Master Key Systems & Master Keys
A master key system is a document before it is a set of keys. The chart decides who opens what; the cylinders just implement it. Systems that go wrong nearly always went wrong on paper.
We design the chart with you: grand master at the top, masters per floor or per department, change keys at the bottom. Then every cylinder is pinned to that chart and every key is stamped and recorded.
The record is what makes the system survivable. Three years later, when somebody leaves with a master, you want to know exactly which twenty-two cylinders that key opens rather than guessing.
What the job involves
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Chart designed before any pinning
Grand master, master and change keys laid out on paper first.
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Every key stamped and recorded
So a lost key has a known blast radius.
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Expandable
Room left in the system for the doors you have not built yet.
Master Keys: what it costs
Typical Austin-metro ranges. Your exact number is quoted on the phone.
| Job | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Master key system designKeying chart, one-off per system | $150 – $400 |
| Cylinder keyed to the systemChange key included | $25 – $45 each |
| High-security cylinder fittedPatented key, restricted duplication | $110 – $280 |
| Extra keys cut on siteWhile the technician is with you | $3 – $8 each |
| Service call / dispatchCharged once per visit, never per lock | $29 – $49 |
| Nights, Sundays & holidaysQuoted on the phone before a van is sent | +$25 – $65 |
These are the ranges most jobs in the Austin metro land between. The exact number is quoted on the phone before a technician is dispatched, and it is the number on the invoice. Parts are itemised separately and priced from a rate card, not invented at the door.
Common questions
How many levels can a system have?
Practically, two or three above the change key covers almost every building. More levels means fewer usable combinations and weaker security.
What happens if a master key is lost?
Every cylinder that key opens has to be rekeyed. That is why the chart and the key record matter so much: they tell you exactly how big the job is.
Can you extend the system we already have?
If it was properly charted, yes. If it was not, we can usually reverse-engineer it, and that is worth doing before you add more doors.
Part of our Commercial Locksmith & Master Key Systems work. Covering Austin, Round Rock, Cedar Park, Pflugerville, Georgetown, Leander, Lakeway, Kyle, Buda, Hutto, Manor and Dripping Springs.
What Austin says
about us
Reviews left by customers across Austin, Round Rock, Cedar Park and Pflugerville.
Locked myself out at eleven at night with a toddler asleep upstairs. Quoted me on the phone, arrived in half an hour, had the door open in under five minutes without a scratch on it. Charged exactly what was quoted.
Marisol Trevino
Homeowner, Mueller
We turn over about forty units a year and they handle every rekey. Invoiced to the office, keying schedule emailed the same day, never had to chase them.
Dwayne Whitfield
Property manager, North Austin
Dealer wanted a tow plus two days for a lost Kia key. These guys did it in my driveway in about an hour for a lot less. Two keys, both tested before he left.
Priya Raghunathan
Driver, Cedar Park
Panic bar failed on a Friday during service. They came out after close, fixed it properly and talked me through what the inspector would be looking for.
Ben Ostrowski
Restaurant owner, East Sixth
Locked out? We answer the phone at 3 a.m.
One call gets a licensed, insured technician rolling to you anywhere in the Austin metro.
