Driveway Gate Options – Ranked Least to Most Expensive

Are you looking into your options for a new driveway gate and wondering on what elements you’ll need to spend money and what choices would allow you to keep the price down?

We’ve broken down all the elements and choices that go into your driveway gate decision, and ranked them from least to most expensive to help you get a better idea.

Materials:

1. Powder-coated Aluminium

While aluminium is a durable and versatile fencing and gate material, with naturally rust-proof and maintenance-free properties, it is also the least expensive metal used for driveway gates. Our aluminium gates are also coloured with powder-coating, which adds another layer of durability. This makes it a good choice if the gate is for a residential property where it is for aesthetics as much as it is keeping nosy neighbours out. But if higher security levels are necessary, then a more heavyweight material option (like steel) may be needed.

2. Powder-coated Steel

Steel is a heavier and more durable fencing material than aluminium, capable of withstanding a more concerted break-in effort. This level of quality makes steel a more expensive material than aluminium, but it is your best bet if you need a higher level of security. However, steel is naturally prone to rust, so if you’re paying the premium price for steel, make sure you’re getting a steel gate that has been treated to prevent rust. Our steel is certified Australian-manufactured and it is galvanised and treated to give it a rust-proof quality, before being coloured with powder-coating, which adds a further layer of durability.

3. Smartwood Aluminium

The most expensive gate material we have on offer is our ‘smartwood aluminium’. Smartwood is a premium timber-look aluminium. The wood-look coating used to cover the aluminium gives the aesthetics of traditional timber, but with all the maintenance-free benefits and durability of aluminium.

Design Styles:

1. Simple tubular styles

At the lower end of the design price range are the simple tubular styles. Styles like ‘Caulfield’ and ‘Traditional’, with their no-frills boxy designs, are some of our best-selling options.

2. More ornate tubular styles

Next at the lower expense end of the scale is are the more ornate tubular gate styles, with decorative tips and embellishments within the poles, such as ‘Sentinal’, ‘Cardinal’, ‘Gothic’, ‘Westminster’ and any custom designed gates.

3. Picket

In the middle of the expense scale we have picket fencing and gates. The traditional style of picket fencing and gates tends to be low fencing with a pedestrian gate, but we can also create double swing or sliding driveway gates in the picket style too. Our picket gates give that simple, traditional, white-picket look, but they’re made with maintenance-free aluminium instead of timber.

4. Slat Gates

Also in the middle of the expense scale, and with a similar look to picket, but with the posts tending to be horizontal instead of vertical, is slat fencing and gates. Slat gates are another of our most popular choices, as the wide posts offer more privacy than the tubular styles.

5. Guardian Security Gates

Moving to the more expensive ranges, our Guardian security gates are made from high-strength galvanised steel with sharp embellished tips, both of which prevent efforts to break through or over the gate. These premium gates are for high-security situations.

6. The Edge

‘The Edge’ is our newest and premium fence and gates style. The side-positioned slats give a razor-sharp, clean and minimal look, while the gates are tough and secure. And they certainly make your home stand out with their original design.

7. Screen Gates

Another of our newer styles, and the most premium design option on our roster, is laser-cut and perforated screen fencing and gates. The high coverage from these metal gates makes them a fantastic option for privacy – but they are also highly durable and aesthetically pleasing, with custom options for the perforated designs, that we ensure still meet council visibility laws.

Opening/Closing and Locking styles:

1. Manual

Manual closing, or course, is our cheapest option when it comes to the opening and locking options for our driveway gates. This requires you to stop on the street and get out of the car to open your gate, and to close and lock it behind you with a key or padlock. So while the cost is easier on the pocket, it’s not an ideal option for most – especially those who live on busy streets, or parents who don’t wish to leave kids unattended in a running car while they jump out to attend to the gate.

2. Remote control

Next up, and the cheapest of the automatic driveway gate styles, is remote control access driveway gates. These gates are hooked to a motor to open and close them automatically, controlled by a small button remote that the homeowner attaches to their car keys. This is probably our most popular option – just don’t let the remote run out of battery and get locked out!

3. Pin pad / Code lock

The second most inexpensive of our automatic driveway gate options is the pin pad, which you access with a code (usually input to the pin pad out the window of your car as you enter or leave the property). No need to worry about battery with this option as the motor and pin pads are attached to your mains power.

4. Swipe card

Generally more popular for commercial buildings or strata developments, swipe card access is similar to pin pad access, in that there is a receiver placed both inside and outside the gate, which you must roll down your car window to access. This is a more secure way to maintain control over access to the property as only those who hold a swipe card can gain access, while pin codes can be told to (or seen by) others.

5. Buzzer/Intercom

At the higher price end of the scale, but also on the higher security end, is buzzer/intercom access. This can go hand in hand with both swipe card and pin pad, where property owners can enter a pin to gain access themselves to the property, but outsiders must press the buzzer and identify themselves to those within the property via the intercom before those inside can remotely allow them access or turn them away.

6. Buzzer/Intercom with video

Another security and price step up from buzzer/intercom access adds video to the mix, so those inside the property can also see the person asking to gain access so they can further validate their identity.

7. Any of the electric styles with solar power instead

Finally, the priciest opening/closing style, but with good reason, involves any of the automatic opening styles (#2 to #6 in this opening/closing and Locking styles list) but with the motor and other technology (intercom, pin pad etc.) powered by small solar panels attached to the gate instead of being connected to your power mains. The benefit of this is you will never find yourself locked out of the property as a result of power failure – particularly handy for those living in remote country areas, but equally those in the Perth Metro area know how common power outages can be in storm season. Not to mention the savings on power, as well as your carbon footprint.

Still not sure what option’s right for you?

Still need help deciding the right mix of premium and less expensive elements for your driveway gate? Why not give us a call and we can talk through what you want from your gate and the best options to suit?