Advanced options
Automated gates are machinery with legal duties: force-limitation and safety edges/photocells aren't optional extras (gate-crush incidents drove real regulation: an installer who doesn't mention safety devices and CE/UKCA compliance is the wrong installer), they need power to the gate (trenching quotes surprise people), and an annual service like any machine. The insurance angle is real but modest: gates + off-street parking can trim car insurance slightly: the bigger wins are kids-and-dogs containment and parcel-and-caller filtering.
What The Driveway Gates Calculator Works Out
- Estimated cost: the fitted price of the leaf pair plus any automation and any new posts or piers. Softwood pairs run about GBP 700 fitted, hardwood GBP 1,300, steel GBP 1,500 and modern aluminium GBP 2,200; new posts add GBP 350 and built brick piers GBP 900; motors with intercom add about GBP 1,400, so a fully automated hardwood entrance lands around GBP 3,600.
- What gates actually do: containment of toddlers and dogs is why most gates are bought, then kerb presence and caller filtering; security comes last because a determined thief steps over what a gate can only deter and delay. The gated off-street parking insurance trim is small, real and free to ask about.
- Automation small print: photocells, safety edges and force limitation are compliance, not extras; power to the gate line and a manual release belong in the fixed quote; and a motor needs a GBP 90-140 annual service. Manual gates live or die on hinge and latch quality, and an empty duct laid under the drive now deletes a future trench.
- VAT (advanced): a VAT-registered gate company adds 20% unless the quote says inclusive; smaller joiners and fabricators may be below the threshold. The VAT card shows the amount so inclusive and exclusive quotes compare fairly.
- Power trenching to the gate line (advanced): the metres of trench from the house supply to the gate, costed at GBP 45 a metre for digging, ducting and armoured cable. It surprises more budgets than the motors do, which is why it belongs in the fixed quote.
- Removal of old gates or posts (advanced): taking out rotten posts, breaking out concrete footings or cutting down old steel typically costs GBP 50-200 and is sometimes quoted separately.
- Annual service if automated (advanced): the yearly motor service, defaulting to GBP 115, the midpoint of the GBP 90-140 range. It is only counted when the automation option is selected.
- Painting, staining or treatment per year (advanced): timber gates want staining or oiling every year or two at GBP 20-50 in materials, more if a decorator does it; galvanised and powder-coated metal needs almost nothing. Enter an annual average.
- Cost over the ownership period and per year (advanced): the installed cost plus every year's service and finish upkeep over the years you expect to keep the gates, and that total divided by the years, which is the fair basis for comparing a cheap timber pair against a dearer aluminium one.