccurate boring, which is exactly what the jig prevents.

Can you install locks on a metal or fibreglass door?

Usually, though these doors have limits on where and how much can be bored. Tell us the door type when you call so the right equipment comes with us.