Hear from Our Customers
You shouldn’t need two hands and three tries to open your front door. When door knobs stick, levers wobble, or locks refuse to turn, it’s not just annoying—it’s a sign something’s wearing out or wasn’t installed right to begin with.
Most door knob problems come down to alignment. The strike plate doesn’t line up with the latch. The screws have loosened over time. The internal mechanism is worn from years of use. In Parkside, where the median home was built in 1964, you’re dealing with hardware that’s seen decades of daily wear.
A proper door knob installation means your door closes smoothly, latches securely, and opens without resistance. You get hardware that matches your existing setup or upgrades to something more secure. The job takes 15-20 minutes when done by someone who knows what they’re doing, and you’re left with a door that works the way it should—every single time you use it.
The McCausland family has been handling locksmith work since the late 1800s. Tom McCausland runs the largest locksmith operation in the Delaware Valley from our fully stocked storefront in Prospect Park, just minutes from Parkside. His daughter Chrissy represents the fourth generation.
When you call, you reach our dispatch team directly—not a call center. We’ll tell you who’s coming, when they’ll arrive based on current traffic, and what the service costs before anyone touches your door. The technician who shows up has the tools and parts in their mobile workshop, not a half-empty van.
Parkside homeowners have been coming back for generations because our work lasts. You’re not getting subcontractors or whoever happens to be available. You’re getting locksmiths who’ve been trained by people who’ve been doing this longer than most companies have existed.
First, our technician examines your existing door knob or lever to identify the problem. Is it the hardware itself, the alignment, or the way it was originally installed? We’ll explain what’s wrong in plain terms—no jargon, no upselling.
Next, we’ll walk you through your options. You can replace it with the same style, upgrade to a more secure lock, or switch from a knob to a lever. We’ll show you what brands we carry—Kwikset, Schlage, Medeco—and explain the differences in price and security level. You decide what makes sense for your home and budget.
The actual installation takes 15-20 minutes for a standard door knob replacement. We remove the old hardware, check the door’s alignment, install the new knob or lever, and test it multiple times to make sure it latches properly and turns smoothly. If you need rekeying so all your locks work with one key, we handle that during the same visit.
Before we leave, we clean up completely and make sure you’re comfortable operating the new hardware. No debris left behind, no half-finished work, no callbacks needed.
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You get a full assessment of your door’s condition, not just the knob. If the strike plate is misaligned or the door frame has shifted—common in older Parkside homes—we address it so your new hardware actually works long-term.
Our service includes removal of old hardware, installation of new door knobs or levers, alignment adjustments, and testing to ensure smooth operation. If you’re upgrading to a deadbolt at the same time, we install that during the same visit. Rekeying is available so you don’t end up carrying five different keys.
Parkside has a high concentration of rowhouses and attached homes—28.4% of the housing stock. That means shared walls, similar construction, and often identical door hardware across multiple units. If you’re a landlord managing several properties, we can rekey multiple units to a master key system during one appointment.
You’re also getting access to commercial-grade locks if you want them. Medeco high-security cylinders, electronic keypads, smart locks that integrate with your phone. Our storefront in Prospect Park has everything in stock, so if you want to see the hardware before committing, you can stop by and handle it yourself.
Most door knob installations in Parkside run between $60 and $200, depending on the hardware you choose and whether you need additional work like rekeying or deadbolt installation. A basic knob replacement with standard hardware sits around $75-$100. If you’re upgrading to a higher-security lock or adding a deadbolt, expect $150-$300.
The service call fee covers the trip and initial assessment. Labor for a straightforward installation takes 15-20 minutes. If your door needs alignment work because the frame has shifted over time—common in homes built in the 1960s—that adds time but prevents future problems with the new hardware.
You’ll know the exact cost before any work starts. We explain what’s needed, show you the hardware options, and give you a clear price. No surprise charges, no “we found another problem” upsells unless there’s genuinely something wrong that affects how the door functions.
Yes. A proper door knob installation doesn’t require drilling new holes or modifying your door unless you’re switching to a completely different lock type. Most residential doors use standard bore hole sizes—2-1/8 inches for the knob and 1 inch for the latch. If your new hardware matches those specs, it drops right into the existing holes.
