Rekey or replace? The Addison Reserve + Mizner CC playbook

An Addison Reserve or Mizner Country Club closing is a different locksmith situation from a 33484 condo handoff. The hardware is heavier, the finishes matter more, the HOA spec is in play, and the realtor's "we already rekeyed it" is occasionally true and often not. Premier's first move on a 33446 post-closing call is to walk every door and identify the existing cylinder brand, grade, and condition before quoting.

The rekey-vs-replace decision in West Delray comes down to three questions: 1) Is the existing cylinder a high-security keyway (Schlage Primus, Medeco M3, Mul-T-Lock MT5+) or builder-grade (Kwikset, basic Schlage F-series)? 2) Has the brass or nickel finish corroded? Coastal salt reaches inland to 33446 enough that hardware older than 8 years sometimes shows pitting. 3) Has the previous owner ever shared keys broadly (cleaning service, pool service, property manager, prior tenants)? If the answer to that last one is yes or unknown, rekey alone may not be enough - some of those parties may have made duplicates, and the keyway needs to change entirely.

When rekey is the right call (and the cheaper one)

If the existing hardware is in good condition and high-security grade, rekey wins on cost. Premier Locksmith Delray Beach rekey pricing is $19 - $35 per cylinder when bundled (3+ cylinders on one visit), so a 6-door Addison Reserve front + back + garage + pool-house package lands at $115 - $210 total. The old keys are voided at the pin stack; new keys are master-keyed to a single key you can copy at our truck for $5 each.

What rekey does not do: it does not change the keyway profile, so a Medeco M3 cylinder rekeyed stays Medeco M3. If you want to upgrade the security level, that is replacement, not rekey.

When replacement is the right call

• The existing cylinder is builder-grade Kwikset SmartKey or basic Schlage F-series. Both are pickable and bumpable in under 60 seconds. In a gated luxury community, that is an underbuild. Upgrade to Schlage Primus, Medeco M3, or Mul-T-Lock MT5+.
• The finish is corroded. Brass with green oxidation, nickel with pitting, or visible salt staining - replace, do not rekey. The cylinder mechanism inside is also corroded; rekey will not last.
• Key distribution is unknown. Pool service, cleaning, property manager, prior tenants - if you cannot account for every spare key, replace the cylinder entirely. New keyway = new key population.
• You want a smart lock. Smart-lock installation includes a new cylinder by default. Treat the smart lock decision as the replacement decision.

The three high-security options compared (in 33446 pricing)

All three are HOA-approved for use in Addison Reserve and Mizner Country Club. The decision between them is mostly about key control and budget:

• Schlage Primus - $159 - $229 per cylinder installed. UL 437 listed, anti-pick + anti-drill. Best general-purpose high-security keyway. Keys are protected blanks (only Schlage-authorized dealers can cut copies). The Delray default.
• Medeco M3 - $239 - $389 per cylinder installed. UL 437, anti-pick + anti-drill + anti-bump. Sliders + pins make it the hardest cylinder to compromise in the Schlage/Medeco/Mul-T-Lock trio. Patented keyway - copies only at Premier's truck.
• Mul-T-Lock MT5+ - $289 - $429 per cylinder installed. UL 437, telescoping pin design. Premier-tier security with a finish range that suits Mediterranean and Tuscan architecture common in 33446 estate homes.

The HOA + property manager step

Both Addison Reserve and Mizner Country Club have architectural guidelines that govern finish color and visible hardware. The HOA does not approve specific lock brands, but they do require that exterior finishes match the community palette. Premier carries Schlage and Medeco in satin nickel, antique brass, oil-rubbed bronze, and matte black to cover the standard palettes. If your home requires a special-order finish (some Mizner CC custom estates), we order it before the truck rolls, with a 7 - 14 day lead time.

For the gatehouse: Premier dispatchers know the Addison Reserve and Mizner intercom protocol and the property-manager after-hours numbers. Mention the community on the call and we will not waste 10 minutes at the gate.

The smart-lock alternative

If you are already replacing cylinders, a smart lock is sometimes the right move. The Premier Locksmith Delray Beach smart-lock install for 33446 estates is $279 - $549 depending on the model. Schlage Encode and Yale Assure 2 are the West Delray favorites for HOA-approved retrofits. We address smart locks in detail in the separate "Smart locks for West Delray gated communities" post on this blog.