Hear from Our Customers
A door knob that actually works isn’t complicated. It turns smoothly when you need it to. It locks securely when you leave. It doesn’t loosen up after a few weeks because someone skipped a step or used the wrong screws.
That’s what you get when the installation is done by someone who’s been doing this work for generations. No callbacks because the latch doesn’t catch. No wiggling the handle to get your door to open. Just hardware that functions the way it’s supposed to, installed with the right tools and the right parts.
Most door knob problems come from improper installation or using hardware that doesn’t match your door thickness or prep. When you’re dealing with homes in Folcroft built in the 1950s and 60s, you need someone who understands older construction and knows how to adapt modern hardware to fit correctly. That’s the difference between a door knob that works for years and one that causes problems within months.
The McCausland family has been doing locksmith work since the 1800s. Today, Tom McCausland and his daughter Chrissy run the largest locksmith operation in the Delaware Valley from our Prospect Park location, just minutes from Folcroft.
That longevity isn’t an accident. Families keep coming back because we show up when we say we will, we do the work correctly, and we use quality parts that last. When you’re working on homes that average 65+ years old like most of Folcroft’s housing stock, you learn quickly that shortcuts don’t work.
We stock the brands that actually hold up: Kwikset, Schlage, Medeco. Our mobile units carry the tools to handle everything from a basic door knob replacement to installing commercial-grade lever sets on your front entry. You’re not waiting days for parts or dealing with multiple trips.
You call or contact us with what you need. We ask a few questions about your door type, existing hardware, and what you’re trying to accomplish. If you’re replacing existing knobs, we’ll ask about the current setup so we bring the right parts.
We schedule a time that works for you. Our technician arrives in a fully equipped mobile unit with the tools and hardware options you’ll need. Before starting, they’ll explain what needs to happen, show you the parts, and give you a clear price. No surprises halfway through the job.
The actual installation depends on what you’re working with. If it’s a straight replacement on a standard bore, it’s quick. If we’re installing new hardware on a door that’s never had it, or upgrading from a passage knob to a keyed entry set, it takes longer. Either way, we test everything before we leave. The knob should turn smoothly, the latch should catch properly, and if it’s keyed, the lock should engage without forcing it.
You get a working door knob, installed correctly, with hardware that’s built to last. If something’s not right, we fix it before we pack up.
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Door knob installation covers everything from basic passage knobs for interior doors to keyed entry sets for exterior doors. We handle lever installation if that’s what you prefer or need for accessibility. We also do deadbolt installation when you’re upgrading your entry security.
In Folcroft, where 72.6% of residents own their homes and most of those homes date back to the 1950s, we see a lot of door hardware that’s original or close to it. Older hardware fails because it’s been turned thousands of times over decades. Sometimes the internal mechanism just wears out. Other times, the door itself has settled or shifted, and the hardware no longer aligns properly.
We also handle lever repair when the problem isn’t the lever itself but how it’s installed or aligned. A loose lever usually means the mounting screws have stripped out, the strike plate is misaligned, or the door has warped slightly. Those are all fixable without replacing the entire set if you catch them early.
For Folcroft homeowners dealing with older construction, we often recommend upgrading to modern deadbolts on entry doors. Homes without solid locks are broken into at much higher rates, and most break-ins happen through the front or back door. A properly installed deadbolt makes forced entry significantly harder.
Door knob installation usually runs between $150 and $250 per door when you factor in both the hardware and the labor. That’s for a standard replacement where the door is already prepped and you’re swapping out existing hardware.
If you’re installing hardware on a door that’s never had it, or if we need to drill new holes and mortise a new strike plate, the cost goes up because there’s more work involved. The hardware itself ranges from about $30 for a basic passage knob to $150+ for a high-security keyed entry set with a matching deadbolt.
The price also depends on what you’re installing. A simple bedroom door knob takes maybe 20 minutes. A full entry set with a deadbolt, keyed alike, installed on a solid wood door takes longer. We give you the exact price before starting so you know what you’re paying.
If your door knob is loose, sticking, or hard to turn, sometimes it just needs adjustment or lubrication. But if the internal mechanism is worn out or broken, replacement makes more sense than trying to repair it.
Here’s the reality: most door knobs are designed to last 7-10 years with normal use. If yours are older than that and starting to have problems, you’re better off replacing them. Trying to repair worn-out internal parts usually costs almost as much as new hardware, and you’re still dealing with old components that will fail again soon.
We’ll tell you honestly whether repair makes sense or if you’re throwing money at hardware that’s reached the end of its useful life. For Folcroft homes with original hardware from the 1950s and 60s, replacement is almost always the right call. The old mechanisms are worn out, parts aren’t available, and modern hardware is significantly more secure.
Door knobs require you to grip and turn. Levers just need downward pressure to open. For most people, it’s purely preference. But if you have arthritis, limited hand strength, or mobility issues, levers are much easier to operate.
Levers are also better if you’re frequently carrying things and need to open doors with your elbow or forearm. They’re common in commercial buildings for that reason, but plenty of homeowners prefer them too.
From an installation standpoint, they’re basically the same. Both use a standard bore hole and require the same prep work. The functional difference is just how you operate them. Security-wise, there’s no meaningful difference when you’re comparing quality products. A good lever set with a deadbolt is just as secure as a good knob set with a deadbolt.
A straightforward replacement on a door that’s already prepped takes about 20-30 minutes per door. That’s removing the old hardware, installing the new knob or lever, adjusting the strike plate if needed, and testing everything to make sure it works smoothly.
If we’re installing hardware on a door that’s never had it, figure closer to an hour. We need to drill the bore holes, mortise the latch plate and strike plate, and make sure everything aligns correctly. Getting the alignment right is critical because if the latch doesn’t line up with the strike plate, your door won’t close properly.
Sometimes we run into complications. The door has warped. The frame has settled. The old hardware left damage that needs to be addressed before the new hardware will work correctly. We handle those issues as they come up, and we’ll let you know if something’s going to add time or cost before we proceed.
Yes. If you’re replacing some door knobs but not others, we can key the new hardware to match your existing locks so one key operates everything. This is called rekeying, and it’s standard practice when you’re adding new locks to a house.
We can also match finishes if you want everything to look consistent. If your current hardware is brushed nickel and you’re adding new knobs, we’ll match that finish so your doors don’t look mismatched.
The one limitation is that all the locks need to be the same brand for rekeying to work smoothly. Kwikset keys work with Kwikset locks. Schlage keys work with Schlage locks. If you’re mixing brands, we can still make it work, but it sometimes requires replacing more hardware than you originally planned. We’ll walk you through the options and costs before you commit to anything.
A handyman can handle basic door knob installation if the door is already prepped and you’re doing a straight swap. But if you need the locks keyed to match, if you’re installing security hardware, or if there are any complications with alignment or fit, you want a locksmith.
We carry the specialized tools to drill precise bore holes, mortise latch plates correctly, and rekey locks on the spot. We also stock professional-grade hardware and know which products actually hold up versus which ones look good at the hardware store but fail within a year.
For Folcroft homeowners, especially those dealing with older homes that have settled or doors that have warped over time, a locksmith is the better call. We’ve seen what happens when door hardware is installed incorrectly, and fixing those problems costs more than doing it right the first time. You’re not just paying for installation. You’re paying for it to work correctly and keep working.
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