Door Lock Replacement Done Right, With Keys That Work in Dorridge

Why locks get replaced

There are plenty of honest reasons: the old lock has become stiff or unreliable, a key has been lost and you want the peace of mind of a different lock, a tenant has moved out, or the existing lock simply never suited the door. Replacement is also the sensible answer when a lock has been forced or damaged, or when the mechanism has worn past the point where adjustment will hold. Whatever the reason, the principle is the same: the new lock must be right for the door it's going into, not just the first one on the shelf.

Choosing the right lock for your door

Doors vary more than people expect. Thickness, backset (the distance from the door edge to the centre of the lock), the size of the existing cut-out and the type of latch all decide which replacements will fit without butchering the door. A euro cylinder, an oval cylinder, a rim nightlatch and a tubular latch are not interchangeable, and internal and external doors need different levels of lock. We measure and assess before recommending anything, and if you've already bought a lock we'll tell you honestly whether it suits the door or whether it will need modifying to fit.

How the swap is done

A straightforward like-for-like swap means removing the old cylinder or latch unit, cleaning up the recess, fitting the new mechanism and checking that the bolt meets the keep squarely. It's a satisfyingly small piece of work when everything matches, which is exactly why the measuring matters: fifteen minutes with a tape measure beforehand beats an hour of improvisation afterwards. If the new lock is a different size or type, more care is needed — the cut-out may need adjusting, and we only take that on when the door can be modified cleanly. We test the action repeatedly, check the handle and key both work smoothly from both sides, and make sure the door closes and latches properly rather than just that the lock moves.

What a replacement can't fix

A new lock won't cure a door that has dropped so far that the bolt misses the keep, and it won't rescue a frame that's soft or cracked. If we find alignment problems, we'll tell you before fitting anything, because a lock fighting a misaligned door will fail early and unfairly. On uPVC doors, the lock cylinder is only part of the system — if the multi-point mechanism behind it is failing, replacing the cylinder alone won't solve the problem, and we'll explain what the realistic options are.

Keys and handover

Most replacement locks come supplied with their own keys, usually two or three per lock. If you need more copies, that's a separate job for a key-cutting service once the lock is fitted — we can't cut keys on site. For a nightlatch, check where the snib (the internal button) sits so everyone in the house can get out quickly. If the lock is going on a shared entrance or a rental property, agree in advance who holds which keys, because that's much harder to sort out afterwards.

Booking the visit

Tell us the door it's for — internal or external, timber or uPVC — and whether you already have the new lock or would like one sourced and quoted. If you're replacing a lock because keys have been lost, mention that when you book, as it may affect which lock we recommend. Labour is charged hourly and the rate depends on how soon you need the visit; the booking fee is paid on booking. We quote the full cost — including any parts, quoted separately — before starting, and the work only begins once you've approved it.