Should I Rekey After Buying a House?
Yes, you should rekey after buying a house, ideally on move-in day. There is no way to know who still holds a key: previous owners, agents, contractors, cleaners, neighbors. Rekeying resets the pins in the locks you already own so every old key stops working and one new key opens the house. Apex Locksmith Pros does it for $35+ per cylinder in one visit.
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The keys you cannot account for
A typical house changes hands with a decade of key history attached. The previous owners handed copies to a dog walker, a mother-in-law, a pool guy, and the neighbor who watered plants, and none of those people appear at closing. Nobody is accusing anyone; the point is that 'who can open my front door' should have a one-word answer on the day you move in, and rekeying is how it gets one.
Rekey or replace: the move-in decision
If the hardware is solid, rekeying is the efficient answer: same locks, new pins, dead old keys, $35+ per cylinder. Replacement earns its higher cost in two cases: locks that are worn, sticking, or builder-grade flimsy, and doors where you want different hardware, like a smart lock, which we install from $169+. Plenty of move-ins mix the two: rekey the good deadbolts, upgrade the one tired knob. Our Rekeying Locks page has the booking details.
Rather hear it from a locksmith? Call or text and get a flat quote for your job.
What Else Do People Ask About This?
These are the follow-up questions callers in McKinney and nearby cities ask most often on this topic, each answered in a few plain sentences by our locksmith team.
Can every door end up on one key?
Usually yes, when the locks share a keyway or we swap the odd cylinder to match. One key for front, back, and garage entry is the normal outcome of a move-in rekey.
Does this apply to new construction?
More than people expect. Builder master keys and contractor keys circulated through the whole build. A fresh rekey is the only way the answer to who has keys becomes just you.
What about the mailbox and garage keypad?
A mailbox lock is its own small swap at $85+, and the garage keypad takes a code change you can do from the opener. Both are worth doing the same week.
How much does it cost to change the locks in a house?
Rekeying runs $35+ per cylinder with Apex Locksmith Pros, so a typical house is a small bill. Replacing the hardware costs more because you buy new locks plus installation.
More Quick Answers
Need it handled? Rekeying Locks: how it works and pricing, or call (469) 712-5422, open daily 8 AM–8 PM.