Cost guide
How much do electric gates cost?
Automating existing gates is £2,500 to £5,000. New gates with automation run £4,000 to £9,000, and a sliding installation sits at the top of that because of the groundwork the track needs.
Typical prices
Ranges, not quotes. A quote depends on your room.
| Work | Typical UK price |
|---|---|
| Automation of existing swing gates, ram arms | £2,500 to £4,000 |
| Automation of existing swing gates, underground | £3,500 to £5,500 |
| New timber or metal gates with automation | £4,000 to £9,000 |
| Sliding gate and track installation | £5,000 to £12,000 |
| Video intercom added to a gate system | £600 to £1,800 |
| Annual service and force test | £150 to £350 |
Get ducting laid across the drive while it is open, even if the gates are two years away. A length of duct and an afternoon now costs a fraction of cutting a finished block drive later.
What moves the price
- Motor type. Ram arms are the cheapest, underground motors roughly a third more, sliding gear more again.
- Groundwork. Ducting under a drive, a drained box for an underground motor, and a concrete base for a sliding track.
- Distance from the consumer unit to the gate, which sets the armoured cable run.
- Safety equipment, which follows the risk assessment rather than a price list: photocells, safety edges, and a controller that reverses.
- Entry method. A pair of remotes is included; a video intercom, a keypad or app control each add to it.
- The gates themselves, where they are being supplied, which vary more than everything else on this list combined.
Who quotes for it
Questions about electric gates
Can I automate the gates I already have?
Often, if they are sound, hang true and the posts will take the load. Timber gates that have dropped or wrought iron on failing hinges need putting right first, because a motor will find every weakness in a hinge within a month.
Underground or ram motors?
Rams for a straightforward inward opening gate on level ground, and they are cheaper and easier to service. Underground where the ground slopes, where the look matters, or where there is no room for an arm to swing.