Fast, Reliable Lock Installation & Rekey Across Burlingame
Lock installation and rekeying in Burlingame typically runs $120-$380 per door depending on hardware grade, and most Burlingame Residential Locksmith jobs are completed same-day. Our technicians carry Schlage, Kwikset, and Medeco stock on every truck serving the 94010 and 94011 ZIP codes, so we finish in one visit rather than ordering parts.
We’ve worked Burlingame’s streets for decades. From the craftsman bungalows of the Easton Addition to the tight alley-loaded townhomes off Burlingame Avenue, we know the clearance issues, the original mortise hardware, and the salt-air corrosion that seizes cylinders east of El Camino Real. When you call (833) 294-4584, a live person answers - no voicemail, no callback queue - and we quote a flat price before the truck rolls. That’s how we’ve operated for over 42 years.
Why Strongbox Lock & Safe Co. of California Is Burlingame’s Preferred Lock Installation & Rekey Company
Burlingame homeowners remember the $19-ad locksmith who showed up in an unmarked car and tripled the price on the invoice. We’re the flat-price alternative. The price we quote on the phone is the price you pay. Period.
Our background-checked, uniformed technicians present company ID at every door in Burlingame - whether it’s a 1920s Spanish colonial revival on Howard Avenue or a commercial property off Airport Boulevard. The 90-Day Done Right Promise backs every job in writing: if something isn’t right, we come back. No paperwork to file, no argument.
Calls are answered by a live person 24/7, including nights, weekends, and holidays. We don’t do voicemail trees. Most Burlingame calls reach a technician within 30 minutes during business hours, and our average response to emergency lockouts across the Peninsula is under 45 minutes.
Gil Sanderson has led Strongbox for years, and our team includes specialists in both vintage mortise restoration and modern electronic access systems. That dual expertise matters here more than almost anywhere on the Peninsula.
Our Lock Installation & Rekey Services in Burlingame
Smart Lock Installation
Burlingame’s hillside homes approaching the Hillsborough border increasingly request integrated smart-lock systems - WiFi-enabled deadbolts that log entry times, send alerts, and integrate with home automation. We install and service Schlage Encode, Kwikset Halo, and Yale Assure lines, and we know the specific challenge these present in Burlingame: many of the city’s older homes have narrow door stiles and shallow backsets that won’t accept modern smart deadbolts without careful mortising. We measure twice, modify once, and preserve your door’s integrity.

Keyless Entry & Keypad Lock Systems
Keypad locks eliminate the rekeying cycle entirely - ideal for Burlingame rental properties, Airbnb units, and multi-generational households. We install mechanical and electronic keypads from Schlage and Baldwin that withstand the salt-laden marine air better than budget brands. For our Commercial Locksmith in Burlingame clients, we program user codes, schedule restricted access windows, and set audit trails. A keypad on a Burlingame Avenue townhome means no more hiding keys under planters where half the neighborhood knows to look.

Biometric Lock Installation
Fingerprint readers are no longer exotic. Our Automotive Locksmith - Burlingame team also installs biometric locks for homeowners who want keyless, codeless entry - particularly popular for side doors and home offices. The technology has improved: current models handle the moisture and temperature swings of Burlingame’s bay-front climate without the false rejects that plagued early generations. We source units with capacitive sensors rather than optical, since they perform better in foggy morning conditions common near the shoreline.

Electronic Lock Systems for Commercial Properties
Here’s where our Lock Installation & Rekey team diverges from standard locksmithing. Burlingame’s Airport Boulevard corridor hosts one of the densest concentrations of full-service hotels in Northern California - all serving SFO traffic - making commercial hospitality locksmithing a dominant revenue stream here that simply does not exist at this scale in neighboring San Mateo or Millbrae. Electronic key-card systems, large master-key hierarchies, and 24-hour traveler lockouts demand a locksmith fluent in Allegion and ASSA ABLOY platforms. We install, program, and maintain these systems. A misstep in the master-key hierarchy can lock out housekeeping for an entire floor; we don’t misstep.

