Treasure Coast Locksmith provides new home rekey services in Port St. Lucie, Stuart, Fort Pierce, Vero Beach, Jensen Beach, and across the Treasure Coast. Call (772) 758-1322 for mobile service. A new home rekey is a full-house lock reset performed right after closing, so old keys held by previous owners, cleaners, contractors, and property managers no longer work. Typically 4-7 cylinders per home at $25 each plus service call - $150 to $225 all-in.
You just signed the papers and got the keys. Three of them, plus a garage clicker. What you don't know is how many more keys are still in circulation - the previous owner's adult children, the cleaning service, the pool guy, the handyman who finished the kitchen remodel, the realtor's spare, the prior property manager if the home was rented.
Every one of those is a working key to your new home.
The standard industry recommendation is to rekey every lock immediately after closing, before the first night in the house. This is called a "new home rekey" and it is the single most common residential call Treasure Coast Locksmith gets. Every week, every city.
We do it mobile, same-day in most cases, for $150 to $225 all-in on a typical 4-7 cylinder home. All old keys stop working instantly, your new keys are cut on the truck, and the invoice has the brand and finish info for your records.
What a post-closing rekey includes
- Every exterior cylinder rekeyed - front, back, side, garage, pool gate.
- Matched keying standard - one key opens all exterior doors if you want.
- Two fresh keys per job - additional copies $3-$5 each cut onsite.
- Workmanship warranty - written, in your hand before we leave.
- Smart lock backup included - mechanical backup cylinders on smart locks also rekeyed.
- Documentation for records - brand, finish, and rekey date logged.
- Same-day scheduling - call in the morning, done by afternoon in most cases.
- Honest assessment - if a lock is already broken or beyond rekey, we tell you upfront.
Why new homeowners always rekey
Every real estate transaction leaves a trail of keys you don't control. Here are the most common sources.
Who has a copy of your new home's key
- Previous owner's adult children who never returned their copies when they moved out years ago.
- Cleaning service used by the previous owners. Often 2-3 different staff members with copies.
- Pool service, lawn service, and handyman contractors who came and went during prior ownership.
- The prior real estate agent and any showing agents who used a lockbox during the listing period.
- A prior property manager if the house was ever rented as a vacation rental or long-term lease.
- Neighbors who helped with pet sitting, plant watering, or mail collection and never returned keys.
- The previous owner's in-laws, parents, and close friends who had spare keys for emergencies.
- A home inspector or appraiser if they had extended access during the closing process.
Why rekey, not replace
New homeowners often ask whether to rekey or replace the locks. The answer is almost always rekey. Here is the math.
Rekeying is a pin-tumbler swap inside the existing cylinder. It takes 8-12 minutes per cylinder for standard Schlage or Kwikset hardware and costs $25 per cylinder. A typical 5-cylinder home is 60-90 minutes onsite and $125-$200 plus the service call.
Security result: all old keys stop working, same lock grade, same hardware, same finish.
Replacement is removing the existing hardware and installing new hardware. It takes 45-75 minutes per lock and costs $165-$265 per lock. A 5-cylinder home is 4-6 hours onsite and $825-$1,325 plus any specialty hardware.
Security result: all old keys stop working, new lock grade if you upgrade, new hardware and finish.
So rekey is 70% cheaper and delivers the same key-reset security outcome. The only reasons to replace instead of rekey are: the existing hardware is already worn out or corroded and needs replacement anyway, you specifically want to upgrade from Grade 3 to Grade 1, you hate the finish and want to change it, or you want to add smart lock features that your existing hardware doesn't support.
For 95% of new home buyers on the Treasure Coast, rekey is the right call. We do rekeys all week every week and the customer feedback is consistent: fast, cheap, and does exactly what you need. If you want to discuss rekey vs replace for your specific situation, call and we'll walk you through it.
How a new home rekey call works
Schedule around closing
Book the appointment for closing day afternoon or the next morning. We can also schedule for weekend evenings.
Quick walk-through
Technician walks the exterior and counts cylinders. Flat quote confirmed before starting.
Rekey every exterior lock
10 minutes per cylinder. Front, back, side, garage, pool gate, mailbox if desired.
Keys and handoff
Two new keys per job, matched across all doors. Additional copies cut on the truck. Written warranty.
