If you live in Hollywood, your front door lock has a lot to do with the decade your house was built. A 1920s Mediterranean Revival home in Hollywood Lakes has different hardware than a 1990s build in West Lake Village. The locks age differently, they fail differently, and they need different service.
This page covers the neighborhoods we serve in Hollywood, the housing stock in each, what locks you’re likely to have based on when your home was built, and the residential locksmith services we provide: lock changes, rekeys, home lockouts, deadbolt installation, sliding door and patio door locks, and mailbox locks.
Hollywood Neighborhoods and Housing Stock
Hollywood was founded by Joseph Young in the 1920s as a planned coastal city. Today it’s home to over 153,000 residents, and the housing stock spans nearly a century — from 1920s Mediterranean Revival homes on the Intracoastal to 2010s townhomes near downtown.
Hollywood Lakes
Hollywood’s oldest neighborhood. Planned by Joseph Young in the 1920s with twin manmade lakes flanking Hollywood Boulevard. Mediterranean Revival is the predominant architectural style — homes designed to capture southeast ocean breezes before air conditioning existed. The oldest homes date to the 1920s; the neighborhood’s median year built is 1969. Condos and townhomes were added starting in the 1960s.
Locks you’ll find: Homes from the 1920s-1940s often have original mortise locks — heavy-duty units recessed into the door edge. Rim cylinder locks mounted on the door surface are also common. Many have been replaced over the decades with Schlage or Kwikset cylindrical locks, but original mortise hardware still shows up. Parts for vintage mortise locks can be hard to find. If you’re rekeying a Hollywood Lakes home, the cylinder type depends on whether the original hardware was retained or swapped.
Emerald Hills
West of I-95, centered around a golf course. Nearly all the housing stock was built between 1970 and 1999 — 94.7% of residential real estate in this neighborhood dates to that single period. Median year built: 1978. Single-family homes range from 2,000 to 4,000 square feet.
Locks you’ll find: Schlage and Kwikset cylindrical locks standard. Deadbolts became code-required in the 1970s, so most Emerald Hills homes have them — but they’re often original 40-year-old units with worn pins. If your deadbolt feels loose or sticks, the internal pin stack is worn. Rekeying replaces the pins; if the bolt itself is worn, replacement is the better call.
Hollywood Hills
Suburban neighborhood north of Emerald Hills, mostly non-HOA. Mix of single-family homes built from the 1960s through the 1990s.
Locks you’ll find: Depends on the decade. 1960s homes likely had Kwikset knob locks originally, often without deadbolts. Many have been upgraded. 1980s-1990s homes typically have Schlage or Kwikset with deadbolts. If the home hasn’t been rekeyed since the last sale, the locks still work for whoever had keys before you.
Royal Poinciana
Part of the Central Business District. One of Hollywood’s older residential areas, dating back to 1944. Single-family homes with one to four bedrooms.
Locks you’ll find: Post-WWII construction. Schlage cylindrical locks became the residential standard in the post-war housing boom. Original hardware in these homes is likely long gone, replaced through decades of ownership changes.
Gated Communities: Harbor Islands, Oakridge, West Lake Village, The Preserve at Emerald Hills
Newer construction, mostly 1990s-2010s. These homes were built after Hurricane Andrew’s 1992 building code changes. Impact-rated doors, modern hardware, and in some cases smart lock-ready setups.
Locks you’ll find: Modern Schlage, Kwikset, or equivalent Grade 2 or Grade 3 residential hardware. Deadbolts standard. Multi-point locking systems on some impact-rated doors. These homes need less hardware replacement and more rekeying — especially after a sale or a tenant change.
Century Village
A 55+ condominium community. Mid-century architectural style, low-rise buildings, started in the mid-1970s.
Locks you’ll find: Condo-grade cylindrical locks and deadbolts. Many units have been rekeyed multiple times through ownership changes. Mailbox locks in the central mailroom are a common service request.
What Locks Came Standard by Era
| Era | Typical lock | Common condition today |
|---|---|---|
| 1920s-1940s | Mortise locks, rim cylinders | Often replaced; original hardware may remain |
| 1950s-1960s | Schlage or Kwikset cylindrical, often no deadbolt | Likely replaced or upgraded; deadbolts added later |
| 1970s-1980s | Schlage/Kwikset cylindrical with deadbolt | Original hardware may still be in place — worn pins, loose bolts |
| 1990s-2000s | Grade 2/3 cylindrical + deadbolt | Generally functional but due for rekey if never done |
| 2010s+ | Modern residential hardware, smart-lock compatible | Good condition; rekey on sale or tenant change |
Residential Locksmith Services in Hollywood
House Rekey
The most common call. If you just moved in, the previous owner, their contractor, their cleaner, and whoever else had a key still has access. A rekey changes the internal pinning of your existing locks so old keys stop working. The hardware stays in place — you’re changing the combination, not replacing the lock. Rekeying is the right call when your locks are in good mechanical condition but you need to control who has keys.
Lock Change and Deadbolt Installation
When the hardware itself is worn, damaged, or you want to upgrade. We install deadbolts that meet Florida building code requirements. If your home has a knob lock but no deadbolt, adding one is the single most effective residential security upgrade.
Home Lockout
Locked out of your house in Hollywood. We get you back in without damaging the lock. You’ll need to verify ownership — a driver’s license with the home address, a utility bill, or a lease. Anyone who won’t verify ownership isn’t a locksmith you want to hire.
Sliding Door and Patio Door Locks
South Florida homes have sliding glass doors, and those locks fail. The latch wears, the track shifts, the auxiliary foot lock loosens. We replace sliding door locks and install secondary blocking bars for added security. Patio doors with mortise-style flush bolts need periodic adjustment as the door settles.
Mailbox Lock
Cluster mailboxes in condo communities and HOA developments. If your mailbox lock is jammed or you lost your key, we replace the cylinder. Common in Hollywood neighborhoods with shared mailrooms — Century Village, Emerald Hills condos, and gated community cluster boxes.
South Florida Lock Considerations
Salt air. If you live east of Federal Highway in Hollywood — Hollywood Lakes, the beach, the Intracoastal — salt air corrodes lock cylinders faster than inland. Brass and steel components pit. We use corrosion-resistant hardware on exterior doors within two miles of the coast.
Humidity. Wood doors swell in summer and shrink in winter. A lock that works fine in January may stick in August. If your deadbolt binds seasonally, the door is moving — not the lock. Don’t force it.
Impact doors. Post-Andrew construction and renovations often include impact-rated doors. These have specific hardware requirements — you can’t swap a standard residential deadbolt into an impact door without maintaining the rating. If you have an impact-rated door, tell us before we order hardware.
Call for Flat-Rate Service
If you need a lock change, rekey, deadbolt installation, or you’re locked out of your home in Hollywood, call (954) 888-8800. We quote the price before we dispatch — no surprise charges on arrival. Licensed and insured. We serve all Hollywood neighborhoods from Hollywood Lakes to West Lake Village.
Broward County Locksmith — residential locksmith service for Hollywood, Florida.
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