replacing lock and keys in multi family home

hello anyone had experience with replacing lock and keys on doors and/or adding a smart lock instead for people to enter (can be erased and changed).

Trying to replace the hassle of back and forth and coordination with different residents for people to access home and basement for repairs etc. but ensure place is safe and secure.

Any recs for brands (or to avoid) and installers greatly appreciated.

thanks

debbernst

in General Discussion 1 year and 7 months ago

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justinromeu26 | 1 year and 6 months ago

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As i recieved another call on the back of this thread this morning, i realized that schlage does make thick door kits for their smart locks. At least that is my recollection from a job i did at the start of covid. I seem to recall that none of the locksmith suppliers in the city carried these and i had to order the one i bought from a place in NJ (the same company is the regional wholesaler for the augustiner locks putnam mentions).

justinromeu26 | 1 year and 6 months ago

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Brownstone Home Inspection LLC

irinamikhail1 | 1 year and 6 months ago

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homeinspector, how can I contact you? looking for suggestions on our own home renovations.

justinromeu26 | 1 year and 6 months ago

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August will work with cheaper tubular deadbolts such as kwikset & schlage. Locks with a flat tail piece. They will not work with medeco and multi lock who both have unique tailpieces. This was the case two years ago. My wholesale price for the august was quite high for a cheaper deadbolt and i found the combination of price and the lower quality locks they pair with discouraging. As someone on this field, i would not bother.

To what putnamization speaks of, a lot of these products are made for modern doors. Tubular locksets which august pairs with in general are made for modern doors. These old doors have been sanded and refinished and even the lock edges of the door have bevels and sometimes things sit out of alignment. I have dealt with doors that taper closer to the edge. All this throws the lock out of alignment. Sometimes people, me included, bore lock holes free hand. It is possible to get around punamizations issues by reboring with a jig and shimming the faces of the lock. Hd sells a plastic irwin jig. If i were working on an old door or doing a rebore, i would use a heavy cast metal lock bore which most people won’t want to buy for a once off.

At last check, no one including august made retrofits for mortise locks.

Homeinspector is a restoration contractor who has extensive experience on doors and locksets.

Putnamdenizen | 1 year and 6 months ago

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To be clear August locks go on existing lock sets, and there was a longer stem (?) available for thicker doors. I probably could have made it work if I fixed the door. But another problem was a plastic piece in August mechanism would also wear out due to improper engagement, resulting in an inner door knob that would just spin around. So I guess I am not recommending them – or I am admitting I didn’t properly install!

Putnamdenizen | 1 year and 6 months ago

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August locks had an adapter for a thicker door. That said, my thick door was funky enough that the battery got quickly drained by less than smooth lock engagement. So in the end I just decided it wasn’t worth it. Disappointing my son who really wants us to be one with the machine.

justinromeu26 | 1 year and 6 months ago

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Something i conveyed to shaq during our phone call:

these smart locks are made for modern installations. as of last year, they had not made “thick door kits” for them so they are limited to not so thick doors (forget putting one on a 2.5″ thick door; 2.25″ might work, i forget).

Op will probably be ok, but others must be aware of this before ordering these kinds of locks. if you have ever seen a cheap deadbolt (schlage) recessed in the wood on a beautiful, historic door, that is what happen – the hack installing it did not source a “thick door kit” or did not know better locks come with them included.

justinromeu26 | 1 year and 7 months ago

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You already had hired me to work for you and i appreciated that opportunity. I have a wholesale lock account with a supplier in the city. I do not mind helping you pro bono with advice on a system that will include a smart lock and might work with some other key systems and i can talk to you about some higher end stuff. I will give you free advice or if you wish to parlay this into a lock purchase through me and i can make something on it, better still.

For people buying homes who want to hire me as a home inspector, i can give lock and key system advice and am available to consult. I managed key and lock systems in commercial buildings and currently hold a nyc locksmith license. I am familiar with high end and high security residential locks as well as some commercial products and yale and schlage smart locks.

Shaq, i have some extra wifi devices i think for schlage smart locks. I ordered 3 locks for someone last year and the supplier sent 3 of the wifi devices when only one was needed. You are welcome to one at cost. I think they are for schlage but cou ld be for yale.

I am happy to talk today if you wish to reach out. Text first.

Steve
Www.brownstonehomeinspection.com