Just bring the new locks to a locksmith and have them rekeyed to match before you install them, it only takes a pro a couple minutes and it doesn't cost much.

Security-wise if you're getting one of those "smart" locks make sure you at least check LockPickingLawyer to see if it has some stupid flaw that lets it be bypassed super easily. The odds of someone trying to pick your door vs just kicking it or popping a window is slim, but if it can be bypassed with a toothpick that's no good.

Great tip, I didn't even think of bringing the door lock to the locksmith.

It was hundreds of dollars to do that at my old place when my RE agent insisted I had to do that to prep the house for sale. Apparently only because the locksmith had to come out :/.

Why would you have to do that in order to sell your house. When I purchased my place, me the buyer decided to change the locks after the fact. I also uninstalled by myself and brought to a locksmith who charge me $20 per lock.

Wut

I've never heard of changing locks before sale... even as the buyer how are you sure the original owner didn't keep a key?

As a buyer I just assume changing the locks is a cost of purchase

The RE agent said it seemed really ghetto that we had different keys for the front door, back door, garage entry door, and garage side door and insisted it would be a big hit to the value of the house.

Thinking back on it, assuming the buyer even cared, how would the buyer even know until after they bought the house?? It's not like matching all the friggin keys is in the disclosures!!

It was even dumber, the fact that it was like that when we bought the house from her back in 2020!

At the time I said whatever sure, if you feel so strongly about this I won't fight it, thinking it's be like $50.

It was 10x that (and USD, keep in mind). And she had arranged for the locksmith to come so I got stuck with that bill after the fact lol.

Yea.. dumb realtor..

The buyer can do whatever they wish after the fact. Basically just sucked that money right out of your pocket for nothing lol like what, do you stick that in the listing? “All locks are keyed the same! Lol

Spidey senses are tingling with that one.. wouldn't be surprised if there's some kickback going on there

Or she started dating the locksmith between 2020 and the recent sale lol.

Our house had 4 separate keys, one for front door, back door, basement, garage. Still does, but they are all keypads and no one uses keys anymore.

I gotta say, the first house I bought in Calgary had an electronic keypad for the front door... I've never had one before and it made me kinda nervous... but being remote from the house, this saved my ass so bad so many times I can only sing the praises of such a system.

It was such a relief to be able to just give the code to a cleaner or a plumber when selling the house otherwise my friend would have had to go there every time to open the door for us, etc. Even for him he could just drop by sometimes instead of going to his house to get a key.

Is Abloy key blank different from Medeco?
Cuz with Medeco I can still get them duplicated for $30

Yes.

One of the recommendations that my locksmith (who's an European) gave to make the door more secure was, given how I have the needed space was to make the door open outward while installing security pins on the exposed hinges so that they could only be popped when the door is open.

He said he never understood why here in Canada/US, most codes dictates that the door needs to open inward. It just creates so much vulnerability of a forced entry and potential delay to exit in an emergency situation.

Not sure if it's something that conforms to the code, but I have always thought that's a good idea and something that I want it done if I were to do a major reno of my space.

How often does anyone's door get kicked in tho? It's kind of a weird thing to worry about lol

Snow.

For commercial buildings, door exits need to be outward to prevent crowd crush from trapping people in. You don't have the same numbers of people evacuating from a residential living space.

Forced entry to the doors (front and rear) is actually the most common break in method that accounts for over 50% of all break ins.

No method is perfect and your horse is only as secure as the weakest point. But the idea is to delay it for as long as possible

Knock knock here comes mao or Stalin !

Ah yes, RSers are entering their paranoid boomer phase right on schedule.

Well in Canada the home owner is the one who is arrested as opposed to the door kicker-inner so gotta reinforce that shit :troll:

I came home to my door fallen off the hinges. The police did it. After a neighbour was attempting suicide. Wrong address.

Did I mention is was -35 outside? They could care less and didn’t want to acknowledge fixing it.

So now that things are mostly sorted with the sale of my first house in Calgary and purchase of the 2nd one…. I can safely share a couple of photos which explain why I jumped at the 2nd house and went on this journey, it’s a dream home for both of us in a manner of speaking but especially to me because of the garage and shop situation…. The pictures speak for themselves haha (cars not included, they are the previous owners although I did inquire as to the Volvo’s availability):

https://i.imgur.com/0jDpoyC.jpeg
https://i.imgur.com/ZNOS7E6.jpeg

So basically an attached 2 car garage and a detached 3 car shop. Total unicorn of a house situation. I’m super excited to finally be able to do real car projects for the first time in my own space!

You’re gonna need a lot of my anal lube

First garage mod will be hexagon/honeycomb lights from AliExpress or Temu so I can fit in with the IG crowd lol............ then shinetsu grease

Damn... that is one hell of a dream home! Congrats!