Most San Diego homeowners pay $140 to $320 to rekey an entire house, including the service call. A 2-bedroom condo with 3 or 4 cylinders usually lands at the lower end of that range. A larger single-family home with 6 or more exterior entry points can push toward $250 to $350. The lock hardware stays untouched. Only the internal pins change, which is what makes this one of the most cost-effective security moves you can make.
Here’s how the math actually works, and where the costs can climb if you’re not prepared.
Per-cylinder pricing explained
Every lock rekey job has two cost components: a service call fee and a per-cylinder charge.
The service call covers the locksmith’s time to show up, assess the locks, and set up. In San Diego County that runs $50 to $85 for a standard daytime appointment. Many locksmiths waive or reduce this fee when you’re rekeying three or more cylinders at the same visit.
The per-cylinder charge is what you pay for each individual lock cylinder that gets re-pinned. A standard exterior deadbolt has one cylinder. A keyed knob or lever paired with a deadbolt on the same door adds a second. In San Diego, per-cylinder pricing typically falls between $25 and $40.
High-security cylinders like Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, or Abloy can run $50 to $95 per cylinder because the pinning is more complex and the tools required are specialized.
What a whole-house rekey actually costs
The number of cylinders in your home depends mostly on how many exterior entry points you have and whether they use deadbolts, keyed knobs, or both.
| Home type | Typical cylinder count | Estimated all-in cost |
|---|---|---|
| Studio or 1-bed condo | 2 to 3 cylinders | $95 to $175 |
| 2-bed condo or townhome | 3 to 4 cylinders | $140 to $245 |
| 3-bed single-family home | 5 to 7 cylinders | $180 to $345 |
| 4+ bed or larger home | 8 to 12 cylinders | $250 to $530 |
These ranges include a service call fee. They assume standard pin-tumbler cylinders from brands like Schlage, Kwikset, or Baldwin. Jobs on the lower end of each range are typical for homes where all the locks are the same brand already.
If your home has a garage entry door, a side gate with a keyed padlock, or a detached accessory dwelling unit, count those cylinders separately. Each one adds $25 to $40.
The real win: keyed-alike consolidation
Most homes Danny’s team services in San Diego have a different key for the front door, back door, garage entry, and side gate. Homeowners carry three or four keys for the same house and still fumble for the right one at night.
A rekey job is the right moment to solve this. When all your locks are the same brand and keyway (Schlage to Schlage, Kwikset to Kwikset), a locksmith can re-pin every cylinder to work with one key. You walk away carrying a single key for your entire home.
Keyed-alike consolidation doesn’t add cost when the locks are already the same brand. If you have a mix of brands, like Schlage on the front and Kwikset on the back, you’ll need to replace one set to match the other before the rekey. That’s a one-time hardware cost, but the long-term convenience is worth it for most homeowners.
For more on when this makes sense, see our breakdown of rekeying versus replacing locks.
What adds to the cost
A few things can push a whole-house rekey above the typical ranges:
High-security cylinders. If you’ve already upgraded to Medeco or Mul-T-Lock cylinders, expect $50 to $95 per cylinder instead of the standard $25 to $40. The re-pinning is more involved and requires tools specific to those brands.
Smart lock reprogramming instead of a rekey. If you have a Schlage Encode, Yale Assure, or another keypad-plus-physical-key smart lock, rekeying the physical key cylinder is possible on most models. But if you’re also clearing old digital access codes, that’s a separate step. Smart lock reprogramming typically adds $25 to $45 per lock on top of the physical rekey.
Mailboxes and padlocks. A standard cluster mailbox key in an HOA community usually has its own cylinder. Same with detached garages that use a padlock. These add $25 to $40 each, but they’re often worth including while the locksmith is already on-site.
After-hours calls. A daytime appointment is the baseline. Calls between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. add $45 to $75 in after-hours fees, which applies to the service call, not the per-cylinder rate.
Mixed lock brands requiring replacement first. If you want one key for the whole house but have three different brands on your doors, you’ll need to standardize the hardware before a full keyed-alike rekey is possible. That’s a lock replacement cost layered on top of the rekey.
DIY rekey kits: honest take
Kwikset’s SmartKey system and basic re-pinning kits sold at home improvement stores let you rekey standard cylinders without a locksmith. Kits run $12 to $25 per cylinder.
