Door Lock Fitting
Fitting a lock well is mostly about what happens before anything is cut — measuring the door, matching the case to its thickness, and lining the new lock up with the hardware already there. Knightsbridge Locksmiths supplies and fits locks to timber, composite and period doors across Knightsbridge and London, chiselled in cleanly and set to lock on the first turn.
When You Need a Lock Fitted
A new lock goes on for all sorts of reasons — extra security, an insurer's request, or simply a door that never had a proper one. Whatever the reason behind it, the fit matters as much as the lock itself, so tell us the door and what it needs.
Adding a Second Lock
Many front doors have only a nightlatch. Fitting a BS3621 deadlock beneath it adds the five-lever security insurers look for.
A Door With No Deadlock
Older timber doors sometimes carry nothing but a latch. We mortise a fresh case into the door and hang the lock so it throws cleanly.
Upgrading After a Move
New keys aren't much use on a weak lock. Fitting a certified cylinder or mortice gives a new home real security from day one.
One Team for Every Lock on the Door
Deadlocks, nightlatches, euro cylinders, sash locks — whatever suits your door gets measured, supplied and fitted by the same engineer, priced before we travel and itemised on the invoice after.
Fitted to the Standard That Counts
A lock only protects a door when it's the right grade and set square in the timber. We fit to recognised British Standards and take the time to line everything up, so the door locks smoothly rather than needing a shove.
BS3621 where insurers ask
Five-lever mortice deadlocks and kitemarked cylinders that meet common policy wording.
Measured to the door
Case, backset and cylinder length checked against your door before a single cut is made.
Set square and true
Keeps and strike plates aligned so the bolt throws fully without lifting or forcing.
Neat on period joinery
Chisel work done with care so a fitting sits flush on an original door, not hacked in.
Why the Fit Is Worth Paying For
Right lock for the door
Advice on what actually suits your timber, composite or period door, rather than whatever happens to be in the van.
Priced before we set off
Describe the door and the figure quoted holds all the way through to the invoice.
Cut once, cut clean
Measured and marked before any chisel touches the door, so the finish stays tidy.
Close to home in SW
Based on Montpelier Street, we're quick to reach across Knightsbridge and its neighbours.
How a Lock Fitting Goes
- Tell us the door
Timber, composite or period, and whether security, insurance or a missing lock is behind the job.
- Measured and matched
On site we check the door thickness, backset and existing hardware, then recommend the lock that fits.
- Priced up front
Supply and fit quoted before we start, with nothing added once the work is done.
- Fitted and handed over
Mortised in, aligned and tested through a full cycle, with keys and how-to explained.
Lock Fitting, Neighbourhood by Neighbourhood
Doors differ street to street across Central London — here's what our lock fitting work tends to involve in four of the areas we're called to most.
Door Lock Fitting Knightsbridge (SW7)
Grand timber front doors around Brompton Square often carry only a rim latch — elegant, but light on security. We fit a BS3621 deadlock beneath it, chiselled in so the original door isn't spoiled.
Door Lock Fitting Chelsea & Belgravia (SW3 / SW1X)
Offices off Sloane Street frequently need a certified lock fitted to satisfy a lease or an insurer. Our engineer supplies and fits to the exact standard the paperwork asks for, in a single visit.
Door Lock Fitting South Kensington (SW7)
Garden-flat side doors around Onslow Gardens are often an afterthought, left with a flimsy latch and little else. A properly fitted mortice or cylinder turns that weak point into a secure one.
Door Lock Fitting Pimlico & Belgravia (SW1P / SW1E)
Newly bought houses around Warwick Way are worth relocking on day one, since old keys may still be out there. Fitting fresh locks to every external door closes that off cleanly.
Where We Fit Door Locks
Our base at 4 Montpelier Street in SW7 keeps Knightsbridge, Belgravia, South Kensington and Chelsea close for lock fitting, with wider reach across the SW1 postcodes and central London. One new lock or a whole house of doors, the callout works the same.
Knightsbridge & Belgravia
- Brompton Square
- Herbert Crescent
- Lennox Gardens
- Cadogan Place
- Halkin Street
South Kensington
- Onslow Gardens
- Pelham Street
- Selwood Terrace
- Sumner Place
Chelsea & Brompton
- Denyer Street
- First Street
- Ixworth Place
- Petyward
Home or business, the routine holds: pick the right lock for the door, fit it square and clean, and leave it locking on the first turn.
FAQs — Door Lock Fitting
How long does it take to fit a door lock?
A single deadlock or cylinder is usually fitted within the hour. Older doors that need a case mortised from scratch take a little longer, and we'll flag that in the quote.
Can you fit a lock to a door that's never had one?
Yes. Mortising a fresh case into solid timber or a composite door is routine work, finished so it looks like it was always there.
What lock do insurers want on a front door?
Most policies ask for a BS3621 five-lever mortice deadlock, or a kitemarked euro cylinder on a multipoint door. We fit to that standard.
Do you supply the lock, or should I buy one?
Either works. Bringing the right lock and fitting it in one visit is usually simpler, though we're happy to fit one you've already bought.
Can you add a second lock for extra security?
Often the best upgrade for a latch-only door. A deadlock fitted below the existing latch gives two points of security instead of one.
Will a new lock sit flush on an old door?
It should. Careful measuring and clean chisel work mean the fitting sits neat and square, even on original joinery.