Iron Gates
in Houston, TX

How much does a custom iron gate cost in Houston?

There is no flat rate, because a 12-foot walk-behind gate and a 24-foot automated ranch entrance are different jobs. Six things move the price:

• Opening width and whether it swings, dual-swings or slides
• Steel size and infill, from open pickets to solid panels
• Coating: paint, powder coat, or hot-dip galvanizing plus powder coat
• Post size and footing depth, which the gate weight sets
• Hinges, latch, drop rods and bearing wheels
• Automation: operator, safety loops, keypad, power or solar

Should I get a swing gate or a slide gate for my driveway?

The driveway decides it more than taste does. A swing gate needs clear, fairly level room for the leaf to open, and the leaf gets heavy past about 14 feet, so wide openings usually go dual-swing. A cantilever slide gate is the answer on a sloped drive, a short setback from the street, or an opening wider than about 20 feet. Slide gates also let a car wait at the keypad without sitting in the swing path. We measure the width, the slope and the turning radius off the street before we recommend one.

Will an iron gate rust in Houston humidity and salt air?

Plain steel with a coat of paint will, and fast, especially east toward the Ship Channel and the bay. The fix is prep. We blast the steel first. Then we either hot-dip galvanize it to ASTM A123 or prime it with a zinc-rich primer. Powder coat goes on over that clean surface, never over mill scale. Tube ends are sealed and drain holes are drilled so rain cannot sit inside the frame. Every field cut and field weld gets zinc-rich touch-up before the crew leaves. Our steel repair and field modification crew can also strip, re-weld and re-coat a gate you already own.

Can you automate the gate, and does solar work on a long driveway?

Yes. We build the gate square and braced for an operator. The hinge post is set heavy enough for the load. We sleeve conduit under the drive for the safety loops, photo eyes and keypad. On acreage where the meter is hundreds of feet from the road, a solar operator with a battery is usually the cheaper answer than trenching power. We set the frame and the sleeves, then work alongside your gate operator installer so the wiring is in before the concrete goes down. If the driveway is being replaced anyway, see our concrete driveways page and we will sequence both.

Do I need a permit or HOA approval for a driveway gate in Houston?

HOA or deed-restriction approval is the one that catches most homeowners. Many Houston-area subdivisions have to approve the gate style, height and color before anything is built, and a committee can take weeks. On the permit side, a gate on private property often does not need one. Taller fences and walls can. The rules differ between the City of Houston and Harris, Montgomery, Fort Bend and Waller counties. Pool-area gates are separate: Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 757 requires them to be self-closing and self-latching. We check all of it before we cut steel and we hand you the drawing your HOA needs.

Why do driveway gates sag or bind, and how do you stop it?

Almost always the posts. Houston clay swells in the wet season and shrinks in a dry one. A post in a shallow footing tips a little more each year, until the leaf drags or the latch stops lining up. A long single leaf also sags at the latch end if the frame was not braced or the hinges were undersized. We size the hinge post and the footing to the gate weight and leaf length. The concrete collar is crowned so water runs off. The frame is braced in the shop before it is ever hung. Doing that on the same ground as our steel fabrication work is why our gates still close square years later. Call (832) 576-3278 and we will look at yours.