The buildings and the hardware
The built environment affects the hardware we install and repair. Older houses commonly have solid wood doors with 1 1/8- to 1 1/2-inch bore holes, surface-mounted or box strike plates, and mortise or rim locks that require different tools and parts than modern bored cylindrical locks. Newer townhouses and apartment units more often use bored cylindrical deadbolts and lever handles on metal frames, where backset depth and latch type matter. Storefronts and small commercial spaces typically have push/panic hardware and aluminum storefront locks that need cylinder pulls and different keying systems; knowing the door construction changes the parts we bring.