H1: Residential Locksmith Manhattan Homeowners and Renters Have Called Since 1988
If you need a locksmith for your Manhattan apartment, co-op, condo, or brownstone, Basics Plus has been doing this work from real storefronts since 1988. We cut keys, install and rekey locks, handle high-security cylinders, and answer the phone 24/7 for lockouts. Our staff is trained, licensed, and works out of three Manhattan shops — not a dispatch line sending a stranger to your door.
Call (212) 510-8320 or stop into any of our storefronts with a key in your hand.
Residential Locksmith Services for Manhattan Apartments and Homes
Basics Plus handles the full range of residential lock and key work, all done by our own trained staff rather than subcontractors:
- 24/7 emergency lockout service — Locked out of your apartment door, building front door, or storefront gate at any hour, a licensed locksmith is dispatched to get you back inside without wrecking the lock.
- Key cutting and duplication — Standard house keys, mailbox keys, and custom-cut specialty keys, cut on the spot at the counter and tested in the lock before you leave.
- Lock installation and rekeying — New deadbolts, cylinder swaps, and rekeying so old keys stop working after a move-in, a roommate change, or a lost key.
- High-security key duplication — Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, Abloy, and Schlage Primus keyways cut on calibrated machines and tested in a matching cylinder before you walk out.
- Safe and vault services — Residential floor safes through commercial vaults, including installation and combination changes.
- Security system consultation — We walk the space with you, tell you what actually needs upgrading, and implement it.
Built for the Locks Manhattan Apartments Actually Have
Manhattan residential doors are their own category. A tenement door might carry a mortise cylinder that has been in the plate since before the war, a Segal jimmy-proof deadbolt on the inside, and a high-security cylinder added by a previous tenant. Basics Plus keeps pins, blanks, and the right tools for pre-war and mortise cylinders as well as Segal, Medeco, and Mul-T-Lock systems common on NYC apartment doors. If a high-security cylinder is protected by a restricted keyway, bring your key card or building authorization and we handle the rest.
Rekey or Replace? We Tell You Which One Your Door Needs
Nine times out of ten in a Manhattan apartment, rekeying is the right call: we take out the cylinder, swap the pins to a new combination, and cut fresh keys, while the lock, faceplate, and door stay exactly as they are. Every key that used to work stops working. We replace the lock instead when the cylinder is worn, the key drags, the deadbolt was forced, or you want to move up to a high-security cylinder with keys that can't be copied at a hardware store. We quote the job before we start it, either way.
Where We Work
Basics Plus covers all of Manhattan from three real storefronts:
- Basics Plus On Broadway — 2315 Broadway at 83rd Street, New York, NY 10024
- Basics Plus Midtown — 845 2nd Avenue, New York, NY 10017
- Basics Plus Union Square — 121 University Place at 13th Street, New York, NY 10003
- Main shop — 91 3rd Avenue, New York, NY 10003
Shop hours are Mon to Sat, 8:00am to 7:00pm, with emergency lockouts covered 24/7. Walk in with a key, or call and we come to the door.
Why Manhattan Residents Call Basics Plus
- 35+ years serving Manhattan, since 1988.
- 3 real storefronts you can walk into, not a call center with a rotating list of subcontractors.
- 24/7 emergency lockout response, day and night.
- Licensed, certified, insured locksmiths with fair, transparent pricing quoted before any work starts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Basics Plus a residential locksmith in Manhattan? Yes. Basics Plus has served Manhattan apartments, co-ops, condos, and homes from storefront locations since 1988, handling lock installation, rekeying, key cutting, and emergency lockouts for residential doors across the borough.
Do you cut high-security keys for apartment doors? Yes. We cut standard house keys, high-security keys, and custom specialty blanks on the spot, including restricted systems such as Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, and Abloy. Restricted keys are protected by the manufacturer, so bring your key card or written building authorization.
Should I rekey my apartment locks or replace them? If the hardware is in good shape and you simply want old keys to stop working, rekeying the cylinder is faster and generally the better call. Replace the lock when it's worn, the door has been forced, or you're moving up to a higher security grade. We look at the door first and tell you which one you need.
What should I do if I'm locked out of my apartment right now? Call (212) 510-8320 and tell us your cross streets, the type of door, and whether you have ID showing the address. A licensed locksmith is dispatched from whichever of our three shops is closest to you. Stay by the door if you can — we cannot open an apartment without the resident present.
Will opening my door damage the lock? Most apartment lockouts open without drilling, which is always our first approach. If a cylinder has to be drilled, we tell you before we touch it and quote the replacement at the same time, and the new cylinder usually goes in during the same visit.
Do you serve Greenwich Village and the Upper West Side? Yes. Basics Plus covers all of Manhattan, including Greenwich Village, the Upper West Side, and Midtown Manhattan, dispatched from our nearest of three storefronts.