Changing locks after moving day

longwalks1

I'll be moving within the next few weeks and want to change the door locks (for obvious reasons). Is this something I'd need a locksmith in to do? Or something I can tackle myself?

I remember years ago busting a lock on my old flat front door, and it cost me about £70 for a locksmith who was there for about 10 minutes!

al69

Its easy enough to do with the right knowledge. You may have paid a certain amount for what you thought was expensive but you paid for their knowledge.

The fact you are asking on here shows you dont have the knowledge a locksmith has.

longwalks1

al69 wrote: »

The fact you are asking on here shows you dont have the knowledge a locksmith has.

That is very true, hence me asking on a DIY forum if its something I could tackle or not

SailorSam

Remember on the frontdoor you don't need to buy a complete lock, just buy a new barrel.
I found Wilkies were best when i changed the locks.
For the deadlocks, make sure you get the right size.

SailorSam

britishboy wrote: »

That is very true, hence me asking on a DIY forum if its something I could tackle or not

Have a look on YouTube, there'll be videos showing how easy it is.

Nilrem

As has been said it's pretty easy with many modern doors, double glazed ones especially as it can be as simple as opening the door, undoing the screws on the inside door hand, possible another one under that, then pulling out the old lock and slipping a new one in.

I had to fit a double glazed door a few weeks back (first time), and was nervous about the lock, and it turned out to be really easy (far easier than it was to do the lock on the manky/rotting old wooden door it replaced).

IIRC B&Q do locks for more types of door, including double glazed starting from about a tenner (we bought a door fittings kit for our door which had a lock, handles, post flap etc for about £25).

I think both B&Q and Wickes do leaflets on changing locks, or at least fitting them to new doors (which will also cover changing them).

longwalks1

Thanks everyone, will take a look on youtube and once moved in, get down to the local DIY store with some measurements

lee111s

As above it's pretty easy. I had to do it when a lodger vanished without word!

Mankysteve

Depends on the existing door locks, euro locks and standard lock are easy to chnae yourself. YouTube is probably your best source of knowledge.

Sometimes you get the odd lock like my parents old backdoor which had some bizarre lockset that wasn't changeable without replacing the entire backdoor as the company that made that lock no longer exist.

misterbarlow

When we moved in, for the next few days people appeared from all over with copies of our keys.. the previous owner was an oap...
both neighbours either side and also opposite had keys, and three different family members also turned up with keys...
at the end of the week we had about 8 sets of keys for the house..
not knowing who else might have had some I changed them...

like already said, if they are the modern euro locks its a doddle....

Jonesya

If your doors are euro-lock type and you're changing them all in one go, then you could go for keyed-alike cylinders - so one key to fit all external doors.