The appeal is obvious. The limits are real:
They only work within a single brand. A Kwikset kit re-pins Kwikset cylinders to a new Kwikset key. It won’t touch your Schlage, your Baldwin, or your Weiser. If your home has multiple brands, a DIY kit solves maybe one door.
Kwikset’s SmartKey system is the easiest. You insert the current key, use a small tool to reset the cylinder, insert the new key, and you’re done. No tools needed. It takes about two minutes per lock once you’ve done it once.
Standard pin-tumbler re-pinning kits are more involved. You’re removing the cylinder, replacing pins with the correct heights for the new key, and reassembling. One dropped spring and the lock stops working. The learning curve on the first attempt can take 30 to 45 minutes per cylinder.
If all your locks are the same Kwikset brand and you’re comfortable with the SmartKey process, DIY is reasonable. For anything more complex, or for mixed brands, or for high-security cylinders, professional service is the faster and more reliable path.
When rekeying is the wrong call
A rekey makes sense when the lock hardware itself is in good shape. If your locks are old, corroded, stiff, or visibly worn, rekeying doesn’t fix the mechanical problem. You’re changing who has access, but the lock is still failing.
Coastal San Diego neighborhoods like Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, and Coronado see accelerated lock corrosion from salt air. A deadbolt that feels gritty or requires force to turn needs replacement, not a rekey.
You also can’t rekey to a keyed-alike setup across different brands. That requires replacing some locks to match the others first.
And if you’re switching to a smart lock or a keypad-only entry, rekeying the old hardware doesn’t apply. You’ll be replacing the entire unit.
For a more detailed breakdown of which situation calls for which approach, see our rekey vs. replace moving-in guide.
Move-in timing: why sooner is better
The best time to rekey a house is the day you get the keys. Before you’ve moved anything in. Before contractors, delivery crews, or the previous owner’s relatives have any reason to show up.
You don’t know who the previous owner handed a spare to. Real estate agents, neighbors, house sitters, cleaning crews, in-laws. None of those keys stop working until you rekey the cylinders.
A whole-house rekey takes about 45 to 90 minutes for most San Diego homes. It’s done in one visit, and you walk away knowing you’re the only person with a working key.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to rekey a whole house in San Diego?
Most homeowners in San Diego pay $140 to $320 all-in to rekey a whole house. A 2-bed condo with 3 to 4 cylinders usually runs $140 to $245. A 3-bed single-family home with 5 to 7 cylinders typically lands between $180 and $345. Larger homes with 8 to 12 cylinders can reach $250 to $530. Per-cylinder pricing runs $25 to $40 for standard locks, and the service call adds $50 to $85.
Is it cheaper to rekey or replace locks?
Rekeying is almost always cheaper, often by 60 to 75 percent. Replacing three deadbolts with mid-grade hardware in San Diego typically costs $350 to $450 all-in. Rekeying those same three doors runs $140 to $200. The only cases where replacement costs are comparable are when you’re installing basic builder-grade hardware, but even then you’re paying more for parts. See our full rekey versus replacement cost comparison for the detailed math.
How long does a whole-house rekey take?
A locksmith re-pins a standard cylinder in about 10 to 15 minutes. A typical San Diego home with 4 to 6 cylinders takes 45 to 75 minutes total, including cutting new keys and testing each lock. Larger homes with 8 or more cylinders are usually done in under two hours.
Can I include my mailbox and padlocks in the same rekey visit?
Yes, and it often makes sense to do it in one visit. Standard mailbox cylinders and padlock cylinders add $25 to $40 each. If you’re already paying a service call fee, adding them at the same appointment is cheaper than scheduling a second visit.
What if I have Kwikset locks on some doors and Schlage on others?
You can rekey each brand to its own new key, but you can’t make a Kwikset and a Schlage operate on the same key. Their internal keyways are different. If you want one key for the whole house, you’d need to standardize to one brand by replacing some of the locks first, then rekeying everything to match.
Does rekeying affect the warranty on my locks?
Rekeying by a professional locksmith doesn’t void the manufacturer’s warranty on most major brands. The internal pins are a serviceable component. DIY re-pinning on non-SmartKey Kwikset locks or non-professional work on Schlage B-Grade locks can void the warranty if not done correctly. When in doubt, ask the locksmith before they start.
Ready to get the whole house on one key? Call Swift Key San Diego at (858) 925-5546 for same-day service. We’ll assess every cylinder, quote the full job upfront, and have you done in a single visit.