Commercial Locksmith · Middle Tennessee
Commercial Door Lock Installation for New Doors and Build-Outs
Instant Locksmith TN installs commercial locks on new doors, tenant build-outs and doors that never had a lock, including lever locks, deadbolts and storefront hardware. We come to your site in Middle Tennessee and confirm the price before work begins.
- Door prep and installation on site
- Keyed alike or to your master system
- Price confirmed before work
When you need a new lock installed, not replaced
Replacement swaps one lock for another in the same door prep. Installation is the job when there is no lock yet, or when a door needs a different kind of lock than it was prepared for. Common situations:
Tenant build-outs
A new suite, office or kitchen gets interior walls and doors, and those doors need locks that match how each room will be used.
Adding security to a room
A server closet, records room, pharmacy cabinet area or cash office that used to be unlocked now needs to be secured.
Adding a deadbolt
A rear door with only a latch gets an added deadbolt for after-hours security, without blocking required exit.
If you already have a lock and it just needs swapping out, our commercial lock replacement page covers that work.
Planning an installation
A few decisions up front prevent most problems later. We will ask about these when you order:
- Door material. Hollow metal, solid wood, and aluminum storefront doors each take different hardware and different prep methods. Glass doors need hardware designed for narrow stiles or patch fittings.
- Lock type. Cylindrical levers are common on interior offices. Mortise locks suit main entrances and heavy-use doors. Narrow-stile locks fit aluminum storefront frames.
- Function. Storeroom, office, classroom or passage. The function decides whether the outside lever is always locked, lockable from inside, or never locked.
- Grade. ANSI/BHMA Grade 1 is the heaviest-duty grade and the usual pick for busy commercial doors. Grade 2 can suit lighter-use interior doors.
- Keying. Keyed to an existing key, keyed alike with other new locks, or added to a master key system.
Egress, fire doors and accessibility
Commercial doors carry code requirements that residential doors do not. These are general points to raise with your building owner, contractor or code official, not a code review:
- Free egress. Doors on an exit path generally need to open from the inside without a key, a tool or special knowledge. A keyed deadbolt on the inside of an exit door can be a problem.
- Fire-rated doors. Rated doors and frames have labels, and modifying them or installing unlisted hardware can affect the rating. Tell us if a door has a fire label and we will discuss what can be done.
- Accessible hardware. In general terms, the ADA Standards call for hardware operable with one hand without tight grasping, pinching or twisting of the wrist. Levers meet that intent on most doors; knobs generally do not.
We can install what your plans call for and point out concerns, but we do not certify code compliance. If your project has an architect's hardware schedule, send it with your order.
What installation involves on site
For a new cylindrical lock, the door is marked from a template, bored for the lock and latch, and the strike is cut into the frame. A mortise installation means routing a deep pocket in the door edge and preparing the trim holes. Aluminum storefront hardware is fitted to the frame's existing cutouts or matched to the door manufacturer's prep.
After installation we align the latch with the strike, adjust for smooth operation with the door closer, and test every key. Misaligned strikes are one of the most common reasons new commercial locks fail early, so we take time on that step.
If the door also needs a closer adjusted so it latches every time, see door closer repair.
What does commercial lock installation cost?
Standard labor price: quoted before dispatch, plus hardware. The total depends on door material, lock type and grade, whether the door needs new prep, and how the lock is keyed. Door prep on an unprepared door (boring or routing a mortise pocket) adds $60 per door, and old-lock disposal is $5. Multi-door jobs are quoted per door, and we supply hardware or install yours. Online orders pay the $15–$25 service call at checkout as the deposit: $15 inside city limits, $25 outside (plus a 4% online processing fee). It is a flat fee added to the service price, and the time-of-day multipliers never apply to it.
- Standard rate: orders placed 7 AM–8 PM
- After hours (orders placed 8 PM–7 AM): 1.5×
- Federal holidays (calendar date and observed date): 2×
- Federal holiday, after hours: 3×
- No weekend surcharge
- Mileage: $1.25/mile beyond 5 miles from the city center
Multipliers apply to everything on the job (service, labor, parts and hardware) except the flat $15 (inside city limits) or $25 (outside city limits) service call and mileage. The after-hours rate is set by the time the order is placed. Holidays are U.S. federal holidays, billed on both the calendar date and the observed weekday.
Multi-door projects are easiest to plan during normal hours at standard rates. Any change from what was described is explained and approved before we continue. How our pricing works.
Commercial Lock Installation FAQ
Can you install locks on doors our contractor just hung?
Yes. Let us know whether the doors came pre-prepped for specific hardware. Doors prepped for a particular lock should get that type of lock to avoid extra cutting.
Can you install a lock on a glass door?
Aluminum-frame glass doors take narrow-stile locks made for their frames. All-glass doors without a frame need glass patch hardware, which we install. Describe the door and text or email a photo after you order so we can confirm before dispatch.
How many doors can you install in one visit?
It depends on the doors and hardware. For multi-door projects, list each door when you order and we will confirm the scope and price before scheduling.
Can new locks be added to our existing master key system?
Usually, if the new locks use a compatible keyway and we have or can determine the system's bitting information. Otherwise, a new cylinder or core may be needed.
Should we add a keypad lock instead of a keyed lock?
Keypads remove the need to hand out keys and let you change codes when staff change. See our keypad and access control service to compare.
Do you install panic bars as part of a new door?
Exit device work is handled under our panic bar service. Mention it with your installation order so both can be planned together.
Installing locks on new or unsecured doors?
Send the door list, materials and how each room will be used. We confirm hardware and price before work starts.
