Condo & High-Rise Locksmith in Fort Lauderdale
A condo locksmith in Fort Lauderdale works within the building's rules as much as on the lock itself: who signs vendors in, who holds unit keys, and which keys only the association may cut. Roughly half the homes in this city are in large buildings and high-rises (NeighborhoodScout), so this is everyday work here.
- Licensed & insured
- 6-month workmanship warranty
- About 20 min to you
What the association may require
- A key or code to your unit. Under section 718.111 of the Florida Statutes, a condo association holds an irrevocable right of entry to each unit when maintenance or damage prevention calls for it (Florida Statutes 718.111), and the state's condo regulators have ruled that an owner has to give the association some way in (Florida condo law blog). After a rekey, budget for a copy for the office.
- A certificate of insurance before a vendor works in the building. We're insured with commercial general liability and email the certificate to management on request, before the visit.
- Restricted building keys. Lobby, gym, pool and stairwell keys usually belong to the association and can't be copied without its approval.
What we do in condo buildings
- Unit lockouts — from $110.
- Rekey after buying, renting out or a lost key — $110 for the first lock, $50 each after.
- Mailbox locks — from $95; many buildings route these through management or the post office.
- Balcony and slider locks — see sliding-door locks.
- Keypad deadbolts where the rules allow them, with a code set aside for the association.
Towers we plan around
Downtown is still growing: more than 27,000 homes are in the city's pipeline, about four in five of them downtown (Sun-Sentinel via Yahoo News). On the beach, the Galt Mile Community Association counts 31 member associations, each with its own desk and rules (Galt Mile Community Association). Between them, Las Olas and Flagler Village towers each set their own vendor policy, so we ask every time instead of assuming.
Just bought a condo here: rekey or replace?
Rekey, in most cases. A typical unit door has a knob and a deadbolt; rekeying both is $110 for the first lock (the trip is included) plus $50 for the second, so $110 + $50 in total, with 2 new keys. We usually arrive about 20 minutes after your call, anywhere in Fort Lauderdale, and confirm that time on the phone.
- The look of the door may not be yours to change. Many condo documents set rules for hardware on the corridor side of the door: brand, style or finish. Read yours, or ask management, before buying new hardware. A rekey leaves the hardware exactly as it was.
- Replace instead when the cylinder sticks, the bolt drags, or salt air has pitted the finish. That happens a lot in the towers along A1A and the Galt Mile. You'd also replace if you want a pick-resistant high-security deadbolt or a keypad, as long as your association allows it. A new standard lock starts at $155 (lock change).
- Does maintenance hold a master key? Some buildings key unit doors to a master that staff carry. A plain rekey would lock them out, so tell us before the visit. With management's written OK we can key your new cylinder into their system, which is the kind of master-key work we already do for businesses. If that isn't possible, give the office a copy of your new key.
Card readers and fobs belong to the building
Many towers run entry on cards rather than keys. The Galt Ocean Club at 3800 Galt Ocean Drive, for example, describes a card system that opens its entrances, its garage and every security gate around the building, with its own officers on duty around the clock (Galt Mile Community Association). Cards, fobs and lobby readers are programmed by management — not by us, and not by any outside locksmith. What we handle is the keyed lock on your own unit door.
Before we come
- Ask the front desk how vendors are logged in, and whether parking or a freight elevator is needed.
- Check your condo documents for lock rules (brand, finish, key on file).
- Tell us all of it on the call — we plan the visit around the building.
Condo questions
Will the association be upset if I rekey?
Rekeying is normal; just give them the new key or code if the documents require one.
Can you open my storage locker?
If it's yours and the building allows vendors in the storage area, yes.
Can you copy the pool key?
Only with written approval from the association.
How many keys do I get after a rekey?
Two new keys come with it. Ask for one extra for the association office — extras are $5 each, cut on the spot.