What a gate costs
These are our October 2026 prices for one gate, installed, without an opener. A plain wood walk gate is about $350. The same opening in a double drive gate is $900.
| Gate material | Walk gate, 4 ft | Double drive gate, 12 ft | Sliding gate, 14 ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood | $350 | $900 | $2,200 |
| Vinyl | $400 | $1,000 | $2,400 |
| Chain link | $250 | $600 | $1,500 |
| Aluminum | $500 | $2,000 | $3,200 |
| Wrought iron or steel | $700 | $2,200 | $3,500 |
An automatic opener is priced on top: about $2,000 installed for a standard unit, $3,500 for a heavy-duty hardwired one.
Why four feet of gate costs more than forty feet of fence
A fence panel just stands there. A gate hangs off one edge and gets swung open a few thousand times a year. So it needs its own frame, hinges and a latch that line up, and two posts that are bigger and set deeper than the rest, because all the weight pulls on one of them.
Then somebody has to hang it and adjust it until it swings freely and latches without a shove. That's slow, fiddly work, and it's most of the labor line.
Walk gate, drive gate or slider
A walk gate is for people. Four feet wide is the usual size, which also gets a wheelbarrow and a push mower through.
A double drive gate is two leaves that meet in the middle, typically 10 to 16 feet across. It's the cheapest way to get a vehicle through a fence. It needs flat ground wherever the leaves swing, and room for them to open all the way.
A sliding gate rolls sideways along the fence. It costs the most, and it's the answer when a swinging gate won't work: a driveway that slopes up from the gate, or one too short to park in front of open leaves. What it needs is a clear stretch of fence line as long as the gate itself to slide back into.
Adding an opener
An opener often costs more than the gate. The motor is only part of it. A hardwired unit needs power brought out to the gate, which can mean a trench across the yard. Solar and battery units skip the trench and cost less to put in, but they're built for lighter gates and lighter use.
Whatever you choose, don't let anyone skip the safety sensors. A powered gate is a heavy thing moving by itself, and the sensors are what stop it when a kid, a pet or a car is in the way.
The thing that goes wrong: sag
Wood gates sag. Gravity pulls the latch side down a little every year until the gate drags on the ground. A diagonal brace running from the bottom hinge up to the top of the latch side fights it, and so does a hinge post that's set properly deep.
The wider the gate, the worse the problem. For a wood drive gate, a steel frame with wood fastened to it is worth the extra money.
Fair questions
How wide should a driveway gate be?
Wider than you think. Measure your widest vehicle with the mirrors out and add a couple of feet each side, then think about delivery trucks and trailers. Twelve feet is common for a single driveway.
Can I add a gate to a fence that's already built?
Yes. A section comes out, two gate posts go in and the gate hangs between them. Budget for the gate price here plus a little fence repair on either side.
Is a gate included in the fence calculators?
Yes, as a simple per-gate price. Use the fence cost calculator for the whole job, and this page when you want to dig into the gate itself.
Sources
- How we calculate: every suggested price behind this calculator, with the date it was last reviewed.
