Fast, Reliable Lock Installation & Rekey Across Dearborn
Lock installation and rekeying in Dearborn, MI typically runs $120-$380 for residential work and $280-$650 for commercial high-security hardware, with most jobs completed same day. Our Lock Installation & Rekey team reaches Dearborn homes and businesses within 30-45 minutes from dispatch, whether you’re in a 1920s brick bungalow off Michigan Avenue or a postwar ranch near Ford Field Park. Call (877) 664-8139 for a flat price before we roll - no bait, no switch, just the number you’ll see on the invoice.
We’ve worked Dearborn long enough to know the difference between East Dearborn’s prewar worker housing and the ranch neighborhoods west of Telegraph - which is why our Residential Locksmith in Dearborn stocks parts for both. That matters when your mortise lock is seized with salt corrosion or your deadbolt won’t seat because the brick frame shifted again. We stock parts for both worlds, and we quote real prices on the phone.
Why Strongbox Lock & Safe Co. Is Dearborn’s Preferred Lock Installation & Rekey Company
Strongbox has served communities like Dearborn for over 42 years. In that time we’ve rekeyed mortise locks in the tight alleys behind Warren Avenue, installed ANSI Grade 1 deadbolts for currency exchanges on Michigan Avenue, and replaced salt-corroded cylinders on north-facing doors from Fordson to Westborn. Our technicians are background-checked, uniformed, and carry ID - we show it at every door in Dearborn without being asked.
Dearborn customers call us back because the price quoted is the price paid. Our 90-Day Done Right Promise means if something isn’t right, we come back. No paperwork to file, no argument to have. Gil Navarro built this company on that standard, and it hasn’t changed.
A live person answers our phones 24 hours a day, including holidays. No voicemail trees. When a jewelry store on Michigan Avenue calls at 1 a.m. because a key holder left without returning their copy, we dispatch. When a Ford Rouge retiree in East Dearborn can’t turn their mortise key because the mechanism froze, we dispatch. We’re there when we say we’ll be.
Our Lock Installation & Rekey Services in Dearborn
Smart Lock Installation
Smart locks make sense for Dearborn’s rental market and multi-generational households, but they need to survive our winters. We install Schlage Encode and Yale Assure models rated for Michigan’s temperature swings, with Wi-Fi bridges that don’t drop when the brick walls are thick. In East Dearborn’s 1920s bungalows, we often need to retrofit smart hardware onto vintage mortise prep - a job many locksmiths turn down. We don’t. A smart lock on a Dearborn brick door requires precise drilling and proper weatherstripping, or you’ll drain batteries fighting a draft. We do it once, done right, backed in writing.
Keyless Entry
Keyless entry systems are popular with Dearborn’s commercial corridor - the restaurants, markets, and medical offices along Michigan and Warren that see high employee turnover and extended hours. That’s where our Commercial Locksmith in Dearborn comes in. We install push-button and card-access systems from Kwikset and Schlage that let owners revoke access without rekeying every two months. For the jewelry stores and currency exchanges that operate past midnight, we pair keyless entry with audit-trail logging so you know who opened what and when. That’s not a luxury on this corridor. It’s standard practice, and we’ve installed hundreds.
Keypad Lock Installation
Keypad locks suit Dearborn’s two-flats and small apartment buildings where landlords want to eliminate lockout calls without managing dozens of keys. We recommend models with mechanical backup cylinders - the freeze-thaw cycles that shift your brick frame can also kill batteries early. In West Dearborn’s 1950s ranches, keypad installation is straightforward. In East Dearborn’s tighter door clearances, we often need to modify strike pockets or build out thin frames. Either way, you get a flat price on the phone and a 90-day guarantee in writing.
Biometric Lock Installation
Biometric locks - fingerprint readers, mostly - are finding their way into Dearborn’s higher-end homes and sensitive commercial spaces. We install fingerprint-enabled deadbolts from Schlage and Medeco that store multiple users and operate in sub-zero temperatures. The technology has improved; early models struggled with dry winter skin and salt-gritted fingers. Current hardware we specify for Dearborn accounts for both. We also handle the administrative setup - enrolling prints, setting override codes, training your staff - so the system works on day one, not after three frustrating attempts.
What happens when you call
- 1
A real person answersNo phone trees - you reach a local pro.
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You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
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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 Dearborn
We stock and install Schlage, Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, and Kwikset hardware with same-day availability for Dearborn customers. That’s not every brand we work with - we also service Abloy, Baldwin, Yale, and Sargent - but these four cover 90% of what Dearborn doors need. Schlage for reliable residential deadbolts. Medeco and Mul-T-Lock for the restricted keyways and high-security cylinders that Michigan Avenue businesses demand. Kwikset for smart and keypad options at solid value. We carry common cylinders, strike plates, and mortise components in our Dearborn-area inventory, which means fewer return trips and faster turnaround on jobs that would otherwise wait for parts.
Common Lock Installation & Rekey Problems We See in Dearborn Homes
- Freeze-thaw frame shift. East Dearborn’s brick bungalows move with the seasons. By late November, strike plates that aligned in September no longer catch. Deadbolts bind. We see this every year, and we fix it by re-mortising the strike pocket or installing adjustable strikes that tolerate movement.
