Lock Installation in Vancouver
A lock is only as strong as the door frame it is fixed into. Most forced entries do not defeat the lock at all — they split the jamb around a strike plate held by two short screws, which is the cheapest weakness in the house to fix.
Deadbolt grades explained
Deadbolts are graded by ANSI standards, and the grades describe tested resistance rather than marketing. Grade 3 is the residential basic, Grade 2 is a meaningful step up, and Grade 1 is commercial-level. For an exterior door on a Vancouver house, Grade 2 is the sensible floor.
Throw length matters as much as grade. A bolt that projects a full inch into the frame is substantially harder to defeat than a short one, and a bolt that only just reaches the strike is close to decorative. We check the actual engagement rather than assuming it from the box.
Reinforcing the strike plate
This is the single highest-value thing we do on a door, and it costs very little. The standard strike plate is held by two 19mm screws into the jamb trim — not into the framing behind it. A solid kick concentrates force exactly there and splits the trim away.
The fix is a longer strike plate with 75mm screws driven through the jamb into the stud behind. It takes minutes, changes nothing about how the door looks, and moves the failure point from a piece of trim to the structure of the house. Ask for it whatever else you are having done.
Rekeying vs. replacing
If your locks are decent quality and working smoothly, rekeying changes which key operates them without replacing the hardware. It is faster and cheaper than new locks and it is the right answer after a move, a lost key, or a tenant changeover.
Replace instead when the lock is worn, low grade, seized, or when you want a feature the existing hardware does not have. One more thing worth knowing: several locks can usually be rekeyed to a single key if they are the same brand and keyway, which is why mixed hardware across a house is worth consolidating.
Strata and rental door rules
In a strata building the entry door is frequently common property even though it is your door, and many buildings require the exterior hardware to match and the building to hold a key or fob for emergency access. Changing it unilaterally can mean paying to change it back.
Check your bylaws or ask the building manager before ordering anything — a five-minute email prevents an expensive misunderstanding. Renting has a parallel rule: in British Columbia a tenant generally may not change the locks without the landlord's agreement, and a landlord may not do so without providing keys.
What this costs
$290 minimum callout · $145/hr · $540 half day
Charged by time, not by task. Most lists of small jobs land between the two-hour minimum and a full day.
Materials are always separate from labour and passed on at cost. Quotes are free and written, and the full rate card is published rather than given out on request.
Common questions
Can you rekey locks so one key fits all doors?
Usually, provided the locks share a brand and keyway. It is one of the more satisfying jobs — a house that took three keys now takes one. Where hardware is mixed, consolidating to one brand first is often cheaper than it sounds and makes every future change simpler.
Do I need strata permission to change my door lock?
Very often yes. In many buildings the entry door is common property, the exterior hardware has to match, and the building must hold emergency access. Ask the building manager before buying anything — changing it and being told to change it back is an expensive way to find out.
Can you fit a lock to a metal door?
Yes, though it is a different job from timber. Metal doors need the correct bit and a slower, cooler cut, and the reinforcement inside the door dictates where hardware can go. Some hollow metal doors need a sleeve or a specific lock designed for them, so tell us the door type when you book.