Maintenance Plans

What IS included in a standard plan:

• Visual and functional inspection of all locks, closers, panic bars, and strike plates on the contract schedule
• Lubrication of cylinders and moving parts using manufacturer-appropriate lubricants (brand-specific recommendations — e.g., Medeco, ASSA ABLOY, and Best/Stanley products each have approved lubricant types; graphite is not universally applied, especially on SFIC/interchangeable-core systems or in dusty/humid environments where it can cause binding)
• Tightening of loose mounting hardware, adjusting door closers, and correcting minor latch/strike misalignments
• Replacement of true consumable items such as cylinder cap springs (top springs on standard pin-tumbler cylinders only) — documented per visit
• Condition report with photos, noting hardware approaching end of life or requiring separate repair
• Access control panel visual inspection (housing, battery backup, reader function verification) — no wiring modifications or termination work unless the technician holds appropriate low-voltage licensing for the jurisdiction

This service may not be the right fit if:

• You need a one-time lock repair or emergency lockout — see Lock Installation & Repair instead.
• You need a full security overhaul or threat analysis before deciding on hardware — start with a Security Assessment.
• You manage a single residential property (maintenance plans are structured for commercial-scale operations).
• Your primary need is rekeying after staff turnover — that’s a standalone project under Master Key & Rekeying.

How We Do It: The On-Site Maintenance Process

Step 1 — Scope & Schedule Agreement. Before the first visit, we walk the facility (or review your door/hardware schedule) to establish the number of openings, hardware types, and visit frequency. A custom contract is drafted listing every door, lock, closer, and access point covered.

Step 2 — Scheduled Visit. On each contracted visit, the technician works through the hardware schedule door by door. Each lock is tested for smooth operation, cylinders are lubricated with the manufacturer-recommended product for that specific hardware line, closers are tested and adjusted, and panic/exit devices are function-checked. Consumable cylinder cap springs are replaced as needed and logged.

Step 3 — Documentation & Condition Report. Every visit produces a written report. Hardware nearing failure, doors out of alignment, and any items requiring separate quoted repair are flagged with photos. If the facility uses a master-key system, the technician verifies key operation across the chart but does not alter pinning without a separate, documented rekey work order.

Step 4 — Recommendations & Separate Quotes. Items outside the maintenance scope — closer replacements, rekeys, high-security upgrades, access control modifications — are quoted as standalone line items. You approve before any additional work begins.

How Our Pricing Works for Maintenance Plans

Commercial maintenance contracts are custom-quoted because every facility differs in size, hardware complexity, and visit frequency. Here is how the cost structure breaks down:

• Service Call Fee: A $45 service call fee applies to each scheduled visit, covering technician dispatch and travel to the site. This fee is never waived — there is no free travel. Some contracts with high visit frequency may negotiate this into the per-visit rate, but it is always accounted for.
• Labor: Quoted per visit based on facility size (number of openings), hardware types, and estimated time on site. A 20-door office suite and a 200-door industrial campus will have very different per-visit labor rates.
• Consumable Parts: True consumables (cylinder cap springs on standard pin-tumbler locks) are typically included. Any component beyond consumables — closer arms, panic bar springs, cylinders — is quoted and approved before replacement.
• After-Hours Surcharge: If a maintenance visit is scheduled outside standard business hours at the client’s request, an after-hours surcharge applies — commonly $75 or more depending on the market, with some areas applying 1.5×–2× standard labor rates. Confirm after-hours rates during contract negotiation.
• Key Pricing Drivers: Facility size (number of doors/openings), visit frequency (monthly, quarterly, semi-annual), hardware complexity (standard commercial vs. high-security locks), and whether access control components are included in the inspection scope.

Complex, high-security, or large-scope work is always assessed and quoted explicitly before any work begins. You will never receive a surprise bill for items outside the agreed maintenance scope.

Real-World Scenarios: Maintenance Plans in Action

Scenario 1 — Multi-Tenant Office Building, Quarterly Visits. A property management company overseeing a 60-door office complex schedules quarterly maintenance. Each visit covers cylinder lubrication, closer adjustment, and a full condition report. During a spring visit, the technician flags two panic bars with worn latch bolts. The door hardware and exit device repairs are quoted separately and approved before the next visit — preventing a potential fire-code issue.

Scenario 2 — Retail Chain with Staff Turnover. A regional retailer with eight locations contracts monthly inspections. When a store manager departs, the maintenance technician documents which cylinders serve that location’s master-key group — but the actual rekeying is scoped as a separate master key and rekeying work order, ensuring the key chart is updated properly and no unauthorized pinning changes compromise the system.

Scenario 3 — Industrial Warehouse with Access Control. A distribution center uses card readers alongside mechanical locks on perimeter doors. The maintenance plan includes reader function checks, battery backup tests, and mechanical lock servicing. Wiring or panel modifications, however, are only performed if the technician holds the required low-voltage license in that state — otherwise, those items are referred to an appropriately licensed access control integrator. This keeps the facility compliant without overstepping licensing boundaries.

Scenario 4 — Medical Office Requiring Key Accountability. A healthcare facility with restricted medication storage areas needs both lock maintenance and strict key duplication and key management protocols. The maintenance contract includes a key audit each visit — verifying that all issued keys are accounted for — plus hardware function checks on restricted-access doors. If keys are missing, a separate rekey is recommended rather than simply replacing pins during the maintenance window.

Scenario 5 — Post-Break-In Hardening Plus Ongoing Maintenance. After a forced-entry incident, a business owner invests in burglary repair and security upgrades and then enrolls in a semi-annual maintenance plan. Each visit monitors the upgraded hardware — reinforced strikes, high-security deadbolts, upgraded closers — ensuring the investment holds up over time.

Scenario 6 — University Campus with Institutional Hardware. A large campus with hundreds of classroom and administrative doors contracts a maintenance schedule covering mechanical locks, closers, and panic devices across multiple buildings. Specialized industrial and institutional locksmith work — such as master-system expansion or restricted keyway orders — is quoted separately when building renovations trigger new requirements.

Scenario 7 — Property Management Portfolio Consolidation. A property management firm managing fifteen commercial properties consolidates all lock and hardware maintenance under a single contract. Each property gets its own visit schedule and condition report, and the firm receives one unified invoice — simplifying budgeting and ensuring no building falls through the cracks.

When to Call for a Maintenance Plan — and When to Stop

Call when:

• You manage a commercial property with 10+ doors and want to prevent unplanned hardware failures
• You need documented proof of hardware condition for insurance, compliance, or lease requirements
• Your facility has experienced recurring lock or closer issues that suggest deferred maintenance
• You want a single point of contact for ongoing lock and hardware servicing across one or more sites