Three measurements, the right box off the shelf and one screwdriver will handle most knob, lever and deadbolt swaps, and the doors that need more than that tend to announce themselves early.
To replace a door handle or lock, remove the old one, measure the backset, bore hole and door thickness, buy a replacement that matches, and fit it into the same holes. On a standard pre-drilled door that's a screwdriver job, so knobs, levers and most deadbolts are fair game for DIY. Mortise locks, multipoint locks and fire-rated doors are the exceptions, because on those a wrong part costs more than the fix.
Work out what's on the door first. Returns desks are stacked with lever sets bought for doors that needed something else.
Then check the door edge. A standard bored lock shows a small latch plate, plus a second one for a deadbolt. A mortise lock shows one tall faceplate, several times that height, because the lock is a steel box buried in the door, and no boxed knob set will fit it. A long strip with bolts or hooks at several points, common on fibreglass and uPVC doors, is a multipoint lock.
Three measurements decide whether a new lock drops straight in. Schlage's door prep checklist gives the standard: a door 1-3/8 to 1-3/4 inches thick, a 2-1/8 inch face hole, a 1 inch edge hole and a 2-3/8 or 2-3/4 inch backset, and Kwikset's door preparation page uses the same thickness and backset range. Match those and almost any mainstream lockset fits.
The backset runs from the door edge to the centre of the big round hole. You'll get 2-3/8 inches (60 mm), the usual interior size, or 2-3/4 inches (70 mm), common on entry doors. Most new latches and deadbolts adjust between the two by twisting the faceplate or pulling the housing out until it clicks. Any other number means an older non-standard lock or a mortise body, and the answer is not a bigger drill bit.
The cross bore through the face of the door is 2-1/8 inches (54 mm) on nearly every modern residential door, and the edge bore for the latch or bolt is 1 inch (25 mm). A few slim deadbolts, including Kwikset's Halifax, Milan and 780, use a 1-1/2 inch (38 mm) cross bore, and Schlage's F-Series handleset instructions accept either size, so check the box against your hole.
Measure the slab, not the trim. Standard locks cover 1-3/8 to 1-3/4 inches (35 to 44 mm); thicker doors need a thick-door kit, which Kwikset sells for several deadbolts up to 2-1/4 inches. Then check the latch plate corners: square, round, or a round drive-in latch with no plate. Many new latches include a choice of faceplates, so match the existing recess instead of reaching for a chisel.
On an outside door, pair keyed entry hardware with a deadbolt, because a bevelled spring latch is the easiest part of a door to push back. The 2024 BC Building Code expects a deadbolt on new entrance doors to homes, with at least five pins and a bolt that throws at least 25 mm (Article 9.7.5.2), so look for a 1 inch throw on the box.
ANSI/BHMA A156.2 sorts knobs and levers into Grade 1, 2 and 3, and Grade 1 is the toughest: the Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association's summary of A156.2 notes a Grade 1 lock must survive one million cycles with a 10 pound load. Residential deadbolts fall under A156.40, which scores security, durability and finish A, B or C, so AAA is top marks in all three. Schlage's explanation of the residential ratings lists sledgehammer blows, pull attempts and a child swinging off a lever among the tests.
For a front or back door, a Grade 2 or better handle and a BHMA-rated deadbolt is a sensible floor; Grade 3 is fine on a bedroom. Use the long strike screws in the box, too, because the same code article wants them reaching at least 30 mm into solid wood.
Going keyless instead? That's a different shopping trip, and the guide to the best smart locks for your home covers it.
You'll need a Phillips screwdriver and a tape measure, plus a flat screwdriver and a chisel for fussier jobs. Keep the drill for holes; it strips small lockset screws before you notice.
No screws on the rose doesn't mean the last owner glued it on. Turn the inside knob slowly and look for a small hole or slot on its neck, where it narrows toward the door. Press a small flat screwdriver or a stiff straightened paper clip in while you pull, and the knob slides off. Pry the rose off at its notch and the mounting screws are right behind it.
Fit bolt, cylinder and strike as a set. Mixing brands is how you get a thumbturn that spins and a bolt that doesn't.
A handleset spans two holes plus a small third. The Schlage F-Series instructions show the deadbolt and latch holes 5-1/2 inches (140 mm) or 4 inches (102 mm) apart, centre to centre, with the grip's bottom bolted through a 3/8 inch (10 mm) hole, so measure yours against the box.
