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Easily Upgrade Your Locks With Build.Com

by | Feb 19, 2019 | DIY, Door knobs | 0 comments

The following post contains affiliate links and is sponsored by Build.com. Read my full disclosure here.

I have been looking forward to this day since we bought this house. Being able to have a keyless entry is a huge bonus for our family. We love not having to worry about keys for our kids or ourselves. The nice part about this DIY upgrade is how fast you can enhance your security and aesthetic.

I probably shouldn’t tell you how bad our door locks were. The previous owners had removed them to install their security system and then put the original lock set back on. The front door deadbolt was hanging on by a screw that always would fall out. Not the safest setup for a lock. The knob was just basic brushed nickel that came standard on the house.

The basement was the exact same lock and knob as the front door. We finished the basement after buying the house. We chose the basic lock and knob because we knew we wanted to swap it out someday. We wanted the new lock sets to match for both doors.

As I started looking into a smart lock system, I knew Build.com would have what I needed. I found this Schlage Connect Century Touchscreen Deadbolt with Built-in Alarm and Passage Elan Lever. There were a ton of options for smart locks. However, this met all of my strict criteria. It is affordable and the highest rated deadbolt for residential security. The lock comes with a deadbolt AND a lever. This set also uses Z-Wave technology. What does that even mean? Well, Z-Wave is the best technology a smart lock can offer allowing you to control the lock remotely by smartphone or computer through compatible home automation or security systems.

That is right! I can unlock/lock my doors from anywhere I have an internet connection. I can not tell you how many times I have forgotten to check the doors to make sure they are locked when we leave. With my new deadbolt and levers from Build.com, I can lock my doors anytime and anywhere. I have peace of mind no matter where I go. The built-in alarm is also a great feature for that added security. Did I mention there are no monthly monitoring fees? You buy the lock set and that is all you pay for this technology.

Build.com is one of the few retailers who actually offers this set. The keypad deadbolt is often sold separately from levers. However, this modern sleek lever and square rosette all come together for a great price with this Schlage Connect set. I love shopping on Build.com because they offer some of the best products at competitive prices. They also price match! My favorite is their new shopping App. I can browse and shop all from my phone. It is so easy to use and available for Android or iPhone.

This smart lock allows us to store up to thirty numeric codes. Don’t worry the durable resistive touchscreen is smudge and fingerprint free. The codes can easily be deleted and changed when necessary. You can also receive alerts on your phone when people come and go.

Okay, now the installation. It took us about 20 minutes each door. Not bad for a DIY upgrade that can do everything I mentioned above. We simply removed our old deadbolts and knobs. We followed the easy included instructions to install the smart locks. The locks run on 4 AA batteries (included) that have a one-year battery life.

I wish we would have ordered these sooner from Build.com. The levers look so much better than the boring basic knobs we had. Also, the keypad deadbolt has already become the most useful thing we own. Any homeowner can make this easy DIY upgrade to instantly enhance style and security. Hurry and go grab this Schlage Connect Century Touchscreen Deadbolt with Built-in Alarm and Passage Elan Lever from one of my favorite sources for all things home, Build.com.

Easy DIY Upgrade With Emtek

by | Sep 26, 2017 | DIY, Door knobs | 2 comments

The following post is sponsored by Emtek and contains affiliate links. Read my full disclosure here.

When we built this house, the budget only allowed a certain amount of items. We wanted to put our money into upgrades that made the most bang for our buck. We also wanted to do upgrades with the builder that couldn’t be done ourselves, after the house was finished. Mr. Whitelane and I both knew that we could add little changes to make it our own once we moved in. A lot of items made sense to upgrade with the builder. However, smaller things like doorknobs, we chose to do builder basic. Meaning we got whatever was the cheapest or free option with the intent to swap it out later.

You may be thinking that handles for a door are not even a noticeable thing. That is what my husband thought too. After we moved in, he quickly realized that we have a lot of doors and the knobs are definitely noticeable. I feel they can either be boring basic and blend in or really make a statement. I knew I wanted to do levers for our doors. When I saw the Helios lever and square rosette, it was love at first sight. The modern and sleek look matches our faucet handles in the bathrooms. I was beyond excited to partner with Emtek on this project. They have an amazing selection of knobs, levers, and exterior sets. The finish options are everything you could want. From brass to satin nickel, chrome, and even black. Emtek has it all covered. Did I mention they also have cabinet hardware too? I could have spent all day looking at all their products and finishes. I may have to upgrade my kitchen cabinet hardware at some point too. 🙂

Swapping out doorknobs is such an easy upgrade that can be done anytime for a big impact. Can levers be sexy? Because I sure do feel like our new Helios lever in satin nickel makes our doors sexy. 🙂 The square rosette with the lever just makes such a pop against the door. I have to say that my favorite is the front door Baden Set. I love how stately it makes the front door look. The square deadbolt is really a showstopper too. It combines class and modern design all in one. The perfect look we wanted for our doorknobs.

This was such an easy DIY. Mr. Whitelane and I started with the front door. We did one door at a time. We would remove the old knob and put the new levers on before moving to the next door. This just made it simple to keep everything organized and not confuse any of the handles. We also thought if we had to take a break or finish later, we wouldn’t be left with a bunch of non-functioning doors. You never know how long you will get to work on a project when you have three little kids running around. Luckily, we got this whole project knocked out in one afternoon. Anyone can do this.

 

I really love the look of our new levers and exterior sets. A huge thank you to Emtek for making this possible. They have such quality products. I know we will be enjoying these levers for years to come. They have even passed the kid test and seem very durable. What do you think? Such a great DIY upgrade that makes a big statement.