- Road-salt cylinder corrosion. North- and east-facing doors on Michigan Avenue and major arterials take direct spray from winter plowing. Exterior cylinders rust internally, keys stick, and eventually the plug seizes. We replace with salt-resistant finishes and recommend annual lubrication with graphite, not oil.
- Mortise lock incompatibility. The original 1920s-1940s mortise sets in East Dearborn’s worker housing use backsets and faceplate dimensions that don’t match modern cylindrical hardware. Rekeying these requires specialty tools and hard-to-source parts. Technicians unfamiliar with the housing stock often damage the door trying to force standard hardware in.
- High-turnover rekeying. Dearborn’s dense commercial corridor - halal markets, jewelry stores, currency exchanges - rekeys frequently as employees change. Standard Kwikset or Schlage keyways can’t control duplication. We upgrade these businesses to restricted Medeco or Mul-T-Lock keyways, where blanks are available only to authorized locksmiths.
Pricing for Lock Installation & Rekey in Dearborn, MI
Here’s what lock installation and rekeying costs in Dearborn’s market. Prices are flat-quoted on the phone before we dispatch - the number you hear is the number on the invoice.
| Service | Typical Range in Dearborn |
|---|---|
| Standard deadbolt installation | $120 - $195 |
| Smart lock installation | $180 - $340 |
| Keypad lock installation | $160 - $295 |
| Biometric lock installation | $220 - $380 |
| Residential rekey (per cylinder) | $18 - $32 |
| Mortise lock rekey or repair | $85 - $165 |
| Commercial Grade 1 deadbolt installation | $280 - $450 |
| Restricted keyway upgrade (Medeco/Mul-T-Lock) | $180 - $340 per cylinder |
Factors that move the needle: mortise hardware requires more labor than cylindrical; high-security cylinders cost more but control key duplication; after-hours emergency calls carry a modest premium. We explain where your job falls before we roll. Seniors and veterans receive a permanent 5% discount. Any repair over $250 qualifies for $50 off. Estimates are free - call (877) 664-8139 and we’ll give you the exact number.
We Also Serve Cities Near Dearborn
Our technicians cover the full southwest Wayne County area, including Dearborn Heights, Lincoln Park, Taylor, and Detroit proper. Each has its own housing stock and security needs - Dearborn Heights’ mid-century subdivisions, Lincoln Park’s tight commercial strips, Detroit’s mixed-era residential blocks - but the same flat-price standard and 90-day guarantee apply everywhere we work.
Serving Dearborn, MI - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Dearborn 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 Dearborn
It causes brick door frames to shift seasonally, which misaligns strike plates and makes deadbolts bind or refuse to seat. We address this by installing adjustable strikes, re-mortising pockets when needed, and selecting hardware with enough bolt throw to tolerate minor movement. If your East Dearborn bungalow’s deadbolt sticks every November and March, that’s why - and we can fix it permanently. Call (877) 664-8139 for a free assessment.
Yes. We regularly install ANSI Grade 1 deadbolts, reinforced door frames, and restricted keyway systems for jewelry stores, currency exchanges, and markets on the Michigan Avenue and Warren Avenue corridors. These businesses hold high-value inventory and see frequent employee turnover, so key control is critical. We stock Medeco and Mul-T-Lock hardware for same-day installation, and we can set up master key systems that limit access by role. The price for commercial Grade 1 installation in Dearborn runs $280-$450 per door.
Yes, and we do it regularly. East Dearborn’s prewar worker housing - the brick bungalows and two-flats built for Ford Rouge laborers - commonly retains original mortise lock sets that require specialty tools and hard-to-source parts. We rekeyed a mortise lock set in a 1920s brick bungalow on a tight East Dearborn alley - the original Schlage mechanism had seized from road-salt corrosion. After disassembling the vintage frame, we installed a new Mul-T-Lock deadbolt with a restricted keyway, ensuring the homeowner could secure their home against the dense street traffic. Mortise rekeying runs $85-$165 in Dearborn.
Schlage and Medeco both offer exterior hardware with PVD and stainless finishes that resist salt corrosion far better than standard brass or zinc. For doors facing Michigan Avenue or other heavily plowed arterials, we specify these finishes and pair them with annual graphite lubrication. The upgrade adds roughly $30-$60 per cylinder over standard hardware, but prevents the seizing and sticking that otherwise requires replacement every few years. Call (877) 664-8139 - we’ll recommend the right finish for your exposure.
Yes. East Dearborn’s alley-loaded garages and tight rear entries are common, and they present clear challenges: narrow clearances, offset framing, and security exposure from rear lanes. Our Automotive Locksmith - Dearborn team also handles these tight spaces; we install deadbolts, smart locks, and keypad entry on these doors regularly, often using compact-profile hardware that fits where standard deadbolts won’t. We also reinforce strike plates into the framing - alley doors are common breach points, and the original builder-grade hardware rarely holds. Estimates are free; most residential installations in Dearborn run $120-$340 depending on hardware.
Written by Gil Navarro, Owner at Strongbox Lock & Safe Co., serving Dearborn and local communities for over 42 years.