A mortise lock keeps the latch, bolt and handle mechanism in one steel case set into the door. Trim, handles and cylinders can usually be swapped, but a new case must match the old one's size, backset and hub position, which often means ordering it in. Converting to standard hardware means filling the pocket and drilling fresh holes: carpentry first, locks second.
A multipoint handle drives a gearbox in the door, which drives the bolts or hooks above and below. When the handle droops or stiffens, in my experience a sagging door is a more common culprit than the handle. Handles are matched to the gearbox's spindle and screw spacing, so photograph the edge strip and any brand stamp before ordering.
Under the 2024 BC Building Code, the door between an attached garage and the house must be tight fitting, weatherstripped and self-closing to keep exhaust out (Article 9.10.13.15), and doors in a fire separation, like a condo suite door off a corridor, need a latch and a self-closing device (Articles 9.10.13.9 and 9.10.13.10). On either door, keep a latching handle, skip anything that holds the latch back, and leave the closer connected. In a strata, ask the property manager first, because many buildings specify suite door hardware.
Door bounces open, or the bolt only goes home with a shove? Rub lipstick or chalk on the latch tip, close the door gently and see where it marks the strike. A millimetre or two out, file the opening wider; more than that, move the strike. If the gap along the top of the door is uneven, the door has sagged. Swap one top hinge screw for a long one that reaches the stud, which often lifts the door enough on its own.
Screws that spin without biting are the classic older-door snag. Pack the hole with wooden toothpicks dipped in wood glue, snap them flush, let it set and drive the screw back in. A split door edge or cracked jamb is a bigger job: if the wood around the bolt has broken away, the new lock has nothing to hold. Repair first, then replace.
Whether it's a Fleetwood townhouse or a South Surrey rancher, a straight swap on a standard door is DIY territory. Hand it over when:
Most locksmiths in Metro Vancouver charge roughly $120 to $260 to supply and fit a mid-grade deadbolt, $220 to $380 for a Grade 1 high-security one, and $150 to $250 to add a deadbolt where there isn't one. Door work is extra: roughly $65 to $120 to realign a strike and $120 to $280 to repair a split jamb. A plain knob or lever swap is short labour, so the hardware you pick drives most of that bill.
| Hardware | DIY-able? | Rough time | Tools | Call a locksmith when |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knob | Yes | 15 to 30 minutes | Phillips screwdriver | The latch won't catch |
| Lever | Yes | 15 to 30 minutes | Phillips screwdriver | It's on a fire door |
| Deadbolt | Yes, on a pre-drilled door | 30 to 60 minutes | Phillips screwdriver, chisel | No existing hole, or the bolt drags |
| Handleset | Usually | About an hour | Both screwdrivers, tape measure | The hole spacing doesn't match the new set |
| Mortise lock | Trim and cylinder only | Varies | Screwdrivers | The case fails |
| Multipoint lock | A matched handle only | About 30 minutes | Screwdrivers | The gearbox fails |
| Fire-rated door | Like-for-like handle only | 15 to 30 minutes | Phillips screwdriver | Anything that changes the latch or closer |
If the door has the standard 2-1/8 inch cross bore, 1 inch edge bore and a 2-3/8 or 2-3/4 inch backset, almost any mainstream knob, lever or deadbolt fits the old holes. Older non-standard holes, slim 1-1/2 inch bore deadbolts and mortise locks are the exceptions.
Yes. On a standard bored door a lever uses the same holes and backset as a knob. Pick the same function, set the lever for your door's hand, and check it clears nearby trim.
Usually, yes. A new knob or lever comes with a latch made to suit its spindle, and an old latch from another brand may not line up. It's two screws, so swap it.
First-timers usually need 15 to 30 minutes for a knob or lever, 30 to 60 for a deadbolt and about an hour for a handleset. A locksmith typically does a single-door swap in 20 to 40 minutes. Moving a strike or packing screw holes adds time.
If the measurements don't match, the edge shows a tall faceplate, or the bolt only locks when you lean on the door, Fast Locksmith Surrey can match the hardware, fit it and square up the strike in one visit. Call 604.900.8174 or book online with a photo of the door, and you'll have a price range before anyone picks up a screwdriver.
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