Access control installation in Central Maryland.
Access control replaces keys with credentials you can add or revoke instantly, and records who entered each door and when. Lock Raven plans and installs access control for offices, retail, warehouses, and multi-tenant buildings across Baltimore City and five surrounding counties, alongside the locks and master key system you already have, starting with one door if you want.
What an access control system is made of.
Four parts work together at every controlled door. We plan all four, around the locks and master key system you already have.
- Credentials and readers Key cards, fobs, PIN codes, or phones, read at the door by a reader or keypad. Card readers and keypads
- Locking hardware Electric strikes, magnetic locks, or electrified locksets that actually release the door. Mag locks and strikes
- Visitor entry Video intercoms and door entry systems to see and admit visitors remotely. Video intercoms
- Door entry upgrades Repair or upgrade older buzzer and telephone entry panels. Buzzer systems
- Smart locks App and keypad locks for small offices, rentals, and homes. Smart locks
- Master keys alongside Interior doors and mechanical overrides on the same plan. Master key systems
How a project runs.
The same steps whether it is one door or a whole building.
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Walkthrough
We look at the doors, frames, and existing hardware, and talk through who needs access where and when.
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Plan and quote
Readers, controller, and locking hardware for each door, with a clear price before anything is installed.
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Install
Scheduled around your business hours where possible, so install work does not mean closing your doors.
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Hand over and support
Credentials enrolled, a walkthrough of the system, and the same technician for changes later.
Keys or access control?
Most buildings use both: access control on the doors that matter most, keys everywhere else.
| Keys | Access control | |
|---|---|---|
| When someone leaves | Rekey the locks | Switch off their credential |
| Record of entry | None | Every entry logged |
| Time limits | Not possible | By door, person, and hour |
| Visitors | Someone opens the door | Video intercom or temporary code |
| Good for | Interior doors, low traffic | Entrances, server rooms, shared spaces |
Access control guides.
- Commercial security · 6 min read Access control for small businesses, in plain English. How keycard, fob, and keypad access control works, the hardware involved, fail-safe versus fail-secure, and how to start with one door. Read the guide
- Access control · 5 min read Mag lock or electric strike? How to choose. How magnetic locks and electric strikes work, fail-safe versus fail-secure, code considerations, and which suits your door. Read the guide
- Access control · 5 min read Video intercoms for apartment buildings and HOAs. What a video intercom does for an apartment, condo, or HOA entrance, what to decide before buying, and how it connects to the door. Read the guide
- Commercial security · 5 min read Master key systems, explained. How master key systems work, the key hierarchy, key control, what to do when a master key is lost, and when to add access control. Read the guide
Access control across Central Maryland.
Baltimore City and Baltimore, Anne Arundel, Harford, Carroll, and Howard counties. All service areas
Access control questions.
Straight answers, without the upsell.
Do I need a full system, or can we start smaller?
You can start with a single door, like a front entrance or server room, and expand later. We plan it so a small start does not need to be redone.
Can access control work with our existing master key system?
In most cases, yes. We assess the current system during the walkthrough and keep a mechanical key override on electrified doors.
Do you install video intercoms?
Yes. Video intercoms, electric strikes, magnetic locks, and keycard or fob entry, planned around your existing hardware.
What happens in a power outage or fire alarm?
Each door is set up as fail-safe or fail-secure depending on its role, and exit paths always allow people to get out. We install to the life-safety and fire code requirements that apply.
Plan your first door.
Tell us about the building and we will set up a walkthrough. We reply the same day.
We accept Cash, all major credit and debit cards, checks, Zelle, Apple Pay, and Google Pay.