Rim Locks & Night Latches
A rim lock mounts on the inside face of the door rather than through it. Night latches, rim cylinders and the surface-mounted deadlocks common on apartments and older buildings all fall into this family.
They are quick to fit because there is no through-bore, which makes them a good option on doors too thin, too glazed or too old to take a standard deadbolt. The cylinder passes through a small hole and the body screws to the face.
The security weakness is the fixing: a rim lock is only as strong as the screws holding the body and the staple. We fit longer fixings and reinforce the staple side, which is what most factory installs skip.
What the job involves
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Good on doors that cannot be bored
Thin, glazed or historic doors included.
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Fixings upgraded as standard
Longer screws into framing, not the supplied stubs.
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Rekeyed to your existing key
Where the cylinder profile allows it.
Rim Locks: what it costs
Typical Austin-metro ranges. Your exact number is quoted on the phone.
| Job | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Rim lock / night latch fittedIncludes the cylinder | $95 – $185 |
| Cylinder replacement, per lockLabour plus a standard cylinder | $65 – $145 |
| Rekey, per cylinderTwo keys included per keyway | $20 – $35 |
| Strike plate & jamb reinforcementThree-inch screws into framing | $45 – $110 |
| 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
Is a rim lock as secure as a deadbolt?
A well-fitted rim deadlock is close. A basic night latch is not; it is a convenience lock and should have a deadbolt alongside it.
Can it be opened from inside without a key?
Night latches yes, by the knob. Double-locking rim deadlocks need a key both sides when deadlocked, which has the same fire-escape trade-off as a double cylinder deadbolt.
Will it fit my thin apartment door?
Almost certainly. That is exactly what rim locks are for.
Part of our Residential Locksmith Services 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.
