Which Smart Lock Fits an NYC Apartment Door?
The one that matches your door's existing lock — and that is the part people get wrong. Smart lock installation in Bed-Stuy starts at $125 plus hardware, usually done in a single visit. We match the right model to standard deadbolt doors, pre-war mortise doors, and rentals across 11216, 11221, and 11238.
Buy the lock after the door is measured, not before — or buy from the truck once we have seen the door. A wrong-model return costs you a week; a measurement costs five minutes on the phone with Locksmith Bed Stuy.
Are Smart Locks Actually Secure?
As secure as the deadbolt inside them — a smart lock is a motor turning a bolt, and the bolt is what resists force. That is why we care about ANSI grades on smart locks exactly as on plain ones, and why a reinforced strike plate goes in with every install.
The honest trade-offs: batteries die (every model keeps a backup key or external power contact), codes get shared (change them per guest, not per year), and Wi-Fi models are only as safe as your network password. None of that outweighs the daily win of never being locked out by a forgotten key.
What Smart Lock Brands Do You Install?
We install the brands with real support behind them, because a smart lock is only as good as its app in year three.
August
Mounts on the inside of your existing deadbolt — the outside of the door does not change and your metal key still works. The go-to for renters and for co-ops with rules about door appearance.
Yale Assure
A full deadbolt replacement with keypad or touchscreen entry, with key-free versions that end lockouts from lost keys entirely. Clean fit on standard bored doors.
Schlage Encode
Keypad deadbolt with Wi-Fi built in — no extra hub or bridge. ANSI Grade 1 rated versions available, which matters on a street-facing door.
Can Renters Install a Smart Lock?
Usually yes, if you pick the right type. Retrofit models like August replace only the inside thumb-turn: the landlord's key works exactly as before, nothing visible changes, and you can restore the original part in five minutes when you move out.
Two things to check first: your lease, and your key obligations — NYC tenants who change a lock generally must give the landlord a key on request. Our NYC apartment lock laws guide covers both sides.
Hosts and frequent-guest households get the most from keypads: a code per guest, deleted when they leave, with no keys floating around Brooklyn. Landlords of small buildings use the same trick for contractors — a temporary code beats a loaned key every time.
Will a Smart Lock Fit a Pre-War Mortise Door?
Often not out of the box — this is the caveat that saves you money. Most consumer smart locks assume a standard American bored hole. Brownstone and pre-war doors carry mortise locksets, where one steel case runs latch and bolt together, and a smart deadbolt cannot simply drop in.
The honest options: add a separate smart deadbolt above the mortise lock, use a mortise-compatible smart model, or have us adapt the door properly as part of lock installation. If the mortise lock itself is failing, repair it first — a smart lock bolted to a bad door solves nothing.
What Does Smart Lock Installation Include?
The whole job, not just the screws. We fit the lock, align the bolt so the motor never strains, connect it to your Wi-Fi, walk you through the app, set your codes, and hand back your backup keys. You watch it lock and unlock from your phone before we pack up.
Alignment is the part that separates a locksmith install from a YouTube afternoon. A smart lock motor fighting a misaligned strike drains batteries in weeks and fails at the worst moment. We square the door, strike, and bolt first, so the electronics only ever do easy work.
Installation starts at $125 plus hardware — bring your own lock or buy from the truck at the price listed on our pricing page. Most installs finish within the hour. Book a visit online or call (718) 568-6597.