Automatic driveway gates are an ideal way for property owners to save time, increase convenience, and enhance security for their home. As opposed to gates that open manually, they give you more control over who comes on the property while also mitigating the need to exit your car or house to open the gate for yourself or a visitor.

Before purchasing and installing residential driveway gates, however, there are several logistics to consider, including how much they cost, what material and style to choose, how to install the gate, and if, at the end of the day, it’s the right fit for your property.

Who can benefit from an automatic gate?

While many people associate automatic driveway gates with affluent neighborhoods or upper-end estates, they can be a fitting amenity to add to an average residential property of any size along the Colorado front range that possesses a long driveway.

Automatic gates at residential properties provide three main benefits for any homeowner:

1. Security

As part of the perimeter fence, an automatic gate can help create a boundary that secures and protects children and pets. Additionally, automatic gates require that visitors know the code or have the right mechanism for opening the gate to approach your driveway, which keeps unwanted or unauthorized vehicles away. With an automatic gate, you also don’t need to exit your vehicle at night while opening the gate.

2. Curb Appeal

There are numerous attractive, durable and reliable automatic gates on the market these days. Plus, the automatic gate mechanism can be installed on any gate material, even your existing gate. When added to your property, they enhance the appearance with an intricately sophisticated touch.

3. Increased Home Value

Through both heightened security and curb appeal, you can potentially increase the value and resale potential of your property. This is influenced, though, by multiple factors, not least of which is how well you maintain your automatic gate to preserve its function and appearance.

While any family or individual in the Denver or Colorado Springs area can enjoy the benefits of an automatic gate, they are additionally useful and convenient for elderly property owners or those who have a physical disability or chronic injury that makes it uncomfortable or difficult to exit the vehicle to manually open the gate.

What types of automatic gates are available?

You can choose any material that you would for the fence itself. For both fixtures, your primary choices are vinyl, wood, wrought iron, aluminum, or steel. The latter three are the most popular, as they are strong, durable and easier to maintain. Aluminum gates are more light-weight than iron or steel gates. Wood gates are prone to warping and more difficult to maintain as they require being periodically repainted or stained, but they can be an attractive option to complement horizontal cedar fences. Within communities from Denver and Colorado Springs to Boulder and Fort Collins, vinyl fences also are becoming vastly popular.

You also have your choice between several styles, both for the design of the gate and its mechanism of opening and closing. Some of the most common basic designs for metal gates include:

• A flat-top driveway gate. A simple style with the uppermost horizontal rail perfectly straight.
• An arched-top driveway gate. The most popular style for driveway gates, the upper rail is gently arched with the pickets still flush within the rail.
• An arched- or flat-top with finials. With both flat- and arched-top gates, you can choose for the pickets to extend past the upper rail and each be fitted with a decorative finial.

Additionally, there are different opening styles to choose from, including sliding, swing and dual-openers. You should base your decision on the surrounding terrain near your home and driveway. For instance, if you have a narrow or sloped driveway, one enveloped in ample vegetation, or need to park right on the other side of the gate, the swinging style may not be suitable. Swinging gates, however, tend to be easier to maintain because they don’t incorporate as many individual and moving components.

How much do automatic driveway gates cost?

Several factors can affect the cost of your residential driveway gate, including the supplier, the size, the material, and who does the automatic gate installation.

On average, automatic gates can cost from about $2,000 to $5,000 – not including the automatic gate opener, the price of which varies based on the different capacities. A light-duty opener can cost about $250 while heavy-duty openers can range from $430 for single gates to $700 for dual-opening gates. Other optional components that add to the cost include intercoms, camera systems, keypads, sensors, vehicle exiting devices, and automatic gate locks, among others.

If you choose to install the gate yourself, you must make sure you have the right tools and materials to handle the project. The other option is hiring a contractor or Colorado fence company to do the installation.

What can you expect with automatic gate installation?

If you choose to have your gate installed, the process often takes two days: one to hang the gate fixture and the other to install the automation features. Both aspects of the project are comprehensive and time-consuming, requiring individual attention and specific tools.

The cost for automatic gate installation can range from $750 to $1,800, depending on the scope of the project, and an additional $1,500 to $3,000 for the automated system installation. If you already have a fence installed and are simply adding the mechanism to make it automatic, the cost will be significantly less than it would be for installing a complete fence along with the automatic gate.

To get a more accurate idea of how much you will pay to have a gate installed on your property on the Colorado Front Range, contact Split Rail Fence for a personalized installation estimate. We can help you identify which design, material, and configuration are best suited for your property and its specific terrain along with the anticipated cost for materials and labor.

Sources

“How Much Does a Driveway Security Gate Cost?” CostOwl.com. Accessed online at https://www.costowl.com/home-improvement/fencing-security-gate-cost.html

“How Much Does Automatic Driveway Gate Installation Cost?” HomeAdvisor.com. Accessed online at https://www.homeadvisor.com/cost/safety-and-security/install-a-security-gate/