Door Hardware & Exit Devices

What this service is NOT:

• Not a fire alarm or fire suppression service. We work on listed fire-rated door hardware, but we do not inspect, install, or certify fire alarm systems, fire suppression equipment, or building-wide fire control panels.
• Not structural door or frame fabrication. If your steel frame is severely warped, rusted through, or the wall/header structure is compromised, a general contractor or structural specialist is the right starting point — not a locksmith.
• Not full low-voltage or electrical contracting. Electrified hardware (electric strikes, electric latch retraction devices, mag-locks) may require a licensed low-voltage or electrical contractor for in-wall cabling, conduit runs, power supply installation, and integration with fire alarm or access control panels — depending on your jurisdiction. We can install and configure locksmith-serviceable electrified hardware components at the door, but we will tell you clearly when the scope crosses into work that requires a separate electrical or low-voltage license or permit.
• Not automatic/powered door operator installation. Power-operated door systems (ADA automatic openers, sliding/revolving door motors) are a different specialty. We handle the mechanical locking and latching hardware on those doors, not the operator itself.

Who This Service Is FOR — and Who It Is NOT For

This service fits business owners, property managers, facility directors, and tenants responsible for commercial door hardware on offices, warehouses, retail stores, schools, churches, medical clinics, and multi-tenant buildings. If you have a panic bar that isn’t latching, a door closer that slams or won’t close, hardware that a fire marshal flagged, or exit devices that need upgrading for an occupancy change — this is your service.

This service is NOT for:

• Residential-only hardware needs. Residential deadbolts, knob sets, and screen-door closers fall under a different service path — see Lock Installation & Repair for commercial lock work, or contact us to confirm the right residential option.
• Large-scale new-construction hardware packages. A ground-up build with dozens of openings typically requires a hardware schedule from an architectural hardware consultant and a bid process. We can handle smaller tenant improvement projects and targeted replacements, but for full building packages, a contract hardware distributor and specification consultant is the better starting point.
• Access control system design and programming. If your primary need is an electronic Access Control system (card readers, keypads, software-managed credentials), start there — then loop this service in for the physical exit device and door hardware side of the installation.

How We Do It: The On-Site Process for Door Hardware & Exit Devices

1. Initial phone consultation. Describe the door type (single, double, fire-rated, glass storefront), the hardware currently installed, and the issue or goal. This helps the technician arrive with the right tools and common replacement parts.
2. On-site assessment. The technician inspects each affected opening: door material, frame condition, fire rating labels, existing hardware brand/model, closer condition, and code context (egress path, occupancy type, ADA requirements). For fire-rated doors, we verify that any proposed hardware change uses components listed for that rating — including confirming that devices comply with dogging restrictions. On fire-rated doors, mechanical dogging is generally prohibited; where hands-free operation is needed, the compliant approach is typically electric latch retraction (ELR) where listed for fire-rated use, not dogging of any type.
3. Written scope and quote. Before any work begins, you receive a clear breakdown: service call fee, labor per opening, parts with brand/model identified, and any items that require a follow-up visit or a separate licensed trade. Complex, high-security, or large-scope work is assessed and quoted explicitly — no surprises.
4. Installation or repair. Work proceeds only after your approval. Hardware is installed per manufacturer instructions and applicable code. Closers are adjusted for proper latching speed, back-check, and sweep. Exit devices are tested for positive latching, free egress, and proper dogging (on non-fire-rated doors where dogging is permitted).
5. Walkthrough and documentation. The technician demonstrates operation, provides any warranty information on parts, and notes anything that may need future attention (e.g., a frame that’s showing early signs of wear, or an electrified component that will need a licensed electrician for final power connection).

Pricing: How Our Pricing Works for Door Hardware & Exit Devices

Every service call includes three components — always quoted separately, never bundled into a single hidden total:

• $45 Service Call Fee — covers travel and dispatch to your location. This is not a deposit toward labor; it is a separate charge. Travel is never free.
• Labor — quoted per opening/per device on site, based on complexity. A single door closer adjustment is a different scope than replacing a pair of vertical-rod exit devices on fire-rated double doors.
• Parts — brand, model, and cost identified before work begins. Commercial-grade panic bars, hydraulic closers, and fire-rated exit devices vary widely in price.

