DIY automated driveway gates
Discussion
Afternoon PHers,
Mrs M has decided she wants automated electric gates. I'm happy to do the work myself, however I have no real idea about which system is best to use or easiest for a DIY install.
Although we have an existing wooden single-span gate, it's quite knackered so we intend to replace it with a set of double gates, hinged, something ornate and likely aluminium, powder coated black. Functionally, we want to be able to operate the gates from a fob in each car, and also via an app on the phone would be good, as we can't see the gates from the house.
There's no power down there at the moment but I'm planning to run it down there anyway in due course.
Has anyone got any recommendations for a system that can be fitted by a reasonably competant DIYer? Mrs M did get a quote from a firm, but at £12k it's significantly more than I'd pay. I'd rather budget up to £4-5k all in, including new gates. Am I way off the mark or does that sound plausible?
Mrs M has decided she wants automated electric gates. I'm happy to do the work myself, however I have no real idea about which system is best to use or easiest for a DIY install.
Although we have an existing wooden single-span gate, it's quite knackered so we intend to replace it with a set of double gates, hinged, something ornate and likely aluminium, powder coated black. Functionally, we want to be able to operate the gates from a fob in each car, and also via an app on the phone would be good, as we can't see the gates from the house.
There's no power down there at the moment but I'm planning to run it down there anyway in due course.
Has anyone got any recommendations for a system that can be fitted by a reasonably competant DIYer? Mrs M did get a quote from a firm, but at £12k it's significantly more than I'd pay. I'd rather budget up to £4-5k all in, including new gates. Am I way off the mark or does that sound plausible?
I bought these - SCS Sentinel - OpenGate1 from Amazon last year, cost 285€ and they work well.
Only downside if you can call it that is that they only open to 90 degrees and on reflection one with a slightly bigger swing would have been better for our gate opening.
They are more than capable of opening our heavy steel gates which are about 150kg a side and 2m high.
Only downside if you can call it that is that they only open to 90 degrees and on reflection one with a slightly bigger swing would have been better for our gate opening.
They are more than capable of opening our heavy steel gates which are about 150kg a side and 2m high.
Muddle238 said:
Afternoon PHers,
Mrs M has decided she wants automated electric gates. I'm happy to do the work myself, however I have no real idea about which system is best to use or easiest for a DIY install.
Although we have an existing wooden single-span gate, it's quite knackered so we intend to replace it with a set of double gates, hinged, something ornate and likely aluminium, powder coated black.
Has anyone got any recommendations for a system that can be fitted by a reasonably competant DIYer? Mrs M did get a quote from a firm, but at £12k it's significantly more than I'd pay. I'd rather budget up to £4-5k all in, including new gates. Am I way off the mark or does that sound plausible?
I’d say your budget’s a bit tight. I’ve just spent c.£5k on gates alone (4m width across the pair). Admittedly they’re good quality aluminium ones, but your spec doesn’t sound cheap either.Mrs M has decided she wants automated electric gates. I'm happy to do the work myself, however I have no real idea about which system is best to use or easiest for a DIY install.
Although we have an existing wooden single-span gate, it's quite knackered so we intend to replace it with a set of double gates, hinged, something ornate and likely aluminium, powder coated black.
Has anyone got any recommendations for a system that can be fitted by a reasonably competant DIYer? Mrs M did get a quote from a firm, but at £12k it's significantly more than I'd pay. I'd rather budget up to £4-5k all in, including new gates. Am I way off the mark or does that sound plausible?
2 years ago it cost us just short of £4k to remove and replace 2 in the ground operators £800 of which was to remove the old motors and associated bits. Cost includes to pairs of Photocells, to stop the gates hitting anything in the way, and 2 safety edge sensors on each gate designed to stop crush injuries, all of which a professional installer must fit.
The original gates are made of steel and galvanised and still as good as the day they were fitted, in 2002.
