Hear from Our Customers
You’ve got enough on your plate without wondering if a former employee still has building access. Or whether someone’s going to “borrow” equipment after hours. Or if you’ll get hit with a compliance issue because your security documentation is a mess.
Access control systems let you grant and revoke access instantly. No rekeying. No chasing down keys. No wondering who made copies.
You’ll know exactly who entered your building and when. You can restrict access to sensitive areas. You can integrate with your existing security cameras. And when someone leaves your company, you remove their credentials in seconds instead of changing every lock they touched.
Most businesses see ROI in the first year through reduced theft, lower insurance premiums, and fewer lockout emergencies. The system pays for itself while you sleep better.
We’ve been solving security problems in Delaware County since the late 1800s. We’re now the largest locksmith operation in the Delaware Valley, and we’ve stayed that way by doing the work right.
Tom McCausland and his daughter Chrissy run the business today. They’ve seen every type of commercial security challenge Chadds Ford businesses face, from historic buildings that need modern access control to new construction requiring integrated systems.
We’re not a national chain that shows up in an unmarked van. We’re the fully stocked storefront in Prospect Park that Delaware County businesses have trusted for over 140 years. When you call, you’re getting technicians who’ve installed access control systems in buildings just like yours.
First, we come to your location in Chadds Ford and walk through your building with you. We’re looking at entry points, traffic patterns, and what you actually need to secure. No pressure, no sales pitch. Just an honest assessment.
We’ll discuss whether you need card readers, keypads, biometric scanners, or mobile credentials. We’ll talk about cloud-based versus on-premise systems. We’ll figure out if you need integration with your existing cameras or alarm system.
Once you approve the plan, we schedule installation around your business hours. Our techs show up with everything needed to complete the job. We install the hardware, configure the software, and test every access point.
Before we leave, we train your team on how to add users, run reports, and handle common situations. You’ll get documentation, and you’ll have our number for any questions. Most installations are done in a day or two, depending on the size of your building.
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Chadds Ford has a mix of historic properties and newer commercial spaces. Both need security that fits the building without compromising aesthetics or functionality.
Modern access control systems let you manage everything from your phone. Grant temporary access to contractors. Get alerts when someone enters after hours. Pull reports for insurance or compliance. Lock down the entire building with one click if there’s an emergency.
You can use key cards, fobs, PIN codes, smartphone credentials, or biometrics. You can set schedules so doors automatically lock at closing time. You can create different permission levels so your warehouse team can’t access the office, and your front desk staff can’t enter the server room.
For Chadds Ford businesses, we’re seeing increased demand for systems that integrate with building automation. Your access control can trigger lights, adjust HVAC, and sync with security cameras. When someone badges in, the system knows to turn on their area and start recording.
The technology has gotten simpler to use and more affordable. Cloud-based systems mean you’re not maintaining servers or dealing with software updates. Everything happens automatically, and you can manage multiple locations from one dashboard.
The honest answer is it depends on how many doors you’re controlling and what features you need. A basic system for a single entry point might run a few thousand dollars. A multi-door setup with biometric readers and cloud management will cost more.
Most Chadds Ford businesses we work with spend between $3,000 and $15,000 for a complete installation. That includes hardware, software, installation labor, and training.
Here’s what affects the price: number of doors, type of credentials you want, whether you need integration with existing systems, and whether you’re going cloud-based or on-premise. We give you a fixed quote after the walkthrough so there are no surprises. And most businesses see ROI within the first year through reduced theft, lower insurance costs, and eliminated rekeying expenses.
Yes. We’ve installed modern access control in buildings dating back over a century. The challenge isn’t usually the age of the building, it’s working around existing architecture without damaging historic features.
Wireless access control systems work well in older buildings where running new wiring would be invasive or impossible. Battery-powered locks and wireless communication mean we’re not tearing into walls or drilling through original woodwork.
For historic properties in Chadds Ford, we often use surface-mounted hardware that’s reversible. You get modern security without permanent alterations. We’ve done this for offices in converted historic homes, retail spaces in old storefronts, and commercial buildings with preservation restrictions. The technology is there. It just takes experience to install it properly.
Most commercial access control systems have battery backup that keeps them running during power outages. Depending on the system, that backup can last anywhere from a few hours to several days.
You can also set “fail-safe” or “fail-secure” modes for each door. Fail-safe means the door unlocks when power is lost, which is required for fire exits. Fail-secure means it stays locked, which makes sense for exterior doors or sensitive areas.
Cloud-based systems store credentials locally on each device, so even if your internet goes down, the doors still work. You just can’t make changes remotely until connectivity is restored. We design systems with redundancy in mind because you can’t afford to be locked out of your own building. And if something does go wrong, we’re local. We can get to Chadds Ford fast.
For a typical small to medium commercial building in Chadds Ford, installation usually takes one to three days. A single-door system might be done in a few hours. A multi-floor office with a dozen access points could take a week.
The timeline depends on how much wiring is needed, whether we’re integrating with existing systems, and how complex your access rules are. We schedule around your business hours so we’re not disrupting operations.
Most of our clients are up and running the same day we finish installation. We don’t leave until everything’s tested and your team knows how to use it. If there’s any training needed or custom configuration, we build that into the schedule upfront. You’ll know the timeline before we start.
You manage it yourself. That’s the whole point. We set it up, train your team, and then you’re in control.
Adding a new employee takes about 30 seconds. You log into the system, create their profile, assign their access level, and either program a card or send them mobile credentials. Removing someone is even faster.
You can run reports, change schedules, lock or unlock doors remotely, and get real-time alerts all from your computer or phone. The systems we install are designed for business owners and office managers, not IT departments.
That said, we’re here if you need us. If you want to add new doors, integrate with other systems, or troubleshoot something unusual, we’re a phone call away. But for day-to-day management, you won’t need us. You’ll have full control.
Most modern access control systems integrate with video surveillance and alarm systems. When someone badges in, the system can trigger cameras to start recording. If someone tries to force a door, it can send an alert to your alarm monitoring company.
Integration depends on the specific equipment you’re using. We work with the major manufacturers and can usually connect systems even if they’re from different brands. The benefit is you get one unified security platform instead of managing multiple disconnected systems.
For Chadds Ford businesses, we’re seeing more demand for integrated systems because they’re more useful. You can pull up video footage of who entered a specific door at a specific time. You can have the system automatically arm your alarm when the last person leaves. You can get a single alert if something’s wrong instead of juggling multiple apps. We’ll assess your existing equipment during the walkthrough and let you know what’s possible.
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