Smart Lock Installation in Vancouver

Door thickness and backset

Three numbers matter. Door thickness — most locks handle a standard range and thicker solid doors may need an extension kit. Backset, the distance from the door edge to the centre of the bore hole, which is one of two common dimensions in North America. And the bore hole diameter itself.

Measure them before ordering. Most smart locks accommodate both common backsets with an adjustable latch, but not all do, and a mismatch cannot be resolved on the day without drilling the door. If you are unsure, photograph the edge of the door with the latch visible and a tape measure across the bore hole, and we will tell you what will fit.

Retrofit vs. full replacement

A retrofit unit replaces only the interior thumb-turn and drives your existing deadbolt. The exterior of the door is unchanged, your keys keep working, and it is the low-risk option — particularly in a building where the outside of the door must look like every other door.

A full replacement swaps the entire lock and gives you keypad or fingerprint entry from outside. It is the better experience and the bigger commitment. If your existing deadbolt is decent and the outside appearance matters, retrofit is genuinely the smarter choice rather than the compromise it sounds like.

Rental and strata restrictions

In a strata building the entry door is frequently common property, exterior hardware often has to match across the building, and many buildings require emergency access to be maintained. A retrofit unit sidesteps most of this neatly because nothing visible changes and the original key still works.

Renting has its own rule: in British Columbia a tenant generally may not change the locks without the landlord's agreement. Again, a retrofit is the practical answer — the deadbolt is untouched, the landlord's key still operates it, and the unit comes off cleanly when you leave. Ask first regardless; permission is usually straightforward when nothing permanent changes.

Battery life and manual override

Expect several months to a year from a set of batteries depending on how often the lock is used and how cold it gets — batteries deliver less in a cold snap, so the low-battery warning tends to arrive in January. Do not ignore the first warning; there is usually plenty of margin, and there is no margin at all once it is flat.

Every lock worth buying has an override: a physical key, or external contacts you can touch a 9V battery to. Find out which yours has on the day it is installed, not on the night it dies. If it is a key, keep one somewhere that is not inside the locked house.

What this costs

$290–$2,400

A doorbell or thermostat swap is a minimum-callout job. Whole-home hubs, multi-camera systems and anything needing new power sit higher, and we hand over with everything paired and demonstrated.

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.