We measure first to confirm compatibility. If you’re replacing a knob with a lever or upgrading to a different brand, we’ll verify the backset measurement (the distance from the door edge to the center of the hole). Standard backsets are 2-3/8 inches or 2-3/4 inches. As long as your new hardware matches, there’s no modification needed.
If you are changing lock types—say, going from a passage knob to a keyed entry lock—some additional drilling might be necessary for the deadbolt hole. But that’s discussed upfront, and the work is done cleanly with the right tools. You won’t see splintered wood or sloppy holes. The hardware sits flush, operates smoothly, and looks like it was always meant to be there.
A standard door knob replacement takes 15-20 minutes once we arrive. That includes removing the old hardware, installing the new knob or lever, adjusting the strike plate if needed, and testing everything to make sure it latches and turns properly.
If you’re also getting locks rekeyed, add another 5-10 minutes per lock. Rekeying means changing the internal pins so your old keys won’t work and new keys will. It’s faster than replacing the entire lock and costs less, but it requires precision work inside the cylinder.
More complex jobs take longer. Installing a deadbolt where one didn’t exist before requires drilling a new hole through the door and frame. That’s a 30-45 minute job. Smart lock installations with electronic components and app setup can take 45 minutes to an hour, depending on your existing door prep and whether you want it integrated with other systems.
Most Parkside service calls are handled in under 30 minutes total. We arrive in a fully equipped mobile workshop with the parts already on hand, so there’s no “I need to go grab that from the shop” delays.
A door knob requires you to grip and twist. A lever requires you to push down. That’s the functional difference, but it matters more than you’d think if you’re carrying groceries, dealing with arthritis, or have kids who can’t quite manage a twisting motion yet.
Levers are easier to operate with one hand or an elbow when your hands are full. They’re also ADA-compliant for accessibility, which matters if you’re renovating or have household members with mobility issues. Building codes for commercial properties require levers in most cases, but residential homes can use either.
Security-wise, there’s no meaningful difference if you’re comparing similar quality levels. A cheap lever is just as weak as a cheap knob. A high-security lever with a Medeco cylinder is just as strong as a high-security knob with the same cylinder. The lock mechanism inside is what determines security, not the handle shape.
Style is the other consideration. Knobs look more traditional and fit certain architectural styles better. Levers look modern and work well in contemporary homes. In Parkside, where many homes date back to the 1960s, you’ll see both depending on whether the homeowner has updated their hardware or kept the original style.
Rekey if your locks are in good condition but you want to control who has access. Replace if the hardware is worn out, damaged, or you’re upgrading security. Rekeying costs $20-$30 per lock and takes about 10 minutes. Replacement costs $60-$200+ depending on the new hardware you choose.
Rekeying makes sense when you’ve just moved into a home and don’t know who has copies of the old keys. It’s also smart after a breakup, a roommate moves out, or you’ve lost track of who you’ve given keys to over the years. We change the internal pins so the old keys won’t work anymore, but the lock itself stays in place.
Replacement makes sense when the lock is sticking, the knob is loose, or the mechanism doesn’t turn smoothly anymore. In older Parkside homes, you’re often dealing with hardware that’s been in place for 20-30 years. At that point, the internal components are worn enough that rekeying won’t solve the underlying problem.
You can also do both. Replace the front door lock with higher-security hardware and rekey the back door and side entrance to match the new key. That way you’re carrying one key for all your doors, and you’ve upgraded the most vulnerable entry point without replacing everything.
Yes. If your door knob breaks and you’re locked out—or locked in—we respond to emergency calls throughout Parkside and the surrounding Delaware County area. Typical response time is 20-30 minutes depending on current traffic and where the nearest technician is located.
Emergency service covers lockouts, broken knobs that won’t turn, keys stuck in locks, and situations where the door won’t latch properly and you can’t secure your home. We arrive with tools to get you back inside without damaging the door, frame, or window. No broken glass to replace, no splintered wood to repair.
The goal is to restore access and security as quickly as possible. If the lock can be repaired on the spot, that’s the first option. If it needs replacement, we have common hardware in our mobile workshop and can install it during the same visit. You’re not left with a temporary fix and a promise to come back later.
Emergency calls cost more than scheduled appointments because you’re paying for immediate availability and after-hours service. But you’ll know the price before the work starts, and you’ll have a functioning door lock before we leave.
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