Rekeying is the smartest first move whenever you need to make old keys stop working — a new tenant moves in, you lose a copy, you fire a contractor, you finalize a divorce. Instead of paying for entirely new hardware, a locksmith opens your existing lock cylinder, swaps the internal pins to a new combination, and cuts you fresh keys. The lock itself stays put. The old keys no longer work. The bill is roughly half what a full lock change costs.
LockAtlas dispatches a licensed Bronx locksmith for rekeying in about 25 minutes from booking, with the price locked in advance — no upsell to "you really need new locks" once they're at your door.
When rekeying is the right call in The Bronx
- New tenant moves into a rental in Riverdale, Kingsbridge, Pelham Parkway, or anywhere across the borough
- Lost or stolen keys — stop the old keys from working without replacing perfectly good locks
- Bought a new home — you have no idea who else has a copy of the previous owner's keys
- Roommate moves out and didn't return their copy
- Contractor or housekeeper had a key and you've ended the arrangement
- Want all your locks to use the same key — rekey several cylinders to one new key (called "keying alike")
When you should replace instead of rekey
If your existing locks are old, damaged, or have been physically tampered with — pick marks around the keyway, bent cylinder, broken latch — replacing makes more sense than rekeying. Same if the lock is more than 10 years old and uses a bargain-grade brand; the savings on rekeying are erased the next time the lock fails. Your LockAtlas technician will tell you honestly which path makes sense and re-quote in the app if a replacement is the better call.
Bronx rekeying pricing
- Single cylinder rekey (one lock): $100–$175 including new keys
- Multiple cylinders, same visit: $60–$90 per additional lock
- "Keyed alike" — multiple locks to one key: included in the per-cylinder price
- High-security cylinders (Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, Schlage Primus): $200–$300 per cylinder (these require restricted keys and special pinning)
The price quoted in the app is what you pay. There are no after-arrival surcharges, no "we had to use special pins" fees, and no minimum trip fee.
Bronx neighborhoods with full coverage
Riverdale, Kingsbridge, Marble Hill, Fordham, University Heights, Morris Heights, Tremont, Mount Hope, Highbridge, Concourse, Mott Haven, Melrose, Hunts Point, Soundview, Castle Hill, Throgs Neck, Country Club, Pelham Bay, City Island, Co-op City, Eastchester, Wakefield, Williamsbridge, Norwood, Bedford Park, Belmont, East Tremont, Allerton, Morris Park, Pelham Gardens, Parkchester, Westchester Square. Every neighborhood is covered with the same pricing and the same response window.
What to expect during the visit
Most rekeying jobs take 10–15 minutes per lock. The technician removes your existing cylinder using a single screwdriver, opens it on a small workbench (often the back of their van or your kitchen counter), swaps the internal pins to a new combination using a kit of replacement pins, cuts you new keys on the spot using a portable key machine, reinstalls the cylinder, and tests it. You get the new keys — usually two or three — and your old keys go in the trash. The whole job for a typical apartment with two locks is about 30 minutes.
If you're rekeying because of a security concern (lost keys, recent break-in, roommate dispute), tell the technician through the app so they can prioritize getting on-site fast and check the rest of your hardware while they're there.