Hear from Our Customers
You stop jiggling handles or forcing doors shut. The latch catches cleanly every time you close it. Your keys turn without fighting the cylinder.
That’s what proper door knob installation looks like. Not just hardware that’s technically attached, but mechanisms that actually function the way they’re supposed to.
Most homes in Primos were built between 1940 and 1999. Your door frames weren’t designed for modern hardware dimensions. Installing new knobs or levers without understanding how older construction works leads to stripped screw holes, misaligned latches, and doors that never quite sit right. You end up calling someone back in six months when the knob starts wobbling or the latch stops catching.
We install it correctly from the start. The strike plate aligns with the latch. The knob sits flush against the door. The mechanism operates smoothly without binding. You’re not dealing with callbacks or warranty issues because the job was done right the first time.
We’ve been helping Primos homeowners since the late 1800s. Tom McCausland runs the operation now with his daughter Chrissy, continuing what his great-grandfather started over 140 years ago.
We’re based right in Prospect Park with a fully stocked storefront. Our mobile technicians cover every street in Primos, usually arriving within 20 to 30 minutes for emergency calls. We’re not a national franchise or a lead generation service farming out your job to whoever answers their phone.
You’re working with the largest locksmith operation in the Delaware Valley. We stock quality hardware from Kwikset, Schlage, and Medeco. Our technicians understand how to work with the mix of older construction and newer builds throughout Primos without damaging your property.
You call or message us with what you need. We ask a few questions about your doors, the type of hardware you want, and whether this is new installation or replacement. If you’re replacing existing knobs, we can often give you a price right over the phone.
We schedule a time that works for you. Our technician arrives with a fully stocked van, so we’re not making trips to the hardware store on your time. If you haven’t picked out hardware yet, we show you options that fit your budget and security needs.
The actual installation starts with removing old hardware if you’re replacing existing knobs. We check the door and frame condition, measure everything to ensure proper alignment, and prep the holes if needed. For older homes, this sometimes means reinforcing stripped screw holes or adjusting the strike plate position so the latch actually catches.
We install the new knob or lever, test the mechanism multiple times, and adjust until everything operates smoothly. The door should close without force and latch securely every time. Before we leave, we clean up completely and show you how everything works. If you want other doors rekeyed or security upgrades done, we handle that during the same visit.
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You get professional installation using manufacturer-approved techniques. We’re authorized for Kwikset, Medeco, and Schlage, which means your hardware gets installed according to the specifications that keep warranties valid.
We use OEM parts, not generic hardware store substitutes. The difference shows up six months later when your neighbor’s budget knob starts wobbling and yours still operates like new. Quality components cost slightly more upfront but save you from replacement costs and service calls.
Most Primos homes have a mix of door types and ages. Your 1950s front door has different requirements than the interior doors someone added during a 1980s renovation. We adjust our approach based on what we’re actually working with, not a one-size-fits-all method that ignores your home’s specific construction.
If you’re a first-time homeowner in Primos, you’re likely dealing with older hardware that previous owners never updated. We can walk through your entire home, assess what needs immediate attention versus what can wait, and give you a realistic timeline and budget. You don’t need to replace everything at once, but you should know what you’re working with.
The tight housing market in Primos means homes change hands with minimal updates. You probably have no idea how many people have keys to your doors. We can rekey everything during the same visit as your door knob installation, so you’re not scheduling multiple appointments or paying separate service calls.
Installation for a standard passage knob runs between $95 and $135 per door. Entry knobs with keyed locks or privacy knobs for bathrooms cost $110 to $155 per door. These prices include the service call, labor, and basic hardware.
Higher-end hardware costs more, obviously. If you want Medeco high-security cylinders or commercial-grade Schlage locks, the hardware itself runs higher but the installation labor stays roughly the same. We give you the total price before starting any work, so you’re not surprised when we hand you the bill.
Older homes sometimes need extra work. If your door frame has stripped screw holes or the bore hole is damaged from previous installations, we fix that as part of the job. We don’t charge you extra because someone else did sloppy work before. That’s just part of doing the installation correctly.
Emergency calls cost more than scheduled appointments. If you’re locked out at 10 PM and need immediate help, you’re paying for priority response time. But for planned installations during normal business hours, you get standard pricing without emergency fees tacked on.
Yes, but it requires understanding how older construction differs from modern standards. Homes built in the 1940s through 1960s often have door frames made from old-growth lumber that’s harder and denser than what’s available today. Standard installation techniques can split that wood if you’re not careful.
