Non-destructive entry first, always - and we re-key Schlage, Kwikset, and Baldwin locks on the spot while you watch
You get a price before we start. It does not change when we arrive. No surprises.
Locksmith in Fairfax, CA
Locksmith work in Fairfax, CA comes with a specific character: pre-WWII mortise locks, skeleton keys still in circulation, and wood door frames that swell with every Ross Valley storm. If you’re locked out, need a lock repaired, or want keys you can actually account for, we handle it. Call (682) 281-8985 and you’ll get a real person who can tell you what the job will cost before anyone gets in the truck.
Why Fairfax Homes Are Different
Fairfax is overwhelmingly 1920s-1950s wood-frame craftsman bungalows and small cottages, and a surprising number still carry their original mortise lock sets and rim cylinders. That matters because a modern Kwikset-style cartridge swap rarely fits these doors. We work on the old Corbin and Russwin units, sourcing or machining parts when the manufacturer stopped making them years ago. Long-term owner-occupants – and Fairfax has plenty – often haven’t rekeyed since the Carter administration, which means multiple spare keys are floating around town and nobody can say who has one. Rekeying those old mortise cylinders is a bread-and-butter job here in a way it isn’t in the newer tracts over in San Rafael.
Then there’s the rain. The Ross Valley funnels Pacific storm moisture straight into Fairfax, giving the town some of the heaviest winter rainfall in the Bay Area. Chronic door-frame swelling binds old mortise bolts and deadlatches, and the damp accelerates rust on the exposed iron hardware common to this era’s construction. Winter lockouts and failed mortise cylinders are the defining Fairfax service call. The good news: once a technician has worked on 30 of these doors, they know exactly how to handle the next one.
Our Main Fairfax Services
Fairfax homeowners call most about two things: residential lock repairs on aging doors, and small-business storefronts along Sir Francis Drake Boulevard that need commercial hardware that actually holds up. Below is what each involves here.
Commercial Locksmith in Fairfax
Fairfax’s commercial strip runs along Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, and most of those storefronts sit in buildings from the same pre-WWII era as the homes. That means commercial work here often isn’t a new lever-and-deadbolt install. It’s repairing existing mortise hardware, matching worn finishes, and upgrading to high-security cylinders without damaging original wood doors that cannot be cheaply replaced. We stock Schlage and Medeco hardware and can cross-reference what’s already on the door. See our Commercial Locksmith in Fairfax page for specifics.
Residential Locksmith in Fairfax
Most Fairfax homes we visit are 1920s-1950s bungalows and cottages with original mortise lock bodies. Typical Fairfax residential work means recutting or sourcing skeleton keys, rekeying mortise cylinders so old keys stop working, servicing binding deadlatches on storm-swollen doors, and installing new hardware that doesn’t require hacking apart a solid-wood door. For houses that have never been rekeyed, we explain exactly what that means and what it costs before touching a screwdriver. Details on the Residential Locksmith in Fairfax page.
Access Control Systems in Fairfax
A few Fairfax properties – small commercial buildings and some multi-unit residential – have moved to keycard or keypad entry. We install and maintain access control systems sized for Fairfax’s building stock, not downtown San Francisco corporate towers. With old wood-frame construction, cable runs and strike plates need to be planned around stud placement and thick trim boards. We quote that work in advance and in writing. Full scope on the Access Control Systems in Fairfax page.
What happens when you call
- 1
A real person answersNo phone trees - you reach a local pro.
- 2
You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
- 3
A background-checked tech heads outLicensed & insured, dispatched right away.
- 4
You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
Brands We Service in Fairfax
We work with Schlage, Kwikset, Medeco, and Yale hardware daily, and we carry common cylinders, strikes, and parts for those brands on our trucks so most Fairfax call has what it needs the first visit. For less common items, see our brands page for what we stock and service.
Pricing for Locksmith in Fairfax, CA
| Service | Typical range in Fairfax |
|---|---|
| Standard house lockout | $85-$185 |
| Mortise lock repair / cleaning (corroded or seized) | $110-$260 |
| Rekey a standard Schlage or Kwikset deadbolt | $25-$45 per lock |
| Rekey a vintage mortise cylinder (Corbin, Russwin, etc.) | $65-$120 per lock |
| Deadbolt replacement (standard, installed) | $125-$250 |
| Full mortise lock body replacement (parts + labor) | $250-$500 |
| Skeleton key cut to an existing mortise lock | $35-$80 |
| Residential keypad or smart-lock installation | $225-$450 |
| Commercial lever or deadbolt replacement (per door) | $180-$400 |
| High-security cylinder (Medeco or similar, per cylinder) | $165-$350 |
What pushes a Fairfax price up is the age of the door. A seized 1930s mortise body that needs parts machined costs more than a deadbolt pop-in on a 1990s door. Whatever the number, you get it on the phone and in writing before dispatch, and that’s the price on the invoice – no call-out surcharge added at the door.
Neighborhoods We Serve in Fairfax
We answer locksmith calls across all of Fairfax, from the flats near downtown to the hillside streets up toward Sleepy Hollow and the Cascade Canyon side. Response in most of Fairfax runs under an hour, with hillside roads adding a few minutes when it’s raining hard.
- Downtown Fairfax / Sir Francis Drake corridor
- Sleepy Hollow
- Cascade Canyon
- Manor / Deer Park area
- Oak Manor
Service Area – Cities Near Fairfax
Our crews also cover the towns on either side of the Ross Valley ridge. The same mortise-heavy housing pattern means work in San Anselmo, CA and Kentfield, CA looks much like Fairfax. We also take jobs in San Rafael, CA and Larkspur, CA, where the building stock is a mix of similar-era homes and some newer construction.
Serving Fairfax, CA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Fairfax area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage - if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
FAQs About Locksmith in Fairfax
Most Fairfax lockouts are answered in under an hour. Hillside addresses in Sleepy Hollow or Cascade Canyon may run a few minutes longer during winter storms when roads are slick. Call (682) 281-8985 and we’ll give you a real arrival window while you’re still on the phone.
Fairfax does not have the same historical-preservation overlay as some Marin towns, so replacing a visible lock isn’t usually a permit issue on single-family homes. The practical limit is the door itself: original mortise cutouts mean we often work with the existing footprint. Call (682) 281-8985 and we’ll tell you what your door can take.
Yes. We give a written price before any work starts, and that is the price on the invoice. There is no call-out surcharge added when the technician arrives. If we find something unexpected after opening the door, we stop and put the revised number on paper before continuing. Call (682) 281-8985 for a free estimate.
For locksmith work in Fairfax, call (682) 281-8985. A live person answers, the price comes before the work, and every repair carries a written 365-day guarantee. If it isn’t done right, we come back and fix it at no charge.
What happens when you call
- 1A real person answersNo phone trees - talk to a local locksmith pro.
- 2You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched. No surprises.
- 3We come out and measureLicensed & insured, at a time that suits you - the visit and the quote are both free.
- 4You get the price in writingLine-itemed, yours to keep, and nothing starts until you say go.
What Fairfax Customers Say
"Just bought our house and wanted everything rekeyed before we moved in. He did all the doors plus a new deadbolt on the back in about an hour, and gave me the price before starting. Felt safe that first night."
- Pam Oliveira"Our old office locks were sticking and half the keys didn't work right. He rekeyed the suite and fixed two door closers while he was at it. Fair price, showed up right on time."
- Victor Amaya"Changed every lock in the house after a bad breakup. He was discreet, fast, and kind about the whole situation. Wrote up a guarantee on the hardware too."
- Teresa Lyn