It’s one of the most common questions we get on a service call: “Do I need all new locks, or can you just rekey these?” The good news is that for most Sioux Falls homes, the cheaper option is also the right one. Here’s how we tell the difference, what it actually costs, and when it’s worth spending more.
Rekeying keeps your existing lock hardware but changes the little pins inside so your old keys stop working and a new key takes over. The lock on your door stays put; only the key that opens it changes.
Replacing swaps out the whole lock: new hardware, new finish, new key. It costs more, but it’s the move when the lock itself is the problem.
If the locks work fine and you just don’t trust who has a key, rekeying is almost always the smarter spend.
Prices vary by lock type and how many doors you’re doing, but here’s the general range we see in Sioux Falls:
| Option | Typical cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Rekey (per cylinder) | $15 to $50 | Good hardware, just need old keys to stop working |
| Rekey whole house (one key) | $50 to $150 | Moving in, lost keys, want one key for every door |
| Replace (per lock, hardware and labor) | $80 to $300+ | Worn, damaged, or upgrading to smart locks |
Prices are general ranges and can vary based on lock type, hardware condition, and number of doors.
Call the shop at 605-334-5411 and tell us how many doors and what kind of locks you have. We’ll give you a real number, not a guess, before we come out.
Nine times out of ten, this is the answer. Reach for a rekey when:
Sometimes new hardware is genuinely the better value. We’ll usually recommend replacing when:
Rekey kits exist and work on some standard cylinders, but it’s fiddly work: small pins, easy to lose, easy to get wrong on your first try. Most folks who try a DIY kit end up calling a locksmith anyway after a dropped pin or a lock that won’t turn. If you’ve got more than one door, it’s usually faster and cheaper overall to have it done right the first time.
Most pin tumbler locks (the standard deadbolts and knobs on nearly every Sioux Falls home) can be rekeyed. Smart locks, some high-security cylinders, and badly worn hardware sometimes can’t be, and that’s usually a sign it’s time to replace anyway.
That’s exactly the situation rekeying is built for. If you can’t account for every key to your home, whether that’s a new house purchase, a breakup, or a roommate who moved out, rekeying shuts those old keys out without the cost of new hardware.
A standard rekey job on a residential home usually takes under an hour once we’re on site, and we can cut spare copies of your new key while we’re there.
If your locks are in good shape and this is really about who holds a key, rekey. If the hardware is failing or you want an upgrade, replace. Still not sure? Tell us what’s going on and we’ll point you to the cheaper fix if there is one. Call 605-334-5411 and we’ll walk through it with you.
Filed under Residential · Written by Fred
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