"Dottie" wrote in message
...

The door leading outside from my garage has two holes for locks -- the
top one is the kind with a lever, up is unlocked and down is locked.
The lever is on the inside.
The second hole just has a door knob - no lock - and it has broken
off on the outside. The knob came off and is just sitting there on
the stem. The door still locks fine ... but it looks bad and I want
to change it myself.

If I buy just the bottom part - it looks like the kind that is used
on interior doors - no keys. How hard are those to install? The one
that is on there has two screws.

I can call a handy man service to come out and do it but would like to
save the money if I can. Thanks.

Installation is simple (nowadays illustrated by pictures in the packaging
of most lock sets.) The practical question for the novice is whether she
owns already the right tools (drill, screwdriver, etc.) for the task. It
can
be too frustrating if you cannot make a pilot hole for a new screw, or
if the screwdriver slips (because too small.)

Consider: for exterior doors, many people prefer lever handles (to
doorknobs) because they are more easily operated by cold hands.

Exterior doors do not need expensive locks if you can bolt them
securely from inside.

To improve appearance, any locksmith can make for you a
scutcheon (cover plate) that covers both handle holes and itself
has only one hole, matching the one you plan to use, for est.
$5 to $10. All you need do is bring him an exactly accurate
paper tracing of the holes and door edge.

--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)