New Jersey Locksmith Services | Statewide
A proper deadbolt on every door that needs one. Flat price before we dispatch.
New Jersey Locksmith Guidance
We bore the correct hole pattern, install the deadbolt and strike plate, and leave the door operating cleanly with no gaps or rattle.
We swap out lightweight builder-grade deadbolts for solid Grade 1 hardware with a longer bolt throw and reinforced strike plate.
For doors with nearby glass panels, we install a double-cylinder deadbolt that requires a key on both sides to prevent glass-break entry.
We install a heavy-gauge strike plate with 3-inch screws set into the door stud, which is what actually stops a kick-in.
A lot of New Jersey homes, particularly older Cape Cods and ranches built before the 1980s, were sold with a single handle lock on every exterior door. Interior-style doors on garages connecting to living spaces. Back doors into kitchens with no secondary lock above the handle. Side entry doors to mudrooms with a spring latch and nothing else.
A handle lock’s latch bolt is spring-loaded and angled. Press firmly and it retracts. Force against the door frame at the right angle and the strike plate pops. This is not a flaw in any particular brand. It’s the design limit of a spring latch. It is not designed to stop a determined push.
A deadbolt’s bolt is square-ended and solid. It doesn’t retract from pressure. It has to be turned. And when the strike plate is properly set with long screws into the stud, the door frame becomes the failure point before the lock does. Kick resistance improves dramatically.
We don’t bore a door without looking at the frame first. A door that’s out of plumb, sagging on the hinge side, or has a frame that’s rotted or split near the strike area will have problems regardless of the lock grade. We check the door swing, the gap between the door and frame, and the condition of the casing.
If the frame needs work, we’ll tell you. We don’t install a Grade 1 deadbolt into a compromised frame and call it done. That would be selling you security that doesn’t actually exist.
We also confirm the boring position before we cut. New Jersey homes built across different decades have varying door thicknesses and rail heights. Getting the centerline right is basic work that still gets done sloppily. We measure twice.
Every technician who takes this job must hold a current NJ locksmith license, and checks the door frame before touching the drill. A deadbolt is only as strong as the frame holding the strike plate.
Locksmiths sell deadbolts. The conversation rarely includes the strike plate. That’s a gap, because the plate is what the bolt actually lands in when the door is locked, and it’s what fails first when a door is kicked.
The standard plate that ships with most deadbolts uses two 3/4-inch screws. Those screws reach the door casing. The casing is usually pine, maybe 3/4 inch thick itself. It splits easily. When you kick a door hard enough, the casing splits, the plate rips out, and the deadbolt is irrelevant.
We carry and install heavy-gauge strike plates with four-screw patterns and 3-inch screws that go through the casing and into the rough framing stud. That’s the structural part of the wall. That’s where resistance actually lives.
Request a locksmith. We serve all 21 NJ counties and stock Grade 1 hardware for same-day installation on most calls.
Locksmith Questions Answered
Adding a new deadbolt to a door that has no existing bore runs $150 to $250, which includes boring, hardware, and a reinforced strike plate. Replacing an existing deadbolt with a better grade is usually $120 to $200. We give you the exact price before we dispatch.
A single-cylinder opens with a key from outside and a thumb turn from inside. A double-cylinder requires a key on both sides. Double-cylinder locks are useful when a door has glass near the lock, since breaking the glass to reach a thumb turn won't work. The trade-off is that you need a key to exit quickly, so placement and household habits matter.
If you're a tenant, check your lease. Many NJ landlords are required to provide working deadbolts, and some leases restrict tenant modifications. We don't advise on lease language, but we can install what's legally permitted once you've confirmed.
For a door that has no deadbolt bore, yes. We drill two holes: one through the face of the door for the lock body and one through the door edge for the bolt. We use a hole saw and bore guide for a clean, precise fit. The door is not damaged beyond the necessary cutouts.
A door with an existing bore: 20 to 35 minutes. A door that needs new boring: 40 to 60 minutes. We bring all the tools and hardware, so there's no waiting for parts.
Most standard strike plates use 3/4-inch screws that only reach the door casing, not the stud behind it. One solid kick can split the casing and pull the plate free. We use an extended heavy-gauge plate with 3-inch screws that anchor into the framing. That's where the real resistance comes from.
Related Services
Start Here
