Bedroom Door Lock Installation for Rental Rooms in Malvern, Scarborough
Three months ago in Malvern, Scarborough, we installed individually keyed locks on two bedroom doors. The job cost $325 CAD + HST.
The owners of a detached house in Malvern contacted us while preparing two spare bedrooms for rental. Both rooms had ordinary interior door handles without keyed locks. They wanted each tenant to have a separate key, while keeping the existing doors and matching hardware throughout the house.
Our locksmith inspected both bedroom doors and discovered a problem during the installation. One of the doors had a hollow-core construction with a narrow wooden edge, and the existing latch opening had been cut slightly off-centre. A standard replacement lock would not sit securely without further modification. Enlarging the opening could weaken the door edge and eventually cause the handle or latch to loosen.
We explained the issue to the homeowners and recommended compatible keyed lever locks designed for interior doors. Our technician corrected the poorly fitted opening, reinforced the weakened mounting area and adjusted the strike plate to match the new latch position. The second bedroom door required less preparation, although its latch alignment also needed checking.
We installed two individually keyed bedroom locks, supplied four keys and made sure neither room’s key operated the other bedroom. An important detail was preserving convenient exit from inside each room without using a key. We also checked the door clearances so the new latches wouldn’t catch when the doors were closed.
The installation took approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes. Before leaving, we tested both doors repeatedly, checking the handles, latch engagement, key operation and inside release. The homeowners also received advice on managing spare keys when tenants change.
The total cost was $325 CAD + HST, including the two locksets and installation. Both original doors were retained, with no need for replacement.
Our takeaway: A bedroom lock should do more than turn with a key. It needs to fit the door properly, provide each tenant with separate access and remain easy to open from inside.