The original gates are made of steel and galvanised and still as good as the day they were fitted, in 2002.
There is a huge gamut in quality,and also the pressure sensitive safety edges are not cheap, but they are essential to be legal for remote operation. A lot of installers are breaking the law by omitting most of the necessary safety systems.
Faac 412 24v with the e124 controls, roger smarty
Are my 2 favourite for domestic
Faac 412 24v with the e124 controls, roger smarty
Are my 2 favourite for domestic
Just finishing off fitting gate automation to a wooden 5 bar field gate at home.
Kit purchased from https://www.theelectricgateshop.co.uk/ who I have found really good, especially for any technical and aftersales advice needed.
Gone with a Roger Tech 24v brushless kit, 2x pairs of photocell, pressure strip, electric lock, Remootio 3 controls.
Kit purchased from https://www.theelectricgateshop.co.uk/ who I have found really good, especially for any technical and aftersales advice needed.
Gone with a Roger Tech 24v brushless kit, 2x pairs of photocell, pressure strip, electric lock, Remootio 3 controls.
Remootio is excellent value, Digigate works faster.
Bare in mind that most systems will require internet to work from any distance away (Remootio does bluetooth but obviously you need to be close). If you are hard wiring power to the gate you can use a gadget that runs internet through the mains signal but if you can take a data wire up there from your router it will be better and handy for cameras etc.
Bare in mind that most systems will require internet to work from any distance away (Remootio does bluetooth but obviously you need to be close). If you are hard wiring power to the gate you can use a gadget that runs internet through the mains signal but if you can take a data wire up there from your router it will be better and handy for cameras etc.
ferret50 said:
How far from the house will the gates be?
You will need to dig a trench down there to hide the wiring in....
About 200 yards, but power will come from the garage that's about half the distance. We already have plans to dig a trench anyway to sink a pipe for laying some cables. You will need to dig a trench down there to hide the wiring in....
I bought a kit from https://oxy4us.com. Been going strong for the last 4 years.
My main gates have a camera/call button by Hikvision. That has an ethernet cable back to a screen in the hall but it has an output wired into the gates to open them.
So i can answer the call on the screen, see the person and talk to them and open the gates or I can use the Hikvision app to answer the call/open the gate from anywhere in the world.
Because its the screen in the house that connects to the internet the gate itself is connected by the ethernet cable so wifi doesn't need to go that far.
Both my sets of front gates also have sim card holders in so I could also stick a sim in and call them to open them if I wanted.
2 of my sets of gate motors/control are NICE ones, the third set is another make. They have photocells inside and out to make sure its clear before closing and I have the motor pressure set enough to open them but if they feel any extra resistance they cut out.
So i can answer the call on the screen, see the person and talk to them and open the gates or I can use the Hikvision app to answer the call/open the gate from anywhere in the world.
Because its the screen in the house that connects to the internet the gate itself is connected by the ethernet cable so wifi doesn't need to go that far.
Both my sets of front gates also have sim card holders in so I could also stick a sim in and call them to open them if I wanted.
2 of my sets of gate motors/control are NICE ones, the third set is another make. They have photocells inside and out to make sure its clear before closing and I have the motor pressure set enough to open them but if they feel any extra resistance they cut out.
Edited by RacingStripes on Thursday 5th February 09:38
I did it a few times as the cost of a pro installation was bonkers and obviously inflated in line with the values of the properties. I'm about to do it again here in Mallorca. I doubt the regs will be much different.
Things I remember in no particular order:
You will need armoured cable which can be surface mounted if you have a wall down the side of the drive. Expensive stuff. Digging a trench means even more expense.
Wooden gates tend to warp/expand/contact/change weight when wet or dry, etc etc and I found them wholly unsuitable.
Metal gates are a corrosion nightmare unless you get them galvanised/zinc sprayed/powder coated. I've no experience of aluminium gates - only mild steel. I assume there's a coating for aluminium but it's awful for corroding in my experience (windows and doors).
