A lock job looks like a five-minute errand until you realize you have no idea how many keys exist. Mom's spare is probably under a flower pot, the neighbor has one, and the person who mowed the yard years ago may still have one on a ring in a drawer. Before you ask for a quote, you need to know what you are actually buying.
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Rekeying and replacing are different jobs
Rekeying keeps the same lock body and gives it new internal parts, so the old keys stop working and one new key set works in its place. It is usually the choice when the lock is in good shape and the real problem is who holds a key. Replacing the lock means new hardware, and the quote changes with the lock type, whether it is a standard or specialty model, and whether the new one fits the holes already cut in the door and frame. If the holes do not match, the work grows, and you should hear that before the job starts, not after.
What moves the number up or down
Count how many locks need to match. Keying the front and back doors to one key is usually one job, and separate keys means more work. Look at the door itself. A door that will not latch or a loose strike plate can add repair work before the lock work starts. Decide whether you want a keypad or a smart lock, because those add hardware, a power question, and often a setup visit. They also raise a question about who holds the code and whether it lives on a phone app. Ask how many keys are included and whether extra keys cost extra. Ask whether the quote includes a visit after hours or on a weekend if that is when you can be there, since timing can change the bill.
One more factor is easy to forget. Rekeying only fixes what you tell it to fix. If neighbors and a former helper still have keys, the new lock is only as good as the list of people who have them.
Before you ask for a quote
Write down the number of keys you know about, which doors need to match, whether the door sticks or has a loose latch, and whether you want a keypad. Then ask each company for a quote in the same format: rekey or replace, number of keys, and what is included for any door or frame repair. If one quote covers the door repair and another does not, you are not comparing the same job yet.
Decide who holds the spare
The spare key is usually where the family argument lives. Decide who holds a key, where any backup is kept, and whether your mother wants a neighbor to have one. Write that down. Ideally your mother makes that call herself while she is the one who can say yes. A keypad can be a good fit for someone who would rather not fumble for keys in the cold, but only if she can use it easily, so ask her before you order.