Guide
Rekey after you move
Rekey every exterior lock the week you move in. The last owner, the builder, the trades, the agents, a dog walker and a neighbor may all have had keys, and you have no way to know. Fixr puts a rekey job at $70 to $160, about $20 to $30 per extra cylinder, which is cheap insurance next to replacing anything later.
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A lot of Wake County just moved
140,402 households in the 29 ZIP codes we cover moved into their home in 2020 or later, 31% of all households (Census ACS 2020-2024). In Morrisville it is close to half; around Hillsborough Street and NC State, more than half.
Who might still have a key
- The previous owner, their family, and anyone they gave a spare to.
- On new construction, the builder, the subcontractors, and the agents who showed the house.
- A lockbox code that a lot of people knew.
- For a condo or townhouse, the HOA or management company.
Owners: what to do
- Rekey every exterior door, including the door from the garage, to one new key.
- Change the garage door opener code and any keypad codes.
- Ask about the mailbox key: who owns the cluster box decides who changes it. Mailbox locks.
- If the locks are worn builder-grade hardware, replace rather than rekey, and consider a keypad deadbolt. Smart locks.
Renters: what to ask
About 36% of households in these ZIP codes rent. Most leases say who may change locks, so read yours first. Ask the landlord or leasing office whether the locks were rekeyed after the last tenant, and if not, ask them to do it. If you pay for it yourself, most leases require you to give the landlord a key.
Questions people in Raleigh ask
How much does it cost to rekey a whole house?
Published ranges put a rekey job at $70 to $160 (Fixr) to $191 to $225 (Thumbtack), depending on how many locks. Doing every door in one visit keeps the trip fee to one.
Is rekeying enough on a new-construction house?
Usually. Rekeying makes the builder's keys useless. Replace only if you want better hardware.