I used the arms that fit on the rear of the gates so nothing buried and easy to access the motors.
Metal gates are very heavy so don't forget about the need for substantial piers.
Be careful about going for solid metal gates. The entrance may look like the entrance to a scrappy and you'll be creating two massive sails that may overload the motors.
I had zero issues with the DIY gates in terms of reliability and no problem with fitting as a competent DIYer.
My automation kits came from easygates.
Massive saving over pro installation - probably five figures.
OP - your £5K could cover it but might be tight if you need everything I've listed above. Plan it carefully, for example, get off the shelf gates and build the piers to fit. Any customisation of gates will drive up the price.
Absolutely worth it from a feel good and practical security perspective. I absolutely hate casual/unknown callers and gates stopped that overnight. Stick a collection/letter box down there while you're at it.
Things I remember in no particular order:
You will need armoured cable which can be surface mounted if you have a wall down the side of the drive. Expensive stuff. Digging a trench means even more expense.
Wooden gates tend to warp/expand/contact/change weight when wet or dry, etc etc and I found them wholly unsuitable.
Metal gates are a corrosion nightmare unless you get them galvanised/zinc sprayed/powder coated. I've no experience of aluminium gates - only mild steel. I assume there's a coating for aluminium but it's awful for corroding in my experience (windows and doors).
I used the arms that fit on the rear of the gates so nothing buried and easy to access the motors.
Metal gates are very heavy so don't forget about the need for substantial piers.
Be careful about going for solid metal gates. The entrance may look like the entrance to a scrappy and you'll be creating two massive sails that may overload the motors.
I had zero issues with the DIY gates in terms of reliability and no problem with fitting as a competent DIYer.
My automation kits came from easygates.
Massive saving over pro installation - probably five figures.
OP - your £5K could cover it but might be tight if you need everything I've listed above. Plan it carefully, for example, get off the shelf gates and build the piers to fit. Any customisation of gates will drive up the price.
Absolutely worth it from a feel good and practical security perspective. I absolutely hate casual/unknown callers and gates stopped that overnight. Stick a collection/letter box down there while you're at it.
Edited by Unreal on Thursday 5th February 09:12
Edited by Unreal on Thursday 5th February 09:20
Edited by Unreal on Thursday 5th February 09:23
Lots of decent advice above - I'd be putting a conduit in while trenching for intercom wiring. I know SIM gates are a thing (I had them), but hard wired intercom is more reliable.
I haven't DIY'd gate posts but having had some installed, there seems a fair bit of skill involved sinking posts that are substantial enough to hang decent gates off. Not sure I could do it.
I haven't DIY'd gate posts but having had some installed, there seems a fair bit of skill involved sinking posts that are substantial enough to hang decent gates off. Not sure I could do it.
WH16 said:
No aesthetic quality either (tbf is in OZ 
but kudos to whoever dreamed that up, put it into production and is making money from it.Could a fatty operate it by jumping on it?
Unreal said:
WH16 said:
No aesthetic quality either (tbf is in OZ but kudos to whoever dreamed that up, put it into production and is making money from it.Could a fatty operate it by jumping on it?
WH16 said:
I thought the idea was to keep people out.Our gates are hung off 2 200mm square steel posts galvanised, then a stone pier built around them, builder reckoned he could build a stone pier to support the gates, the gate maker said NO, he'd had a builder say that before and when the gates eventually sagged the builder didn't want to know about sorting it out.
And beware steel gates do expand in the summer.
Be careful where you fit photocells because the sun can sometimes 'blind' them, that took a little figuring out as to why the gates wouldn't operate between 12 am and 1 pm. and ice and snow can also do the same.
I carry a gate unlocking tool in the car in case of power failure
Edited by netherfield on Thursday 5th February 12:19
Edited by netherfield on Thursday 5th February 12:26
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