Retrofit service
Gate automation: adding motors to gates you already own
If your existing gates are structurally sound, hung on serviceable hinges and posts, they can usually be automated. Guildford Gates retrofits CAME, BFT, Nice and FAAC automation across Surrey from £2,800–£6,000 including safety equipment, force testing and commissioning — after a feasibility survey that tells you honestly whether your gates are worth automating.
The feasibility survey: what we check before quoting
Roughly one in five gate pairs we survey needs remedial work before automation is safe or sensible, and a small number simply aren't candidates. The checklist:
- Leaf condition — corrosion at the heel and bottom rail (iron) or rot and joint movement (timber). A motor amplifies every weakness.
- Weight and balance — we weigh or calculate each leaf; sagging leaves must be re-hung first.
- Hinges — pin wear, alignment and whether they can be greased. Automation onto seized hinges burns out motors within months.
- Posts and piers — a motor puts reversing dynamic loads into the post; garden-wall piers frequently fail this check and need a steel post sleeved in.
- Geometry — hinge-to-pier face distance dictates which motor types physically work.
- Power — route and distance for a 230V feed, or a 24V/solar case.
- Entrapment mapping — where BS EN 12453 will require edges, photocells and guarding.
You get the findings in writing whether or not you proceed with us.
Retrofit costs, honestly modelled
| Scenario | Typical cost | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| 24V ram kit on a sound pair, power nearby | £2,800 – £3,800 | Motors, control, photocells, 2 remotes, force test |
| Articulated arms, wide piers, keypad added | £3,500 – £4,800 | As above + keypad, bracketry |
| Underground motors retrofit (excavation at hinges) | £4,500 – £6,500 | Foundation boxes, drainage, making good |
| Remedials commonly needed first | £400 – £1,500 | Re-hanging, hinge replacement, post sleeving |
| Long power run (per 10m beyond 5m) | +£250 – £400 | Trenching, ducting, SWA cable |
If remedials push the total near 60–70% of new automated gates, we'll say so — sometimes replacement is the rational spend, and you'll hear that from us before you commit.
Legal reality: automating a gate makes you responsible for a machine
An automated gate is a machine under the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008. The installer who automates it becomes the manufacturer of that machine and must risk-assess it, apply BS EN 12453 force limits, verify with a calibrated force meter, CE/UKCA mark it and issue a Declaration of Conformity. On shared or managed entrances, ongoing duties fall to the owner or managing agent. Most cheap retrofits skip all of this. Ours don't — the paperwork comes in your handover pack. Full explanation on the safety standards page and our force testing article.
Free site survey & fixed quotation
Get a precise price for automating your gates
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
Can timber gates be automated?
Yes, if the joints are sound and the leaves haven't dropped. Timber moves seasonally, so we spec motors with generous force headroom set within legal limits, and steel-framed timber gates remove the problem entirely — see timber gates.
Do I need mains power at the gate?
It's preferred. Where trenching is disruptive, 24V systems tolerate long low-voltage runs, and solar packages suit low-cycle entrances — compared honestly on the solar vs mains page.
Will automation damage my period gates?
Not when specified correctly: underground motors keep historic ironwork untouched visually, and we upgrade hinges so loads pass through bearings, not century-old pins.
How long does a retrofit take?
Typically one to two days on site once parts are in hand, plus any groundworks. Underground retrofits run two to three days.