New homeowner security tips
- Book the rekey before you move in, not after. The first night is the time to know only you have working keys.
- Ask for matched keying across all exterior doors. One key for everything is worth the coordination.
- Get 3-4 keys cut at the visit - 2 main users, a neighbor spare, and a lockbox backup.
- While the technician is there, ask about a strike plate upgrade on the front door. Small add-on, big security improvement.
- Document the rekey date for your home records. Useful for insurance and resale disclosure.
- If the home has smart locks, ask about rekeying the backup mechanical cylinder and resetting the digital codes in the app.
Related services
Other Treasure Coast Locksmith services in this cluster.
New home rekey FAQs
Common questions from Treasure Coast homebuyers planning a post-closing lock reset.
When should I rekey a newly purchased home?
As soon as possible after closing - ideally the same day or the next day, definitely before moving in. Every day you wait is another day old keys could be used. Treasure Coast Locksmith offers same-day and weekend scheduling so you can book the rekey for closing day or the first weekend you have possession.
How much does a new home rekey cost?
A typical Treasure Coast home with 4 to 7 exterior cylinders runs $150 to $225 all-in: $45 per lock plus a service call fee. Standard residential Kwikset and Schlage locks are at the $45 range; commercial and high-security cylinders run higher. Homes with more cylinders or high-security hardware cost more proportionally.
All-inclusive quote provided on the phone before dispatch.
What cylinders should I rekey?
Every exterior cylinder. Front door deadbolt and handle, back door deadbolt, any side entries, garage side door, interior garage-to-house door if it has a cylinder, pool gate, shed, and mailbox. Most Treasure Coast homes have 4-7 exterior cylinders.
We walk the property with you to count.
Can you rekey while I move in, or does it need to happen before?
Either works. Most buyers book the rekey for closing day or the next morning so the locks are reset before the first night. Some buyers prefer to book for the moving day itself and have us work around the movers.
We coordinate with your schedule and can be in and out in 90 minutes.
Will the new keys work on smart locks too?
Yes, for the mechanical backup cylinder. Every Schlage Encode, Yale Assure, and Kwikset Halo smart lock has a standard mechanical cylinder that can be rekeyed. The digital codes in the smart lock app should be reset separately - we walk you through the reset during the visit.
Do I need to be home during the rekey?
Usually yes, or a trusted agent with the keys. We need access to every door and you sign off on the final invoice. If you're closing remotely, coordinate with your realtor or closing agent to meet us at the property.
Can you also change the garage door opener code?
Garage door opener codes are separate from lock rekeying. We do not service garage door openers directly but we can advise. Most modern garage door openers have a 'learn' button that lets you clear existing remotes and pair new ones.
Check the opener manual or call a garage door company for hands-on service.
What if the existing locks are old or worn?
We check every cylinder before rekeying. If a cylinder is too worn to rekey reliably, we recommend replacement with a new cylinder (rekeyable to the same new key). Replacement adds $35 to $95 per cylinder on top of the rekey cost.
We tell you before starting so there are no surprises.
Do you rekey HOA-approved hardware?
Yes. HOAs specify brands and finishes, and they all use rekeyable cylinders - Schlage, Kwikset Signature, Baldwin Estate, and Medeco are all HOA-approved on the Treasure Coast and all rekeyable. We rekey the existing HOA-compliant hardware without replacement.
How many keys do I get after a new home rekey?
Two new keys per rekey job, matched across all exterior doors if you want. Additional copies are cut on the truck for $3 to $5 each. Most buyers get 4-6 keys total at the initial visit: two main users, a neighbor spare, and a lockbox backup.
Is rekeying as good as changing the locks completely?
Yes, for the purpose of disabling old keys. Rekeying swaps the pin tumblers inside the existing cylinders to match a new key pattern. Every old key instantly stops working.
The lock body and grade are unchanged. For the specific goal of 'make sure old keys don't work anymore,' rekey is identical to replacement at 30% of the cost.
What if I don't know how many cylinders my new house has?
We'll count during the visit. Most Treasure Coast 3-bedroom homes have 4-6 exterior cylinders. Larger homes or properties with pools and sheds can have 7-10.
Give us your best guess on the phone for the quote, and we adjust the final invoice based on the actual count.