House Lock Installation NYC — Deadbolts, Jimmy-Proof & More
Installing a lock where there was none — a fresh deadbolt on a door that only had a knob, a jimmy-proof on an apartment door, a lock on a basement or roof door that never had one — is precision drilling work, and on New York doors there are no second chances. In June we installed a heavy-duty jimmy-proof lock near Clark St & Henry St in Brooklyn Heights and supplied and installed a brand-new deadbolt at Eastern Pkwy & Utica Ave in Crown Heights; both jobs are photographed on our recent jobs page. Sunny Locksmith installs residential locks across NYC under License #2096389-DCA — call (917) 495-1990.
Recent Installations, Not Promises
The Brooklyn Heights job in June is a good picture of what we do: the client wanted real security on an apartment door, and the answer was a jimmy-proof lock — the classic New York surface-mounted deadbolt whose interlocking vertical bolts cannot be pried open with a bar. Days earlier we supplied and installed a new deadbolt in Crown Heights: we brought the hardware, bored the door, cut the strike, and handed over the keys in one visit. You do not need to buy a lock first and hope it fits — we supply the hardware.
What We Install
Deadbolts — the Foundation
A door with only a knob lock is effectively unlocked; the latch can be slipped in seconds. The first lock any door needs is a proper deadbolt with a 1-inch throw, and installing one means boring a 2-1/8" cross hole, a 1" edge hole, and a clean strike mortise in the frame. We do this on wood, metal, and fiberglass doors. For hardware quality, see our deadbolt installation page.
Jimmy-Proof Locks — the New York Classic
Jimmy-proofs earned their place on New York doors for a reason: they mount on the door surface, so nothing weakens the door's edge, and their vertical bolts interlock with the strike so prying is useless. They are the right answer on apartment doors that open inward off a public hallway — which is why we installed one at Clark St & Henry St in June. We install them with through-bolts, not wood screws, because the mounting is where cheap installs fail.
High-Security and Smart Hardware
Any fresh installation can start at the top: Medeco M4 or Mul-T-Lock MT5+ cylinders if you want keys that cannot be copied without your authorization — see high-security lock installation — or a keypad deadbolt if you want no keys at all, like the from-scratch smart keypad deadbolt install we did this April.
Secondary Doors Everyone Forgets
Basement doors, roof doors, garden-level entrances, the door from the garage: burglars know these are the soft spots. We install deadbolts and auxiliary locks on all of them, and sliding-door and window locks on ground-floor units and fire escapes. One visit can close every gap in the apartment.
Why Installation Quality Decides Everything
Two identical deadbolts can differ completely in practice because of the install. If the bolt does not throw fully into the strike, it can be pushed back. If the strike plate hangs on two short screws, the frame splinters on the first kick. Our installs throw the bolt full-depth, anchor the strike with 3-inch screws into the stud, and leave the door closing and locking smoothly — because a lock people struggle with is a lock people stop using.
Installation vs. Replacement
If your door already has a lock that works but should not be trusted — new apartment, lost keys — you likely want a lock change or a rekey instead, both cheaper than fresh installation. Installation is for doors missing protection entirely, or doors moving up a class: knob-only to deadbolt, standard to jimmy-proof, mechanical to keypad. Not sure which you need? Send us a photo of the door edge and we will tell you before we roll a van.
House Lock Installation NYC — Service Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to install a new deadbolt?
On a door with no existing deadbolt prep, about an hour: boring the cross and edge holes, cutting the strike mortise, mounting and testing. On metal doors somewhat longer. We test the full bolt throw and door swing before we call it done.
What is a jimmy-proof lock and do I need one?
A surface-mounted deadbolt with vertical bolts that interlock with the strike, so it cannot be pried ("jimmied") open — the classic New York apartment lock. If your door opens inward off a public hallway, it is one of the best upgrades available; we installed one in Brooklyn Heights in June.
Do you supply the lock or do I buy it first?
Either way. Our vans stock deadbolts, jimmy-proofs, and high-security cylinders — the Crown Heights job in June was supply-and-install in one visit. If you already bought hardware, we will install it, and tell you honestly if it is not worth putting on your door.
Can you install a lock on a metal or pre-war door?
Yes — most NYC apartment doors are metal, and pre-war wood doors are a specialty of ours. Metal doors need the right hole saws and patience; pre-war doors need respect for the existing mortise. Both are everyday work for us, with recent examples on our work page.
Related Locksmith Services
For automotive lock needs, see our Automotive Locksmith page.