Gates

[lizzie]

has anyone got a recommendation for driveway gate suppliers. I have had some eye watering quotes from locals.

 

I looked at solid aluminium but mega bucks so have reverted to my original idea of a simple metal frame infilled with larch cladding to match the house.  Got one quote for frame only (we to infill and fit) for a pair of swing gates 2m each gate and 1.8m high it was £1500.  That seems an awful lot of money for 2 galvanised black painted metal gate frames. Automation and posts etc on top of that

 

Any thoughts

 

 

[CC45]

Do you know anyone who can weld?  Local college looking for a project?  Local mechanic looking for a weekend cash generator?

[ultramods]

I haven't looked at gates yet, however have you looked at agricultural gates, I have heard that they can be cheap. Not sure if you would be able to in fill them with cladding though.

[Onoff]

I built my own  (sliding) gates around a galvanised frame I designed faced in scaffold boards:

 

https://flic.kr/s/aHsjYQgVgE

 

(No, still not finished!  )

 

If you want to semi DIY then I'd ask on the MIG welding forum. Might be someone local to you who would make the frame. Mine is hot dip galvanised for longevity which is awkward for some fabricators to get done.

 

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/

 

BUT...a lot of safety considerations to do it properly so you might go for a package for the gate and install. I got my gate automation stuff from Easygates on recommendation and have passed the name on a good few times now:

 

http://easygates.co.uk

[MikeSharp01]

1 hour ago, Onoff said:

I built my own  (sliding) gates around a galvanised frame I designed faced in scaffold boards:

 

https://flic.kr/s/aHsjYQgVgE

 

(No, still not finished!  )

Serious engineering though...

[ToughButterCup]

8 hours ago, lizzie said:

[...]

Got one quote for frame only (we to infill and fit) for a pair of swing gates 2m each gate and 1.8m high it was £1500.

[...]

 

Thats about what it would cost here too.....

[lizzie]

Thanks all lots to explore. I think a total diy is beyond me!

 

Great work on the gate from scaff boards.

[jack]

We had a local guy (near Farnborough) knock up some plain steel gates with verticals every 90mm or so. They're about 1100 high, with two leaves about 1800 wide each, and a single leaf about 1000 wide.

 

From memory they were about £1200 bare (no galvanising or painting), so your quote appears comparable given yours are galvanised. Don't underestimate the cost of galvanising - it isn't cheap for large custom items.

[Onoff]

My frame I think was £350-400, sliding gate/motor kit around £500. 4" steel posts were freebies. Digging, I paid for the diesel. Plus ballast, dust, mesh...I cheated on the ducts and used down pipe etc. Cabling was just leftovers from jobs. 

 

My mate helped a bit. I in turn designed and assisted him with his sliding gates...that are all FINISHED!  Don't know if this link will work:

 

http://s1071.photobucket.com/user/johnnaughton/library/Sliding Gates?sort=2&page=1

 

Funny enough it incorporates Unistrut and lots of surplus bits and bobs.  

 

 

[ToughButterCup]

8 hours ago, lizzie said:

[...]

Great work on the gate from scaff boards.

 

Yeah, but @lizzie, he hasn't finished it yet.

@Onoff's unofficial role on this forum is to make the rest of us feel really good about not finishing stuff. Coupled with his infectious enthusiasm, and undoubted breadth of experience.... all I have to say to Debbie is

'Well @Onoff hasn't finished his gate or bathroom or... (make something up) yet, so I dunno what you're moaning about.'

[Onoff]

2 minutes ago, recoveringacademic said:

 

Yeah, but @lizzie, he hasn't finished it yet.

@Onoff's unofficial role on this forum is to make the rest of us feel really good about not finishing stuff. Coupled with his infectious enthusiasm, and undoubted breadth of experience.... all I have to say to Debbie is

'Well @Onoff hasn't finished his gate or bathroom or... (make something up) yet, so I dunno what you're moaning about.'

 

...and BEFORE I finish my gates or bathroom I need to do my mate John's Knightrider lights inset into his block paving so when his gates open or close it looks really cool!

 

My boy was supposed to be figuring the PIC chip for it before he went to uni. Maybe I'll hold back his Oculus Rift as leverage at Christmas!