Home/Automatic Gate Installation
Swing · Slide · Cantilever · Solar
Automatic gate installation
Most of the cost and nearly all of the risk in a gate installation sits below ground and inside the conduit — power, footings, soil, and slope. We settle those questions on the site visit, before anything gets fabricated.
Before the quote
What actually determines the price
Gate installation quotes vary by a factor of three for the same opening. The spread is almost never the gate — it is what has to happen in the ground and in the conduit before the gate arrives.
| Factor | Why it moves the number |
|---|---|
| Power at the gate | If there is no service within reach, you are trenching, boring under a drive, or going solar. This single item routinely outweighs the gate itself. |
| Slope across the opening | A swing gate needs clearance through its whole arc. Rising ground means a shorter gate, a different hinge, or a slide gate instead. |
| Soil and post depth | Sandy Cross Timbers soil in Argyle and Flower Mound needs deeper, wider footings than the clay in the Mid-Cities. Fort Worth limestone needs different drilling entirely. |
| Slide gate run-back | A cantilever slide needs roughly 1.5x the opening width in clear space beside it. Without that room, the design changes. |
| Traffic volume | Cycles per day sets the UL 325 operator class, and a Class III commercial operator is a different machine from a residential unit. |
| Entry and exit method | Keypad, card, phone entry, plate reader, free-exit loop. Each adds hardware, conduit, and commissioning time. |
Get power sorted first
The most common reason a gate project stalls halfway is discovering the power question after the gate is fabricated. We answer it on the site visit, before anything is ordered.
Gate type
Swing or slide
Swing gates cost less and suit level openings with room to swing. They are sensitive to slope and to wind — a solid-infill swing leaf is a sail, and North Texas gusts will find every weak hinge.
Cantilever slide gates handle slope, need no arc clearance, and take high-cycle traffic well, but they require clear run-back beside the opening and a more substantial foundation.
- Level opening, room to swing, low cycles → swing
- Sloped approach or tight arc clearance → slide
- Opening over about 20 ft → slide, or a bi-parting pair
- High daily cycle count → slide with a Class III operator
- Solid infill in open country → expect wind load engineering
Compliance
UL 325 is not optional
Every automatic gate we install includes the safety devices the operator class requires: photo eyes, edge sensors where needed, inherent force sensing set correctly, and warning signage.
This matters beyond code. A gate that closes on a vehicle or a person is a liability event, and "the installer set it that way" is not a defense that helps anyone.
- Operator class matched to actual usage
- Two independent entrapment protection means per zone
- Photo eyes positioned for the real approach path
- Manual release accessible and documented
- Commissioning notes handed over at closeout
Process
How an install runs
| Stage | What happens |
|---|---|
| Site visit | Measure the opening, check slope, confirm power, identify run-back, discuss traffic and access method. |
| Design and quote | Gate type, operator class, access hardware, and any trenching or boring priced as separate lines, not buried in a lump sum. |
| Fabrication | Built in our Argyle shop. Lead time depends on design and finish, and we tell you the real number. |
| Civil work | Footings drilled and poured, conduit run, power pulled. The part nobody photographs and everything depends on. |
| Install and commission | Gate hung or set, operator mounted and programmed, safety devices installed and tested, limits and force set. |
| Handover | You get shown manual release, how to add and remove codes, and what routine service looks like. |
Already have a gate that needs work rather than replacing? That is automatic gate repair. Adding an operator or access control to an existing gate is openers and access control. For a one-off design, see custom fabrication.
Questions
What people ask before they call
How much does automatic gate installation cost?
The gate is often the smaller half of the number. Power availability, soil conditions, slope, and access control hardware drive the total, which is why a real quote follows a site visit rather than a phone call. We price civil work as its own line so you can see what is gate and what is groundwork.
How long does installation take?
Fabrication lead time plus one to three days on site for most residential and light commercial jobs. Projects needing trenching, boring under a driveway, or a new electrical service run longer, and we give you that timeline before anything is ordered.
Can you install a gate where there is no power?
Yes. The options are trenching or boring power out to the gate, or a solar system sized to your actual cycle count. Solar works well in North Texas for moderate-traffic residential gates and poorly for high-cycle commercial entrances.
Do I need a permit?
It depends on the municipality and whether the work includes electrical. Some DFW cities require a permit for the gate structure, most require one for new electrical service, and HOA architectural approval is separate from city permitting. We tell you which apply to your address.
What maintenance will it need?
Automatic gates are machines that live outdoors and move several times a day. Annual service on hinges, rollers, track, and safety device verification prevents most failures. Commercial and HOA gates on high cycle counts need it more often.