Good gate installation is mostly invisible. The gate swings without scraping, closes to the same place every time, and is still level years later. Poor installation shows within months: a drop at the latch, a scrape across the path, a bolt that no longer lines up. We install timber and metal gates across London and Hertfordshire with our own team, no subcontractors, after a free site visit and a written quote.
This page explains what installation involves, whether you need a whole new gate or just need an existing one hung properly, and what to expect from us on the day.
What we install
We fit garden side gates, driveway gates, double gates, pedestrian gates and gates within new fencing. Timber gates can be softwood or hardwood, and metal gates are galvanised and powder coated. We also rehang and repair gates that have dropped or stopped latching.
- Timber side and garden gates
- Wooden driveway and double gates
- Metal and metal framed gates with timber infill
- Gates added to an existing fence
- Rehanging dropped or catching gates
The measure
We measure the opening at the top and the bottom, the height the ground allows, the way the gate should open and what it will hang from. The fall of the ground across the swing is noted, because a gate that meets a rising path halfway open is the most common fault we are called out to.
Posts and fixings
The gate is only as good as what it hangs from. New posts are set in concrete deep enough for the weight and leverage of the gate. Where a gate goes onto brick piers, the brickwork is checked and fixings go into sound masonry. Hanging a gate from a normal fence post is avoided, because fence posts are not built for that load.
Hinges, latches and stops
Heavier leaves go on ball race or heavy strap hinges. Double gates get a drop bolt so the fixed leaf stays put. Latches and locks are chosen to work from the side you need, and stops are fitted so the gate closes to the same position each time instead of swinging past and straining the hinges.
On the day
Old gates and posts are taken out where needed, posts are set, and the gate is hung with an even gap. It is checked through its full swing, adjusted, and the ironmongery is set. We clear up and take away the old materials. On some jobs with new posts the gate is hung on a return visit so the concrete has time to go off first.
Buying a gate yourself?
If you already have a gate, we can look at whether it suits the opening and the posts on the site visit. A stock gate often needs trimming or packing to fit a real opening, which is why many customers go for a gate made to measure instead. Either way you get a written quote that says exactly what we will do.
How to get it priced
Send a few photos of the opening, the posts or piers and the ground either side through the form, or call. We come out for a free site visit, measure and send a written quote. Card payments are accepted.