Smart Lock & Keypad Entry Installation

Keyless entry has gone from novelty to normal, and the range of options has become genuinely confusing. We fit smart and keypad locks, set them up properly, and — more usefully — tell you which ones suit your door and household rather than fitting whatever we happen to stock.

Decide these before choosing a lock

• Keypad only, or connected? A code-only lock needs no network and has far less to go wrong. Connected locks let you check and grant access remotely.
• Does it keep a physical key? Some do not. Consider how you get in when the batteries die and your phone is flat.
• Retrofit or full replacement? Some units keep your existing deadbolt and replace only the interior thumbturn, so your keys still work.
• How does it talk? Bluetooth is short range. Wi-Fi drains batteries. Z-Wave and Zigbee need a hub. Matter is the emerging common standard.
• Who needs access, and for how long? Cleaners, dog walkers, contractors and guests are the whole reason most people buy one.
• Is the door exposed to weather? Not every unit is rated for a door with no porch over it.

Where these earn their keep

Households with children who lose keys. Short-term rentals where a code can be changed between guests without anyone handing over anything. Elderly relatives who struggle with a key but manage a keypad. Anyone regularly letting trades in. And offices where a departing employee means changing a code rather than rekeying a building.

Where they earn less: a door you use twice a week, or a household that will not maintain the batteries. A smart lock is a battery-powered device on your front door, and it deserves the same attention as a smoke alarm.

What installation involves

• Checking the door thickness, backset and bore against the unit before anything is fitted
• Fitting the lock and aligning the bolt so the motor is not fighting the frame
• Setting up the app, hub or keypad and connecting it if it is a connected model
• Programming codes, and setting up guest or temporary codes properly
• Making sure the mechanical override works and you know where the key is
• Showing you how to change a code yourself, so you are not calling anyone to do it

That third-from-last point causes more smart lock failures than any electronic fault. A motorised bolt has far less force than your wrist. If the door needs a shove to lock, the motor will strain, drain the batteries and eventually fail to throw. Alignment is not an optional extra on these.

A realistic word on security

A smart lock changes how the door is operated, not how strong it is. The bolt, the strike and the frame do the actual work. Fitting a connected lock to a door with a builder-grade strike and short screws gives you a door you can open from your phone that opens just as easily to a shoulder. If security rather than convenience is the goal, the hardware underneath matters more than the electronics on top.

What happens when the batteries die?

Most units warn you well in advance and keep a mechanical key override or external contacts for a jump. We make sure you know which yours has before we leave.

Can I keep my existing keys?

With a retrofit model, yes — it replaces only the interior side and your cylinder and keys stay as they are. We will tell you whether your deadbolt is compatible.

Can you install a lock I bought myself?

Yes. Check with us before buying, though — compatibility with your door is the thing most often got wrong, and it is a free phone call.