Lock installation in Vancouver
Front doors, back doors and suite doors.
A lock is a system: cylinder, bolt, strike plate and the frame it all screws into. We look at the whole opening, tell you what the weak part actually is, and fit hardware that suits that door.
Grade 1, 2 or 3. What the number on a new lock actually buys.
ANSI/BHMA grading is the one spec on the box worth reading. It is a measure of how many cycles and how much force the lock survived in testing, not a marketing tier.
See starting pricesGrade 1 deadbolts for exterior doors that take a beating
The commercial standard, and worth it on a front door, a lane-facing back door or anything that gets used constantly. It meets the toughest cycle and strength tests of the three grades.
Grade 2 locks for most Vancouver homes
The sensible default for a residential exterior door in ordinary use. Most quality consumer deadbolts sit here, and on a well-fitted door with a reinforced strike it is a genuinely solid setup.
Grade 3 locks for interior and low-traffic doors
Basic residential duty. Fine on an interior door, a shed or a closet. Not what should be holding your front door closed, whatever the packaging says.
Deadbolt, knob or lever. Choosing what gets installed.
Deadbolt installation as the main security lock
The deadbolt does the actual work, on its own or as part of a handleset. A one-inch throw into a reinforced strike is what resists a kick; everything else on the door is convenience.
Knob locks, and why they shouldn't stand alone
A knob lock holds the door shut and keeps it latched. The lock mechanism sits in the knob itself, which means it can be defeated by attacking the knob. Fine paired with a deadbolt, poor on its own.
Lever handles for accessibility and interior doors
Easier with full hands, arthritis or a wheelchair, and often required on commercial and accessible doors. On an exterior door a lever gives an attacker more leverage, so it is paired with a proper deadbolt.
A new lock is only as solid as the door around it.
This is the part that gets skipped, and it is the part that decides whether the lock does anything.
Strike plate reinforcement and longer screws into the stud
The factory strike is usually held by two short screws into the jamb trim. Swapping to a reinforced strike with three-inch screws that reach the framing stud is the single least expensive security improvement on any door.
Boring a fresh hole in a door that never had a deadbolt
A door with only a knob can take a deadbolt. It means boring the face and edge to spec and fitting a new strike. Done properly it looks factory. Done badly it never lines up.
Fitting locks to metal, fibreglass and older wood doors
Metal doors need the right bits and often hide reinforcement. Fibreglass cracks if forced. Older Vancouver wood doors shift with the seasons and are often out of square, so we fit to the door as it is.
What changes the number on a lock installation quote.
Starting figures are on the price guide.
See starting pricesHardware we supply or hardware you bought
Either is fine. If you have already bought the lock, tell us the make and model when you call and we will tell you honestly whether it suits the door.
Fresh bore versus swapping into an existing hole
Dropping a new deadbolt into an existing bore at the standard 2-3/8" or 2-3/4" backset is straightforward. Boring a door that has never had one is a different job with a different price.
Door material and whether it needs reinforcing
A sound hardwood door and a hollow, split or sagging one are not the same install. Sometimes the honest answer is that the frame needs attention before the lock is worth fitting.
Matching the new deadbolt to your existing key
Usually possible where the keyways are compatible, so the house stays keyed alike. Worth asking for at the time: bringing a lock onto your existing key later means a second visit.
New door lock questions worth asking before the installation.
Can a deadbolt go on a door that only has a knob?
Yes, on almost any door with enough stile width above the knob. It is the upgrade that actually changes how secure the door is.
Will a new lock work with my existing house key?
Often, if the keyway matches. We can pin the new cylinder to your current key so you do not end up carrying two. Say so when you book, because it is easier done on the van than retrofitted.
Which deadbolt brands do you install in Vancouver homes?
We install the mainstream residential brands, and we will fit hardware you have supplied. If you want a specific finish or a restricted keyway it gets ordered, and you hear the lead time before you commit.
Can you install a keypad deadbolt instead of a keyed one?
Yes. See smart locks. The same door-prep rules apply, and they matter more: keypad and smart deadbolts have motors that will not fight a misaligned strike the way your wrist will.
Licensed lock installation that leaves the door looking untouched.
A good install is invisible. The bolt throws fully without being lifted or leaned on, the strike lines up without a fight, the screws are square, and there is no splintering around a bore that was cut freehand.
We test the lock from both sides before leaving, with the door open and closed, and hand over every key cut.
If the honest recommendation is to repair your existing lock rather than sell you a new one, that is what you will hear. See lock repair.
Tell us what is going on, and we'll price it first.
Call, book online or ask for a callback. You will have the method and the number before any work begins.