Hear from Our Customers
You’re managing a business, not a key factory. Every time an employee leaves, you’re either rekeying locks or hoping they actually returned every key. Every time a contractor needs building access, you’re coordinating schedules or handing out keys you’ll never see again.
Access control system installation changes that completely. You issue credentials digitally, revoke them instantly when someone leaves, and track every entry in real time. No more wondering who made copies of your keys or whether that former employee still has building access.
Your Main Line property gets the security infrastructure it actually needs. Cloud-based access control means you’re managing everything from your phone—whether you’re on-site in Newtown Square or checking in remotely. Add new employees in minutes. Lock down specific areas during certain hours. Get alerts when doors are propped open or accessed outside normal schedules. That’s the kind of control you can’t get with traditional locks and keys.
We’ve been securing Delaware County properties since the late 1800s. We’re not a franchise operation or a subcontractor network—we’re a family-run locksmith company that’s grown into the largest security operation in the Delaware Valley because we actually show up and do the work right.
Tom McCausland and his daughter Chrissy run the business today, continuing what Charles McCausland Senior started over 140 years ago. That longevity matters when you’re installing commercial access control systems. We’ve seen security technology evolve from basic locks to sophisticated door entry systems, and we know which solutions actually hold up in real-world Delaware County applications.
Newtown Square businesses work with us because we stock manufacturer-approved parts from Kwikset, Medeco, and Schlage at our Prospect Park storefront. When your access control system needs service, we’re not ordering parts and making you wait—we’re fixing it with quality components we keep on hand.
We start with a free walk-through of your Newtown Square property. You show us which doors need controlled access, which areas require restricted entry, and where you need visitor management. We’re looking at door types, existing hardware, network infrastructure, and how people actually move through your building during normal operations.
Then we recommend specific door access control systems based on what you actually need—not what’s most expensive. Small offices might need basic keycard readers at entry points. Multi-building campuses might need integrated systems with mobile credentials and remote management. We explain the difference between on-premise and cloud-based options, what each costs upfront and over time, and which makes sense for your situation.
Installation happens on your schedule with minimal disruption to your business operations. We mount readers, run wiring, integrate with your network, program the system, and test every access point. You get hands-on training for managing users, setting access schedules, and pulling entry reports. We don’t leave until you’re comfortable running the system yourself.
After installation, you’ve got direct access to our Prospect Park team when you need support. Software updates, hardware issues, adding new doors to the system—we handle it without making you navigate a call center or wait for a subcontractor.
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Access control system installation includes the full infrastructure—card readers or biometric scanners at entry points, electronic strikes or magnetic locks on doors, a control panel or cloud-based controller, and the management software you’ll use to run everything. You’re also getting integration with your existing security setup if you’ve got CCTV or alarm systems already in place.
Newtown Square commercial properties need systems that work in our climate. We’re installing weather-resistant readers for exterior doors, accounting for Pennsylvania winters that can interfere with cheaper electronic hardware. The components we use are rated for the conditions they’ll actually face here in Delaware County.
You’re getting scalability built in from day one. Whether you’re running a small professional office on West Chester Pike or managing a multi-tenant building, the system grows with you. Adding new employees means issuing new credentials in the software—no hardware changes needed. Opening a second location means extending your existing system, not starting over with incompatible equipment.
The real value shows up in what you stop dealing with. No more rekeying after employee turnover. No more wondering who entered your building overnight. No more physical key management or hoping people don’t make unauthorized copies. You’ve got audit trails, scheduled access, and the ability to lock or unlock any door from anywhere you’ve got internet access.
Basic door entry systems for a small Newtown Square office with one or two access points typically start around $1,500 to $3,000 for hardware and installation. That gets you keycard readers, electronic locks, a simple controller, and the software to manage users. You’re looking at higher costs if you need more doors covered, biometric readers instead of basic cards, or integration with existing security cameras.
Cloud-based access control runs on a subscription model—usually $50 to $100 per door per month depending on features. That includes the hardware, installation, software updates, and remote management capabilities. On-premise systems cost more upfront but don’t have monthly fees beyond basic maintenance.
The real cost comparison isn’t just equipment—it’s what you’re spending now on rekeying, key cutting, and the security risks of physical key management. Most small businesses recoup their access control investment within the first year just from eliminated rekeying costs after employee turnover. We’ll walk your specific property and give you an accurate quote based on your actual doors, existing hardware, and security requirements.