We pre-drill pilot holes at the correct diameter for the screws we’re using. This prevents the wood from splitting when we drive screws into dense old lumber. For strike plates, we chisel out the mortise to the exact depth needed so the plate sits flush with the frame. If it’s too shallow, the plate sticks out and prevents the door from closing properly. Too deep, and the latch doesn’t catch.
Modern door knobs have larger bore holes than vintage hardware. If you’re replacing old knobs, we sometimes need to use conversion kits or fill and re-drill holes to accommodate the new hardware dimensions. We don’t just force modern hardware into vintage openings and hope it works.
Your trim and molding matter too. We protect finished surfaces during installation and remove old hardware carefully so we’re not chipping paint or denting wood. If you have original trim from the 1950s, we’re not damaging it because we’re rushing through the job.
Passage knobs are for doors that don’t need locks, like hallways and closets. They latch but don’t lock. You just turn the knob and the door opens. These are the simplest and least expensive option.
Privacy knobs have a push-button lock on the interior side, typically used for bathrooms and bedrooms. You can lock the door from inside, but there’s an emergency release on the outside. Usually that’s a small hole where you can insert a pin or small screwdriver to unlock it if someone’s in trouble. Privacy knobs cost slightly more than passage knobs because of the locking mechanism.
Entry knobs have keyed cylinders for exterior doors. These are your front door, back door, and any door that opens to the outside. They lock with a key from outside and usually have a thumb turn on the inside. Entry knobs cost the most because they include the lock cylinder and need to meet security standards.
For Primos homes, you typically want entry knobs on all exterior doors, privacy knobs on bathrooms and bedrooms, and passage knobs everywhere else. Some people prefer privacy knobs on bedroom doors for kids’ rooms, others just use passage knobs. It depends on your household needs and preferences.
If you just moved into your Primos home, yes. You have no idea how many keys are floating around. The previous owner had keys. Their kids had keys. The contractor who did their kitchen renovation five years ago might still have a key. The neighbor who used to water their plants has a key.
Rekeying changes the internal pins in the lock cylinder so old keys no longer work. You get new keys, and every old key that’s out there becomes useless. This costs much less than replacing all your locks entirely, and we can do it during the same visit as your door knob installation.
We can also key all your locks alike so one key opens every door. Most homes have different keys for the front door, back door, and side door. You’re juggling multiple keys on your keychain when you could just use one. We rekey everything to match during installation, so you walk away with one key that works everywhere.
If you’re not moving in but just replacing worn-out hardware, rekeying might not be necessary. But if you’ve had contractors, housekeepers, or anyone else with access to your home, it’s worth considering. The peace of mind costs less than you’d think.
A single door takes 20 to 30 minutes for straightforward replacement where we’re swapping old hardware for new. If you’re doing multiple doors, figure about 20 minutes per door once we’re set up and working.
New installation where there’s no existing hardware takes longer. We need to drill the bore hole for the knob, drill the edge hole for the latch, and mortise the strike plate into the frame. That’s 45 minutes to an hour per door, depending on the door material and frame condition.
Older homes add time if we’re dealing with repairs. Stripped screw holes need to be filled and re-drilled. Damaged bore holes might need repair before we can install new hardware. Misaligned doors need adjustment so the latch actually meets the strike plate. We don’t know exactly what we’re dealing with until we remove the old hardware and see what’s underneath.
If you’re rekeying locks at the same time, add about 10 minutes per lock. If you want a full security assessment where we walk through your home and evaluate all your doors and locks, add 15 to 20 minutes. We’re not rushing through your job to get to the next appointment. We finish when it’s done correctly.
Kwikset, Schlage, and Baldwin are solid choices for most residential applications. Kwikset offers good quality at reasonable prices. Their SmartKey technology lets you rekey the lock yourself without calling a locksmith, which some homeowners like. Schlage builds slightly heavier-duty hardware that holds up well in high-traffic areas like front doors.
Baldwin costs more but offers better finishes and more style options if you care about aesthetics. For historic Primos homes where you want hardware that matches the home’s character, Baldwin has reproduction styles that look appropriate on older properties.
We’re authorized dealers for these brands, which means we stock genuine parts and install according to manufacturer specifications. Your warranty stays valid because the installation was done correctly by an authorized installer.
Avoid the budget brands from big-box stores. Those $15 knobs use thin metal that bends under normal use, plastic internal components that break, and finishes that corrode within a year. You’ll replace them twice in the time a quality knob lasts, and you’ve spent more money for worse performance.
For exterior doors in Primos, consider upgrading to high-security cylinders. Standard residential locks can be picked or bumped fairly easily. Medeco high-security cylinders cost more upfront but provide actual protection against lock manipulation. If security matters to you, that’s where to invest your money.
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