Master Key System in Lynbrook, NY

A master key system for a small multi-family building with a handful of doors sits at the lower end of $195 to $850+. Cost climbs with door count and with how many tiers you need: a simple two-level setup (master plus individual unit keys) costs less than a three- or four-level hierarchy that separates landlord access, super access, and tenant access, or adds sub-master keys for specific floors or wings.

Re-keying existing cylinders to fit the new hierarchy versus installing new hardware also affects the number. The technician quotes the exact price after seeing the door count and current lock types, not before.

Call the number and a dispatcher takes down the job and your callback number right away. The nearest available technician calls back within a few minutes to ask about the building: how many doors, what's currently installed, whether it's a walk-up or has a super on site, and whether this is a full install or a re-key into an existing hierarchy.

That's when you get your firm price. Lynbrook's downtown runs dense around Five Corners with limited street parking, so if your building is near there, let the technician know when they call back so they can plan where to park before the visit.

Before the technician arrives, know your total door count, including any common-area doors like a lobby, laundry room, or roof access. If you're a property manager rather than the owner, have written authorization ready since master key work controls access to units that aren't yours.

If you're converting an existing set of locks rather than starting fresh, have a sense of which cylinders are original and which have already been changed, since mismatched hardware can add time and cost to the hierarchy design.