Driveway gates close off the front of the property, keep children and dogs in, and finish off a new drive. They are also the most regulated piece of work in the fencing lane: they almost always sit next to a road, which lowers the height limit, and once they are automated they count as machinery.
We don't make or install gates. You tell us the type, material and width, send photos of the opening, and we show an indicative range for manual gates. We then pass your enquiry to one local specialist who covers your postcode. Automated gates always get a free site visit instead of an online range.
Timber or metal
- Timber. Softwood or hardwood, usually framed with a solid or slatted infill. Warm, private and easy to make to size. Timber needs treating or oiling every few years and is heavier than it looks, so posts and hinges must be up to it.
- Metal. Steel, usually galvanised and powder-coated, in railings, solid infill or a mix. Lighter for the width, stronger, and needs little upkeep. Metal gates are made to order, so allow a few weeks.
Single or a pair
A single gate suits openings up to about 3m and needs room to swing the full width. A pair splits the width, so each leaf is shorter and swings into less of the drive. Pairs suit wider openings and drives that slope up from the road. Sliding gates need a clear run along the boundary the same length as the opening and are always priced after a visit.
What it costs
Prices are supply and fit for manual gates, including posts, hinges and a drop bolt, waste taken away. They are indicative for the West Midlands.
| Gate | Timber | Metal |
|---|---|---|
| Single driveway gate | £500–£900 | £800–£1,500 |
| Pair of driveway gates | £900–£1,800 | £1,500–£3,500 |
Most enquiries are for a pair, which is why the page starts at £900. Openings over 3m, heavy hardwood, bespoke metalwork and new brick piers push towards the top of the range. Automation is on top and priced by survey. The driveway gates cost guide has worked examples.
What affects the price
- Width. Wider gates need heavier frames, bigger posts and stronger hinges.
- Posts or piers. Gates can hang on large timber posts, steel posts set in concrete, or brick piers. New piers are extra and need proper footings.
- Slope. A drive rising from the road may need rising hinges, a pair instead of a single, or gates that open outwards over your own land only.
- Infill. Solid timber catches the wind. Slatted or railing designs are lighter and put less strain on the posts.
- Access for delivery. Made-to-measure metal gates are heavy and need a van at the kerb.
Automated gates: survey and safety
Electric gates are machinery. They should be designed and installed to the Machinery Directive (in the UK, the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008) and to BS EN 12453, with a risk assessment, force limitation, safety edges or photocells, and a declaration of conformity handed over at the end. Gates that are motorised badly have caused serious injuries, so this is not a job for a general fencer adding a kit.
For that reason, any gate with automation goes to a free site visit rather than an online range. The specialist checks the power supply, the swing or slide path, the ground, and the risk to people and vehicles, then gives you a fixed price. Motorising existing gates is sometimes possible, if they are straight, sound and light enough.
Height rules by a road
Most driveway gates are next to a road or its footpath, so the limit without planning permission is 1 metre, not 2m. Gates over 1m next to a road need planning permission. Listed buildings and conservation areas need consent for changes to a front boundary, and some estates have covenants on front gardens. Gates should also open inwards onto your property, not out across the pavement or road.
See the 1m rule for fences next to a road. If the gates are part of a new drive, check whether that needs permission too in do I need planning permission for a driveway?
What to photograph for a quote
Good photos mean a closer price, and a shorter visit to measure up. How to measure.
- The whole fence line or area, end to end, standing back as far as you can
- From above if you can: an upstairs window shows the size and levels best
- The way in from the road: the drive, side gate, steps and where a lorry could park
Where we cover
We pass gate enquiries to specialists in Sutton Coldfield, North Birmingham, Solihull, South Birmingham, Edgbaston and Harborne, Lichfield and Tamworth, Walsall, Wolverhampton, Dudley and Stourbridge and Coventry. For a pedestrian gate to the back garden, see side gates. For brick piers or a low front wall, see garden walls.
Questions about driveway gates
Do I need planning permission for driveway gates?
Not if they are 1m or lower next to a road, or 2m or lower elsewhere, and the house is not listed or subject to other restrictions. Gates over 1m next to a road usually need permission.
Can my gates be automated later?
Often, if you plan for it. Ask for posts or piers strong enough for a motor, run a duct for power while the drive is being laid, and choose a design light enough to motorise. The automation itself is surveyed separately.
Timber or metal: which lasts longer?
Galvanised and powder-coated steel generally outlasts timber with less upkeep. Good hardwood gates, oiled regularly, also last many years. Cheap softwood gates tend to drop and twist first.
How wide should driveway gates be?
Enough for your widest vehicle with room to turn in, which is usually at least 3m. If the drive meets the road at an angle, go wider.
Why is there no price for electric gates?
Because safe automation depends on the site: power, slope, space and who uses the gate. The specialist needs to see it before giving a price you can rely on.