The buildings and the hardware
The built environment in this area affects the hardware we choose. Older wooden doors often have worn mortise pockets or offset latch faces, which means you get longer screws, reinforced strike plates, and sometimes a conversion to a modern deadbolt. Multiunit buildings and some storefronts use cylinders and rim locks that require different keying and weatherproofing than a suburban front door. Aluminum storefront frames take different latch and keeper assemblies than a wood frame; apartments commonly use keyed-alike setups or simple rekeys when tenants change. That mixture of old and new makes retrofit work and careful measurement a regular part of the job.
