Hear from Our Customers
Your doors close smoothly. Latches catch without jiggling the handle. The hardware feels solid when you turn it, not loose or wobbly like it might fall off next week.
That’s what happens when someone who knows lock mechanics handles door knob installation instead of guessing at measurements. We’re talking about proper backset spacing, correct bore alignment, and strike plates that actually line up with the latch.
When you call us for door lever installation or door knob replacement in Lower Chichester, PA, you’re getting hardware from Kwikset, Schlage, or Medeco installed by people who’ve been doing this since the 1800s. We show up with the right tools, the right parts, and enough experience to spot problems before they become expensive mistakes.
Your doors work like they should. No sticking, no gaps, no wondering if you locked it properly.
We’ve been handling locksmith services in Delaware County since the late 1800s. Tom McCausland represents the fourth generation, running the largest locksmith operation in the Delaware Valley from our Prospect Park storefront with his daughter Chrissy.
That’s 140+ years of figuring out how locks work, what hardware holds up, and how to install door knobs without damaging your frames or leaving gaps. Lower Chichester homeowners keep coming back because we stock real parts, respond fast, and don’t create new problems while fixing the old ones.
We’re local. We’re stocked. We’ve probably installed the same hardware you’re looking at right now a hundred times before.
You call. We typically respond within 20 to 30 minutes for emergency locksmith services in Delaware County locations like Lower Chichester, PA. For scheduled door knob installation, we confirm a time that works for you.
We assess your doors first. Not all hardware fits all doors, and we need to verify bore diameter, backset measurement, and door thickness before installing anything. If you’ve already purchased hardware, we’ll tell you upfront whether it’ll work or if you need something different.
Then we install it correctly. That means proper alignment between the latch and strike plate, secure mounting that won’t loosen over time, and hardware that operates smoothly from day one. We’re using OEM parts from manufacturers like Kwikset and Schlage because they last longer and we can get exact replacements if you ever need service down the road.
We test everything before we leave. Doors should close without resistance, latches should catch cleanly, and locks should turn without fighting you. If it doesn’t work right, we don’t call it done.
Ready to get started?
We handle complete door knob installation and door lever installation for homes throughout Lower Chichester, PA. That includes entry doors, bedroom doors, bathroom privacy locks, and passage hardware for closets or hallways.
You’re getting hardware assessment before we start, so you know whether your existing doors can support what you want installed. We bring the tools to handle non-standard situations like misaligned frames, oversized or undersized bore holes, or doors that need reinforcement.
Lower Chichester homes, especially older properties in the area, sometimes have door prep that doesn’t match modern hardware standards. We adapt to what’s actually there instead of forcing parts that don’t fit. If you need lever repair on existing hardware or want to upgrade from basic knobs to higher-security deadbolts with matching levers, we can handle the full scope during one service call.
We stock parts at our Prospect Park storefront, which means less waiting for special orders and faster completion on standard residential locksmith jobs. You’re also getting rekeying services if you want all your new hardware keyed alike, which most people do.
Most single-door installations take 20 to 45 minutes depending on whether we’re working with pre-drilled doors or need to modify the bore. If your door already has hardware and we’re doing a straightforward door knob replacement with similar-sized parts, we’re usually done in under 30 minutes.
Jobs take longer when we’re installing hardware on new doors that aren’t prepped, fixing alignment issues from previous bad installations, or upgrading from passage knobs to keyed entry sets with deadbolts. We’ll give you an accurate time estimate once we see what we’re working with.
For multiple doors, plan on about 30 minutes per door if they’re standard residential installations. We can handle several rooms in one visit, and most Lower Chichester, PA homeowners doing whole-house hardware upgrades schedule a few hours to get everything done at once.
Yes, we install customer-supplied hardware regularly. Bring us what you bought and we’ll make it work if it’s compatible with your doors.
Here’s the catch: not all hardware fits all doors. If you purchased knobs with a 2 3/8″ backset and your doors are drilled for 2 3/4″, we’ll need to either modify the door or exchange the hardware for the correct size. Same issue with bore diameter—if you bought hardware for a 2 1/8″ hole and your door has 1 1/2″, something has to change.
We’ll assess compatibility before starting installation and let you know upfront if there’s a problem. Most big-box hardware works fine for standard doors, but we stock Kwikset, Schlage, and Medeco at our Prospect Park location if you want to avoid compatibility issues altogether. Those brands also come with better warranties and longer-lasting internal components than economy-grade options.
Functionally, they’re almost identical installations. Both use the same bore holes, backset measurements, and latch mechanisms. The difference is the handle style—knobs twist, levers push down.
Levers are easier to operate if you’ve got your hands full or deal with arthritis. They’re also required by ADA accessibility standards for commercial properties, though plenty of Lower Chichester homeowners choose them just for convenience.
Installation-wise, levers sometimes need more clearance because they stick out further from the door when horizontal. We check that clearance during assessment to make sure the lever won’t hit the door frame or wall when it operates. Otherwise, the process is the same: bore the holes, install the latch, mount the hardware, align the strike plate, test operation. Whether you want knobs or levers comes down to personal preference and how you use the door.
Yes, and most people want this done. There’s no point having five different keys for five different doors in your house.
When we install new keyed door hardware, we rekey it to match whatever key you want to use as your master. If you’re replacing all your door knobs at once, we’ll key everything alike so one key operates every lock. That’s standard practice for residential locksmith work.
Rekeying happens right there during installation. We pull the cylinder, swap the pins to match your key’s cut pattern, reassemble it, and test it before mounting the hardware. Takes a few extra minutes per lock but saves you from carrying a keyring that looks like you manage an apartment building.
If you’re keeping some old hardware and adding new knobs, we can rekey the old stuff to match the new, or vice versa. As long as the locks are rekeyable (most residential hardware is), we’ll get everything on the same key during the service call.
Loose knobs usually mean the mounting screws have stripped out the door material or the hardware itself is worn. We tighten what we can, but if the screw holes are damaged, we’ll need to either relocate the hardware slightly or use larger fasteners with anchoring.
Latching problems are typically alignment issues. Your door has settled, the frame has shifted, or someone installed the strike plate in the wrong spot. We adjust the strike plate position first since that’s the easiest fix. If the door itself is sagging or the hinges are worn, we’ll address that too because no amount of hardware adjustment will fix a door that’s physically out of square.
Sometimes the latch mechanism inside the knob is broken. If that’s the case, you’re looking at door knob replacement rather than repair. We carry common residential locksmith parts at our Prospect Park storefront, so we can usually replace failed hardware same-day for Lower Chichester, PA customers. We’ll assess what’s actually wrong and give you options before proceeding with any work.
Cost depends on how many doors you’re doing, what hardware you’re installing, and whether we’re working with standard pre-drilled doors or need to do custom boring and fitting.
Basic door knob replacement on a standard residential door with no complications usually runs between $75 and $150 for labor, not including hardware. If you’re supplying the knobs, you’re just paying for installation and rekeying if needed. If you’re buying hardware through us, you’re getting Kwikset, Schlage, or Medeco quality with manufacturer warranties.
Jobs get more expensive when we’re fixing previous bad installations, dealing with non-standard door sizes, or installing high-security hardware that requires additional prep work. Multi-door projects often get per-door pricing that’s lower than single-door callouts.
Call us for an actual quote based on what you need done. We’ll ask about your doors, what hardware you’re considering, and whether there are any existing problems we should know about. That gives you real numbers instead of guessing based on internet averages.
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