Non-destructive entry first, always - and we re-key Schlage, Kwikset, and Baldwin locks on the spot while you watch
You get a price before we start. It does not change when we arrive. No surprises.
Medeco Lock Installation & Rekey in Chicago: What to Know First
We provide independent Medeco lock installation and rekey service across Chicago, typically scheduling same-day or next-day appointments with a written price quoted before we dispatch. Medeco rekeying runs $45-$85 per cylinder for standard residential deadbolts and knobs; full installation of a new Medeco deadbolt assembly typically ranges $280-$450 including hardware, labor, and two factory-cut keys. Every quote is bound by Haven Standard Clause 1: the price on the phone is the price on the invoice, and our technician is not permitted to change it at your door.
This page is for Chicago homeowners who already own Medeco hardware and need it installed, rekeyed, or restored to working order. Whether you have a single Medeco Maxum deadbolt in a Logan Square two-flat or a full suite of Medeco 3×3 cylinders across a Bucktown multi-unit, we can quote your job precisely. Call (331) 202-1318 for a free written estimate.
How Medeco Products Fail - and How We Fix Them
- Medeco Maxum deadbolts with sticking tailpieces. The Maxum’s solid brass housing expands and contracts through Chicago’s freeze-thaw cycles, and after five to seven winters the tailpiece bore can develop enough drag that the key turns but the bolt does not fully extend. We diagnose this by feel - a gritty, uneven resistance at 90 degrees - then either ream and lubricate the housing or replace the entire bolt assembly with an OEM Medeco part, never a knockoff that voids your key control.
- Medeco Original (Biaxial) cylinders with sheared sidebar springs. The Original series uses angled key cuts and a sidebar that rides on small coil springs; when a spring fractures, the sidebar drops and the cylinder jams completely. We see this most often in Ravenswood rental units where tenants force-turn a sticky key. The fix is cylinder removal, sidebar inspection, and spring replacement with Medeco-spec wire - not a generic spring that throws off the sidebar geometry.
- Medeco 3×3 cylinders with worn pin chambers. The 3×3’s six-pin, three-level design creates tight tolerances that degrade faster if the cylinder was ever rekeyed with off-brand bottom pins. We chamber-gauge the plug and housing; if wear exceeds .003 inch, we recommend replacement rather than another rekey that will fail in eighteen months.
- Medeco KeyMark cylinders in commercial applications with broken interactive elements. KeyMark uses a secondary moving element in the keyway for pick resistance, but in high-cycle environments like South Loop office buildings, this element can fatigue and snap. We stock KeyMark replacement plugs and can rebuild the cylinder on-site rather than ordering a full assembly.
- Medeco deadbolts with misaligned strikes after door settling. This is not a lock failure but a Chicago-specific condition: century-old frame construction in neighborhoods like Wicker Park and Ukrainian Village shifts with freeze-thaw, and a properly installed Medeco bolt starts binding against a strike plate that no longer matches. We relocate or shim the strike, then test the bolt throw twenty cycles - not five - to confirm smooth operation through a full rotation.
Our Medeco Lock Installation & Rekey Process
- 1
Call and scope. You describe the lock, the symptoms, and your neighborhood. We quote a firm price range based on Medeco part numbers and labor time - no dispatch until you have it in writing.
- 2
On-site diagnosis. Our technician arrives uniformed with photo ID, inspects the cylinder or assembly, and confirms the diagnosis. If the scope changes - say, a rekey becomes a replacement - we stop and quote the revised price before touching tools. Haven Standard Clause 1 applies at every stage.
- 3
Parts decision. We carry OEM Medeco cylinders, plugs, and key blanks. For discontinued lines like the original Medeco M3, we source quality aftermarket equivalents that maintain key control compatibility, and we tell you explicitly when a part is not factory-original.
- 4
Execution and testing. Rekeys are cut to factory spec on a Medeco-compatible duplicator; installations are drilled, mortised, or adapted to the door with no gap around the faceplate. We test every key in every position, including the “pull test” - key extracted at 45 degrees to verify sidebar engagement.
- 5
Documentation and cleanup. You receive two factory-cut keys (minimum), a written invoice matching the phone quote, and a photo record of the completed work. The 365-Day Done Right Promise is active from that moment.
What Medeco Lock Installation & Rekey Costs in Chicago
| Service | Typical Range | What Affects Price |
|---|---|---|
| Medeco cylinder rekey (residential deadbolt/knob) | $45-$85 per cylinder | Number of cylinders, key quantity, after-hours scheduling |
| Medeco Maxum deadbolt installation (new hardware) | $280-$450 | Door prep condition, strike alignment needs, finish grade |
| Medeco 3×3 high-security cylinder replacement | $195-$340 | Plug vs. full assembly, key control level, restricted keyway |
| Medeco KeyMark commercial cylinder rebuild | $150-$275 | Interactive element damage, core extraction difficulty |
| Strike relocation / door alignment (Medeco-specific) | $75-$140 | Frame material, number of adjustments needed |
These are Chicago market ranges for 2024-2025 labor and OEM parts. We do not add a call-out surcharge, and we do not quote “from $X” figures designed to get a foot in the door. The full price is the phone price is the invoice price. Call (331) 202-1318 for an exact quote - estimates are free.
Why Chicago Homeowners Call Novak Lock & Security Chicago for Medeco Work
We are not the only shop in Chicago that can turn a Medeco cylinder. We are the shop that quotes a written price before dispatch, sends a background-checked technician in uniform, and leaves a documented photo record with every invoice. Daniel Novak has been running Medeco jobs across this city since 2002, from the hardware stores on Milwaukee Avenue to the condo boards along Lake Shore Drive, and he built this business on a single rule: the name is on the van. The work is the argument.
Our 365-Day Done Right Promise covers every Medeco installation and rekey - if the cylinder binds, the key sticks, or the strike shifts, we return and make it right. We also service Schlage and Kwikset lines, so if your Medeco hardware is part of a mixed-brand setup, we can quote the full scope without subcontracting. Calls are answered by a live person, 24/7, because a lock problem does not wait for business hours.
FAQs
No, if the rekey is performed by a qualified technician using Medeco-spec pins and tools. We use OEM bottom pins and factory key blanks, and we document the work so your key-control warranty remains intact. Call (331) 202-1318 if you need warranty documentation for your records.
Most residential Medeco rekeys are completed in 20-40 minutes on-site, including key cutting and function testing. Commercial KeyMark or 3×3 jobs with restricted keyways may take longer due to authorization verification. We quote time and price together before dispatch.
Rekey if the hardware is sound and you simply need new keys - lost key, tenant change, or security reset. Replace if the plug shows chamber wear above .003 inch, the sidebar springs have failed twice, or the lock is a discontinued line with no OEM parts available. We inspect and report the condition honestly, then quote both options.
We stock Maxum deadbolts, 3×3 and KeyMark cylinders, and factory key blanks on our service vehicles. Discontinued Original Biaxial parts or specialized finishes may require a next-day order, which we disclose in the initial quote. You will never pay for a second trip caused by our parts planning.
Every Novak technician is background-checked, uniformed, and trained on Medeco’s sidebar and pin-stack geometry before handling customer hardware. We leave a documented photo record of every visit, and we are happy to show you our technician’s ID and training record on request. Haven Standard Clause 4 requires both.
Written by Daniel Novak, Owner, Novak Lock & Security Chicago at Novak Lock & Security Chicago, serving Chicago and nearby areas.