Automation is something talked about often in this day and age. As tech develops, things around us improve and can be upgraded. Gates are a prime example. Electric gates have been around for a long time, but nowadays you can upgrade your gate to a gate access control system that operates via your smartphone. So, you need to make your gate electric and also install the right software so that you can control it from an app. This, of course, costs money. However, it probably costs less than you think. Especially if you live in a gated community and can split the cost. Yet, if you haven’t got an existing gate, you need to start there first.
Why Don’t Most Homes Have Gates?
Most homes in America don’t have a gate or fences. There are multiple reasons for this, but, if you want to gate your home, it’s probably possible. You need a suitable home of course, some lend themselves to gate installation, but others don’t. Once you’ve crossed this hurdle you’ll likely need to look at:
- Already live in a gated community? Likely there’s no point in gating a single property.
- HOA (Homeowners Association) Rules: Some have pretty strict rules regarding gating properties. You might need their permission before going ahead.
- Local Culture: It might just not be the done thing in your area.
- Worry: A lot of homes don’t have gates because they’re worried about having to manage the gate and the inconvenience of it. Yet, with an app controlled gate access control system, this inconvenience is pretty much non-existent.
Perhaps you’re an outlier, and already have a gate that you want to automate. Or, maybe you need to get a gate installed first before making it an electric access control system. Either way, we explore both costing options below.
How Much Does It Cost To Automate An Existing Gate
We assume you’ve got a gate that’s only operated manually and that needs to be automated. Cost can vary depending on the state, or the size of the gate.
Software for automation is usually in the region of $300. This is for cutting edge, cellular access technology too.
Installing the actual capacity for an electric gate system can be a little more. So, if you’ve already got an electric gate with inferior access control it’ll only cost you $300 initially for the hardware needed to upgrade to cellular access tech.
To automate and install an electric gate system on top of a normal gate it can cost from $1600 to $2500. However, if you’re installing a gate from scratch you can potentially install one with the right software installed.
The better gate access control system providers might also charge a monthly subscription charge. This is usually based on the amount of properties and users that the gate will be accessed by.
Once You’ve Automated, Pick Your Security System
Once you’ve automated the gate, and it’s officially an electric gate you’ll need to pick your security software. These days, most new modern electric gate systems and gates for gated communities or businesses use smartphone access technology. Older systems that haven’t yet upgraded (most of them) will use a dated gate access control system like pin code entry. Our article here explains why that old security system isn’t fit for purpose anymore. Much like license plate recognition, and manned security gates.
Take care picking your security system because you’ll probably have to live with it for a while. Remember, you need to pick something secure, and with ultimate ease of access. Its why we think app controlled gate security systems are the most logical choice.
Now we’ve explored how much it costs to automate an existing gate to create a gate access control system, we’ll look at how much, on average, a general gate costs for those who don’t have one yet.
How Much Does A Gate Cost
Simply installing a gate, with no electrification can cost a lot less than $2,000. Yet, as far as installation goes, it can be easier installing an electric gate in the first instance, all at the same time rather than putting in a gate and then having to electrify its movement later on. Gates come in all manner of sizes and materials:
Wooden Gate: A basic wooden gate will cost around $500. You can get them cheaper, or more expensive depending on the type of wood you choose. For something a little more complex with wood it can be up to $1500, then of course, you may need a carpenter and labor for the installation too.
Metal Gate: These can vary quite widely. You’re looking at around $800 – $1500. It depends on the style of the gate, the material, and the size. Some beautiful wrought iron designs can cost as much as $8,000.
Composite: Composite is a crossover of two materials, like wood and metal. It would have a metal frame and wooden slats, for example. They can look pretty unique and suit people wanting something a little different. These can be a similar price to metal and wooden because it depends on the quality of craftsmanship. A good quality one with wood that will wear well starts in the region of $1,500.
Total Cost For Electric Gate Installation
So, how much for everything? Gate and electric system?
It depends on the quality of material and craftsmanship you’re looking to procure. It varies state by state, here’s a table highlighting the average cost nationally, depending on what level of quality you’re aiming for:
| National Cost To Install An Electric Gate | |
| National Average | $4,000 |
| Range For Average | $2,500 – $5,000 |
| Low end Gate/ | $750 |
| High End | $12,000 |
Of course, these are national averages and costs do vary from one state to the next, but they provide a good benchmark to cost things by.
Some of our other useful articles:
Figuring out where to put your gated communities electric gate
Wireless Gate Entry Systems – Application
Residential Access Control System Tips For Installation
You can read our other helpful articles regarding electric gates and their maintenance, gated communities, and proptech on our blog. If you want to find out more about Nimbio specifically, you can check out our FAQs page here. Our testimonials give a good flavor regarding what Nimbio can offer and you can always contact us if you want to talk about something specifically related to your own project.
