Cost intelligence · Updated July 2026
What electric gates actually cost in 2026
In Surrey, a complete automated gate installation runs £6,500–£9,500 for an aluminium swing pair, £9,500–£16,000 for bespoke wrought iron, £8,500–£15,000 for sliding gates and £18,000–£40,000+ for full estate entrances — including groundworks, safety systems and commissioning. Quotes far below these ranges are usually omitting the items that make a gate legal and durable.
The full cost model, line by line
Understanding where the money goes is the best defence against both overpaying and under-buying. A representative £11,500 bespoke iron pair breaks down like this:
| Line item | Typical cost | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Gate fabrication (iron pair, zinc + powder coat) | £4,200 | 36% |
| Posts, foundations & groundworks | £1,400 | 12% |
| Automation kit (24V motors, control, receiver) | £1,900 | 17% |
| Safety equipment (photocells, edges, signage) | £650 | 6% |
| Electrical supply run & ducting | £800 | 7% |
| Access control (keypad + GSM intercom) | £950 | 8% |
| Installation labour & commissioning | £1,250 | 11% |
| Force testing, documentation, DoC | £350 | 3% |
Note the last two lines — roughly £1,600 of legitimate cost that bargain quotes simply delete. The gate still swings; it just isn't compliant, tested or properly commissioned.
Price bands by project type
| Project | Installed range (Surrey, 2026) | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Automate existing sound gates | £2,800 – £6,000 | Automation detail |
| Aluminium pair, 3.5m, automated | £6,500 – £9,500 | Aluminium |
| Steel vertical-bar pair, automated | £7,000 – £11,000 | Steel |
| Timber / steel-framed timber pair, automated | £7,500 – £14,000 | Timber |
| Bespoke wrought iron pair, automated | £9,500 – £16,000 | Iron cost detail |
| Sliding gate to 5m, automated | £8,500 – £15,000 | Sliding |
| Cantilever gate, automated | £10,000 – £18,000 | Cantilever |
| Estate entrance with piers & access control | £18,000 – £40,000+ | Estate gates |
The costs cheap quotes hide — your checklist
Put these eight questions to any quote. Each "not included" is a real cost arriving later:
- Are post foundations engineered to soil conditions, or "standard"?
- Is the electrical run included to a stated distance, with SWA cable in duct?
- Are safety edges and photocells itemised — and how many of each?
- Is force testing with a calibrated meter and a Declaration of Conformity included?
- Battery backup or manual release — which, and where?
- Making good of drive surfaces after trenching?
- How many remotes, and the cost of extras?
- Warranty terms: parts and labour, for how long, conditional on servicing?
Running costs: what a gate costs per year
Electric gates are cheap to run and moderate to keep. Standby power draw of a modern 24V system is 2–6W — roughly £8–£20 a year at 2026 tariffs — with each cycle adding a fraction of a penny. The real annual line is servicing at £180–£320, plus a sinking-fund view of component life: remotes and batteries (2–4 years, £15–£60), photocells (5–8 years), motors (10–15 years well-serviced), control boards (8–12 years). Budget ~£300/year all-in and an automated entrance holds no financial surprises.
Free site survey & fixed quotation
Get a precise price for a fixed-price quotation
Tell us the opening width, whether power is nearby and the style you have in mind. We measure on site, confirm a fixed price in writing, and never sell door-to-door.
Prefer to talk? Call 01483 000 000.
Frequently asked questions
Why do electric gate quotes vary so much?
Because scope varies: fabrication quality, coating system, groundworks depth, safety equipment and documentation are all variable or omissible. Comparing quotes means comparing line items, not totals — the checklist above forces the comparison.
Are electric gates cheaper if I buy the gates and automation separately?
Rarely, once a second trade's margins, coordination risk and split warranties are counted. It also blurs who holds machinery-safety responsibility — a genuine legal problem, explained on the standards page.
Do electric gates add value to a house?
On £1m+ Surrey properties, agents consistently treat gated entrances as a saleability and security feature; evidence and caveats in our article.
What's the cheapest way to get automated gates?
A quality 24V kit on aluminium gates with power already near the entrance — realistically £6,500–£7,500. Cheaper figures usually mean deleted safety scope, which we won't do.