Quick answer: rekey your locks the moment you can’t say for certain who holds a key. Usually that’s moving day, the day a key goes missing, or the day someone who had a key shouldn’t any more. A typical house has 6 to 8 locks and takes about an hour on site. The locks stay on the door.
The best time to rekey is as soon as you stop knowing who has a key to your home. Rekeying changes the pins inside each lock so every old key stops working, and you get new keys without buying new locks. Here are the moments worth booking it.
You’ve just bought or moved into a house. Should you rekey?
Yes, and the sooner the better. Settlement day or moving day is ideal, while you’re at the house anyway. The previous owners hand you their keys, but not the copies they gave a neighbour, a cleaner or a tradie years ago. Nobody keeps count. One rekey makes every one of those keys useless. If you’re renting, ask the owner or agent first.
A key is lost or stolen. How soon should you rekey?
The same day. A key dropped on a walk is probably gone for good. A key taken with a bag or wallet is worse, because whoever has it may also have your address. Call when you notice, day or night. If you’re locked out as well, we open the door and rekey on the same visit.
Someone who had a key shouldn’t have one any more. Is that a reason to rekey?
It’s one of the best reasons. A relationship ends, a housemate moves out, a cleaner or dog walker stops coming, or the renovation is finished and site keys got handed around. Asking for a key back doesn’t tell you whether a copy was made. Rekeying does. You don’t need to explain it to us, and we don’t need the old key back. The same goes if you own a property and a tenant has moved out.
Should you rekey after a break-in?
Report it to the police first, then look at the locks. If a key was taken but the locks weren’t touched, rekey and the stolen key is worthless. If a door was kicked in or a lock was jemmied, that lock is often bent or cracked. It gets replaced and keyed to match the rest. Not sure which is which? We check each lock and tell you before we start.
Too many keys? Can you get one key for every door?
Usually. Most Australian houses are on either the Gainsborough or the Lockwood key profile. When every lock matches we key them all alike: front door, back door, garage and screens on one key. The common snag in Perth is Gainsborough locks on the doors and Lockwood locks on the security screens. Those take different keys, so the house ends up on two. If you want a single key, the screen cylinders can be changed to match. That’s extra work, and we tell you before we do it.
When is it replace rather than rekey?
When the lock is on its way out. If the key sticks or the mechanism is stiff, new pins in a failing lock only mean a second visit later. A seized screen lock near the coast is the other common one. We’d rather rekey than sell you locks, and we say which you need before any work starts. The full breakdown is in our guide, should I rekey or change the locks?
What happens on the day?
You call, we agree the price, and we come to you. On arrival we ask for photo ID and something that shows you live there or own the place, like a bill or the settlement papers. Then we go door to door. Each cylinder comes out, gets new pins and goes back in. We test it with the new key and the old key, so you can see the old one is dead. For 6 to 8 locks that’s about an hour. Two new keys come with the job, and we cut extra sets on the spot.
Our rekeying page covers what’s included, and a house lockout can be done on the same visit. We’re based in Duncraig and cover all of Perth, north and south.
What does rekeying cost?
Price guide (business hours, GST included, checked September 2026. A guide, not a quote.)
- Rekeying: $195 for the first lock, then $55 for each extra lock, with 2 keys included. A typical 6-lock house comes to $470.
After-hours and weekend jobs cost more. Either way, we tell you the total before we start.
Common questions
The previous owner gave me all the keys. Do I still need to rekey?
Yes. They gave you all the keys they had, which isn’t the same as all the keys that exist. Anyone who borrowed one over the years could have cut a copy.
Can I rekey just the front door?
You can, but any door left on the old key still opens for whoever has one. Most people do every external door and screen in one visit.
Does rekeying damage the door or the lock?
No. The cylinder comes out, gets new pins and goes back into the same lock. Nothing on the door changes except which key opens it.
Can security screen doors be rekeyed too?
Most can, and we do them with the rest of the house. A seized screen lock gets replaced instead. Screens are often on a different key profile from the doors, so ask about one key for everything.