You manage the day-to-day user administration yourself through the software—adding employees, removing former staff, adjusting access schedules, and pulling entry reports. Modern access control systems are built for business owners and office managers to handle routine tasks without calling us every time someone gets hired or leaves.
We train you on the system during installation so you’re comfortable with the management interface. Adding a new employee takes about two minutes—you create their profile, assign their access permissions, and issue their credential. Removing someone who left the company is even faster. You can do all of this from your computer or phone, whether you’re on-site in Newtown Square or managing remotely.
You’ll need us for hardware issues, system expansions, or software problems you can’t resolve through basic troubleshooting. If a card reader stops working, if you’re adding new doors to the system, or if you need integration with other security equipment—that’s when you call our Prospect Park team. We’re also here if you want us to handle the user management for you, but most businesses prefer controlling that themselves once they see how straightforward it is.
Cloud-based access control systems store credential data locally at each door, so authorized users can still enter even when your internet connection drops. The readers and locks continue operating based on the last information they received from the cloud. You lose remote management capabilities during an outage, but physical access keeps working for people already in the system.
What you can’t do without internet is add new users, revoke credentials, or monitor entries in real time. Those functions require connection to the cloud platform. Once your internet comes back, the system syncs automatically and you regain full management control.
On-premise access control systems don’t depend on internet at all for basic operation since everything runs on local servers. You only need network connectivity if you want remote access to the management software from outside your building. For Newtown Square businesses in areas with reliable internet, cloud systems work fine. For properties where connectivity is inconsistent, on-premise controllers might make more sense. We’ll recommend what actually fits your situation during the initial assessment.
A basic installation covering three to five doors in a small Newtown Square office usually takes one full day. We’re mounting readers, installing electronic locks or strikes, running wiring to a central controller, connecting everything to your network, and programming the system. More complex installations with a dozen or more access points might take two to three days depending on building layout and existing infrastructure.
The timeline extends if we’re integrating with CCTV systems, installing outdoor readers that need weather protection, or working around your business hours to avoid disrupting operations. Some Delaware County businesses prefer we work evenings or weekends so employees aren’t affected—we can accommodate that but it might add a day or two to the overall schedule.
Pre-wired buildings where we can use existing cable runs go faster than properties where we’re running new wiring through walls or across multiple floors. Older Newtown Square buildings sometimes need more creative routing to avoid major construction. We’ll give you a realistic timeline after walking your property and seeing what we’re actually working with. Once installation is done, you’re operational immediately—we test every door, train your team, and make sure you’re comfortable before we leave.
Keycard systems use physical cards with embedded chips or magnetic strips that employees tap or swipe at readers to unlock doors. You’re issuing cards to each person, and they carry those cards like they would traditional keys. Cards can be lost or stolen, but you deactivate them instantly in the software so they stop working. Replacement cards cost a few dollars each.
Mobile credential systems let employees use their smartphones as access cards through apps like Apple Wallet. They tap their phone against the reader just like a keycard, but there’s no physical card to lose or replace. Most people are more aware of their phone’s location than a separate access card, so mobile credentials get lost less often. The authentication required to access digital wallets adds another security layer.
The hardware costs are similar—both need compatible readers at your doors. Mobile credentials eliminate ongoing card replacement costs and the hassle of issuing physical cards to new hires. Some Newtown Square businesses use a hybrid approach—mobile credentials for employees who want them, physical cards for those who prefer traditional methods or don’t have compatible smartphones. We’ll show you both options and let you decide what makes sense for your team.
Most commercial doors in Newtown Square can be retrofitted with access control hardware without replacing the entire door or frame. We install electric strikes that work with your existing locksets, or we add magnetic locks that mount to the door and frame. The goal is integrating electronic access control with what you’ve already got rather than ripping everything out.
Older doors or non-standard frames sometimes need modifications to fit modern access control hardware properly. We identify those situations during the initial walk-through so you know upfront if any doors need additional work. In most cases, we’re working with standard commercial door prep that accepts electric strikes without major changes.
High-security areas might benefit from upgrading to better doors and frames at the same time you’re adding access control, but that’s your call based on your security requirements and budget. We install access control on everything from basic hollow metal doors to glass storefront entrances to heavy-duty security doors. The hardware and installation approach changes based on what we’re working with, but the functionality stays the same—you get controlled access with audit trails and remote management regardless of your door types.
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