Purchasing a home can be a long and stressful process. Even after closing, you’re likely to have a long to-do list before you can finally sit down and relax in your new home.
With all of this going on, it can be easy to forget simple tasks such as re-keying the locks. Below we’ll discuss why re-keying all the locks and deadbolts in your new home should be at the top of your priority list, and a few things to consider.
Home Security
The most obvious reason to re-key your locks immediately is security. This is important even if you know and trust the previous homeowners; remember, you don’t know what spare keys may be floating out there. You may trust the previous home owners not to enter the home, but do you trust all their extended family, friends, cleaning services, or anyone else who may have received a spare key over the years?
The only way to ensure that only your family has access to your new home is to re-key all the locks immediately.
How Much Does It Cost?
The actual costs to re-key locks will vary by locksmith, and will depend on how many locks there are. However, on average you can expect to pay around $75 per hour. On top of this, you may also pay a trip fee between $50 and $100.
These costs are to re-key the existing locks, not to change the locks entirely. To learn about the differences between re-keying and changing locks, you can reference our article here.
How Do I Re-Key the Locks?
As mentioned earlier, you can always call a locksmith to re-key your locks. If you’d rather save some money, you also have the option to re-key the locks yourself. If you’re going to attempt the DIY route, you’ll want to do some research on what type of rekey kit you need for the brand of lock, and consult a how-to guide such as this one.