Blog
05.06.26
Property manager locksmith punch lists: define the scope before pricing
Turn the punch list into a scope a locksmith can price
A useful work order names each building, unit, door, and cylinder. “Rekey Building C” is not enough when one unit has a knob and deadbolt, another has a mortise cylinder, and the common door must still respond to a master key. Count first; price second.
For every line, record the requested outcome: rekey existing hardware, replace failed hardware, preserve a master-key relationship, cut a stated number of keys, or provide emergency access only. Add photos of the face and door edge when hardware is uncertain.
Close the job with a handoff record. Note who approved the work, who received the keys, how many copies were delivered, which old keys stopped working, and any door or latch problem that remains outside the locksmith scope.
Related: commercial locksmith requests · rekey vs lock replacement.
Updated May 6, 2026
Managers speak spreadsheet; techs speak torque. The gap creates free work. When the email says “change the locks on Building C,” your reply should ask what “change” means — repin, replace, or both — and whether a master still needs to open every core.
Photos beat poetry. Ask for door-edge shots on odd buildings; LA has plenty of retrofits where the deadbolt and the knob story don’t match the purchase order.
Key control is liability. Who signs for new keys, how many copies, and whether voided keys get destroyed on site — write it down before you cut.
Schedule realism: elevator bookings, HOA noise hours, and parking for a van that doesn’t fit “compact only.” Charge for the logistics, not just the pins.
Consumer-facing platforms still matter for the tenant locked out tonight; commercial discipline matters for the portfolio tomorrow — keep both workflows in your head without mixing their paperwork.