What happens when you call
- 1
A real person answersNo phone trees - you reach a local pro.
- 2
You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
- 3
A background-checked tech heads outLicensed & insured, dispatched right away.
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You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
Trusted Brands We Service in Burlingame
We stock and install Schlage, Kwikset, and Medeco on every Burlingame service call - residential and commercial. For the vintage mortise locksets still guarding Easton Addition doorways, we source hard-to-find replacement cylinders and escutcheon hardware through specialty suppliers rather than forcing a modern retrofit where it doesn’t belong. Hotel properties off Airport Boulevard get Allegion and ASSA ABLOY credential systems with factory-authorized programming. Having the right part on the truck means your Burlingame job finishes today, not next week.
Common Lock Installation & Rekey Problems We See in Burlingame Homes
- Salt-air corrosion seizes deadbolt internals east of El Camino Real. Burlingame’s low-elevation neighborhoods sit close to the San Francisco Bay shoreline and receive persistent salt-laden marine air. We regularly find rusted springs and seized pins in hardware that’s only a few years old. Rekeying isn’t possible - the cylinder needs replacement.
- Original mortise locksets in 1920s-1940s craftsman bungalows need specialized care. Central Burlingame neighborhoods retain these beautiful but finicky mechanisms. We recently rekeyed a 1928 Spanish colonial revival in Easton Addition that still had its original mortise lockset. The brass pins had seized from decades of salt air, so we retrofitted a Mul-T-Lock high-security cylinder into the existing escutcheon to preserve the historic look.
- Tight alley-load townhome clearances make drilling risky. One wrong angle in a narrow passage and you damage the neighbor’s door frame. Our Burlingame technicians carry right-angle drivers and specialized mortise tools for these constrained spaces.
- Hotel key-card rekeying during 24-hour check-in cycles demands precision. A single credentialing error can cascade through an entire floor’s master-key hierarchy. We work with property management to schedule maintenance during lowest-occupancy windows, typically 2-4 a.m.
Pricing for Lock Installation & Rekey in Burlingame, CA
We quote flat prices on the phone before any work begins. Here are typical ranges for Burlingame’s market:
| Service | Typical Range in Burlingame |
|---|---|
| Standard rekey (per cylinder) | $25-$45 |
| Full house rekey (5 locks) | $120-$220 |
| Smart lock installation | $180-$340 |
| Keypad lock installation | $160-$280 |
| Mortise lock rekey / cylinder retrofit | $140-$260 |
| Electronic access system (commercial) | $400-$1,200+ per door |
What moves the price: hardware grade (Kwikset vs. Medeco), door condition (rotted jamb, non-standard backset), and whether we’re working with existing mortise hardware or installing fresh. Vintage mortise jobs in Burlingame’s older homes often run toward the higher end - the parts are specialized and the fitting takes time. Seniors and veterans receive a permanent 5% discount. Call (833) 294-4584 for a free estimate with no obligation.
We Also Serve Cities Near Burlingame
Our technicians cover the full Peninsula corridor. We regularly service Lock Installation & Rekey in Burlingame and surrounding Hillsborough, Millbrae, San Mateo, and San Bruno. Each city gets the same flat-price quote, same live-answer phone line, same 90-Day Done Right Promise.
Serving Burlingame, CA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Burlingame area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage - if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
FAQs - Lock Installation & Rekey in Burlingame
Salt-laden marine air from the bay corrodes internal lock components faster than in inland cities. The salt crystals attract moisture, which oxidizes brass pins and steel springs even inside supposedly sealed cylinders. Call (833) 294-4584 - we can assess whether a deep clean and lubrication will free it, or if corrosion has progressed too far and replacement is the honest recommendation. Estimates are free.
Yes. We install and program Allegion and ASSA ABLOY electronic access systems for Burlingame hospitality properties, medical offices, and multi-tenant buildings. Our technicians are certified on these platforms and understand the PCI and liability requirements around key control that Burlingame hotels operate under. Call (833) 294-4584 to schedule a walkthrough - we’ll quote a flat price for the full system scope.
Often yes, if the case and bolt mechanism are sound. We source replacement cylinders that fit vintage mortise dimensions, or in some cases retrofit a modern high-security cylinder into the original escutcheon. We won’t sell you a full replacement unless the lock body itself is damaged beyond repair. Call (833) 294-4584 and we’ll inspect it - estimates are free, and we carry the specialty parts on our Burlingame trucks.
Yes, and this is exactly the situation where experience with Burlingame’s housing stock matters. We carry low-profile smart deadbolts and have modified door stiles for proper fit without compromising structural integrity. The narrow passages off Burlingame Avenue require right-angle tools and careful measurement - we bring both. Call (833) 294-4584 for a flat-quote estimate.
A typical five-lock residential rekey in Burlingame runs $120-$220 total, assuming standard Kwikset or Schlage cylinders with no corrosion damage. If your home is east of El Camino Real and the cylinders have seized from salt air, replacement adds $45-$85 per door. We quote the full price on the phone before we dispatch. Call (833) 294-4584 - estimates are free, and seniors and veterans save 5%.
Written by Gil Sanderson, Owner at Strongbox Lock & Safe Co., serving Burlingame and local communities for over 42 years.