Adding a gate: from a simple side gate to an automated driveway
What goes into a gate installation, why automation changes everything about the price, and how to hire a fabricator or installer for the gate you want.
A gate is a small thing that gets used constantly, so a bad one announces itself every day — sagging, scraping, or a latch that never quite catches. Getting it right is partly the gate itself and partly the posts and hinges holding it up, and the second part is where cheap jobs cut corners.
The category spans an enormous range, from a few-hundred-dollar timber side gate to a five-figure automated driveway entrance. Knowing which end of that range your job sits at, and why, is the key to hiring well.
What a gate installation involves
A basic install covers the gate, the posts it hangs on, hinges, a latch and the labour to set it all plumb and square. The posts matter more than people expect — a heavy gate on undersized posts or shallow footings will sag within a season, so proper footings are the difference between a gate that swings true for years and one that drops.
Automated driveway gates are a different project entirely. On top of the gate and posts, they bring a motor, control electronics, safety sensors and the wiring to run them — which means a licensed electrician is involved for the mains power side. Swing and sliding gates suit different sites, and the fabricator will advise based on your slope, width and how the gate needs to open.
How the cost works
Gates are priced per gate installed. Material and size set the base — timber and steel-frame gates are the affordable end, aluminium and wrought iron cost more, and custom fabrication climbs from there. A simple pedestrian side gate is a modest job; a wide, tall or decorative gate is a bigger one.
Automation is the single biggest add-on, because it layers a motor, electrical work and safety gear onto the base gate. That's why an automated driveway gate can cost many times a manual one of the same size. Treat all figures as indicative — width, material, automation and site access drive the quote, so a site visit produces a far more accurate number than a phone estimate.
Choosing an installer
Gate fabrication and installation is generally an unlicensed trade, so judge on workmanship, materials and warranty — ask to see gates they've built, and confirm what gauge steel or grade of timber and hardware they use, since that's what determines whether the gate lasts. Public liability insurance is a fair expectation for anyone working on your property.
The moment a licence becomes non-negotiable is automation: the electrical connection for a powered gate must be done by a licensed electrician, and a good installer either holds that licence or brings one in. Ask specifically how the mains power and safety sensors are handled, and make sure compliance for the electrical side is part of the quote rather than an afterthought.
Mistakes to avoid
Gate problems are almost always structural or electrical shortcuts that show up later — a gate that sags because the posts were skimped, or automation wired by someone who shouldn't have. A little scrutiny of the parts you can't see prevents both.
- Accepting undersized posts or shallow footings for a heavy gate
- Letting anyone unlicensed do the electrical work on an automated gate
- Choosing a material for looks without checking it suits the exposure and width
- Not confirming which way the gate needs to swing or slide for your driveway and slope
- Skipping the safety sensors on an automated gate to save a little money
- Comparing a manual-gate quote against an automated one as if they're the same job
Indicative range only, not a quote — see the full guide for worked scenarios and what moves the price.
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