Reference ranges: During business hours, expect a custom on-site quote starting around $150 (labor + parts for a straightforward single-device job). After-hours work adds approximately $75 as an after-hours surcharge. Key pricing drivers include: the type and number of exit devices (rim, vertical rod, mortise), whether the door is fire-rated (which limits compliant hardware options and may increase parts cost), the need for hydraulic closer replacement or installation, and whether the work touches fire code or ADA requirements that demand listed/tested components.

Complex, high-security, or large-scope projects — such as upgrading every exit on a multi-floor building, or retrofitting electric latch retraction devices — are assessed and quoted explicitly before any work begins. No flat total is given sight-unseen for work of that scale.

Real-World Examples: Door Hardware & Exit Devices in Action

1. Fire marshal citation on a retail store’s rear exit. A shop owner receives a citation because the panic bar on a fire-rated rear door has been mechanically dogged open during business hours — a common violation. The technician removes the dogging mechanism, installs a compliant rim exit device with proper less-function trim, and verifies positive latching. If the owner still needs the door to remain unlocked during business hours without manual push, the technician may recommend electric latch retraction (ELR) where listed for fire-rated use, and refers the electrical wiring portion to a licensed low-voltage contractor as needed. Related security concerns from the citation may also involve Burglary Repair & Security Upgrades.

2. Warehouse door closer failure causing security gap. A distribution facility’s steel exterior door won’t latch because the hydraulic closer lost fluid and the arm is bent. The technician replaces the closer with a commercial-grade hydraulic unit rated for the door weight and traffic level, adjusts sweep and latch speeds, and checks the strike alignment. The facility manager also asks about restricting key access to that door — a conversation that naturally leads to Master Key & Rekeying and Key Duplication & Key Management for the broader campus.

3. Office tenant improvement with new suite entry hardware. A property manager is splitting a floor into two suites and needs exit devices, closers, and High-Security Locks on the new demising doors. The technician surveys each opening, confirms fire ratings where applicable, and quotes hardware and labor per door — including coordination with the building’s existing master key system.

4. Church or school panic bar not retracting the latch. Staff can’t exit freely because the push bar on a double-door assembly isn’t retracting the vertical rods. The technician diagnoses a worn latch mechanism, replaces internal components, and adjusts the coordinator and flush bolts on the inactive leaf. If the organization is also considering restricted-key or keypad entry, the technician can discuss Access Control options at the same visit.

5. After-hours lockout traced to broken exit device trim. A restaurant manager is locked out after closing because the exterior key cylinder trim on the back door’s exit device has failed. This starts as a Business Lockout call; once the technician gains entry, the broken trim is identified and replaced so the issue doesn’t repeat.

6. Industrial facility upgrades exit hardware across multiple buildings. A plant manager needs exit devices on 20+ doors assessed for code compliance ahead of an insurance audit. The technician performs a door-by-door survey, flags non-compliant hardware, and delivers a phased quote. For campus-wide key control, the conversation extends to Industrial & Institutional Locksmith services and potentially Safe & Vault Services for the facility’s sensitive storage areas.

7. Storefront glass door needs new commercial-grade hardware. A boutique’s aluminum-frame glass door has a failing latch and no closer. The technician installs a surface-mounted hydraulic closer and a new commercial-grade lock set compatible with the narrow-stile frame, and verifies smooth ADA-compliant operation.

When to Call — and When to Stop (Honest Boundaries)

Call when:

• A panic bar, exit device, or door closer is broken, misaligned, or not latching properly.
• You’ve received a fire marshal or code citation related to exit hardware.
• You need hardware replaced or upgraded on one or several commercial doors.
• You want an on-site assessment to confirm whether your current hardware meets egress, ADA, or fire-rating requirements.