wrote:
I'd like to install an electric doorknob. Is this a difficult job?

It's no harder than installing any other door knob. I installed electronics
locks on both my front door and back door. I have a keypad for my garage
door. One code and you can get in any door. I never carry a house key.

The level of difficulty will depend on what you already have. If all of the
holes you need are already in the door, then it's just a bunch of screws.
If you have to drill the door or jamb, then it all depends on your level of
handiness. The locks will come with instructions and templates for
drilling. Look up the instruction manual on line to help you decide if you
can handle the job.

Most lock sets will have an adjustable latch/deadbolt assembly so you can
match your current setback, so that shouldn't be an issue - unless you have
a nonstandard setback.

The one caution I will offer is that you need to be very accurate with the
placement of your strike plates. While the human hand is very capable of
forcing the deadbolt past a strike plate that is slightly out of alignment,
the electronic lock doesn't have that strength and will balk when it
encounters resistance. The make of lock that you use will also matter in
that regard. My Kwikset is lot stronger than my less expensive Gatehouse
lock and has shown that it can push past more resistance, like when
moisture moves things a bit. You can hear it in the motor.

The other thing I like better about the Kwikset over the Gatehouse is that
the Kwikset knows when it is locked vs. unlocked. The Gatehouse tries to do
whatever you tell it to do and you can hear the "confusion" in the motor.
It also messes something up inside the unit and makes it harder to use
until you "reset" it by locking it with the interior knob and then
unlocking it with the keypad so it knows which state it is in.

I suggest you avoid the less expensive Gatehouse models.