A pedestrian gate is the one people actually use every day: the walk-through at the side yard, the courtyard entry, the gate beside a driveway that saves opening the big one. We build and install them in steel and iron for homes across Scottsdale, and we set them up to match the main entry when there is one. Some stay manual with a good latch. Others get an electric strike, a keypad or a remote release tied into the rest of the access control system, so the gate locks behind you without anyone thinking about it.
The work starts on the ground. Maricopa County can see 1,206 feet of relief within a few miles, and the ground changes from block to block, so we grade and test every site on its own before a post goes in. Posts are set plumb and deep enough to carry the gate without sagging. Hinges, latch and closer get adjusted until the gate swings shut by itself and catches every time. With the median home here built in 1990, we often tie into existing walls or pillars, and we check those first. We handle the permit.
An automatic gate is three jobs done in order: the gate, the operator, then the controls. We set posts in concrete footings, hang the leaf on heavy-duty ball-bearing hinges, and size the swing or slide operator to the actual weight of the gate. Photo eyes and a safety edge go in so the gate stops and reverses if anything is in its path. Low-voltage wiring runs in conduit. We program the keypad and remotes, then cycle the gate until it runs clean.
Steel is what we build most driveway gates from: heavy-wall square tube for the frame, pickets welded through rather than tacked on, and a diagonal brace so the latch side does not sag. Iron scrollwork and custom panels go on after the frame is square. The ground here varies block to block, so every site gets graded and checked before a post goes in. On a sloped drive, a swing gate can drag, so we use rising hinges or recommend a slide instead.
Sliding gates need a clear run beside the opening at least as long as the gate itself. We build them two ways. A track gate rolls on V-groove wheels over a steel track set in concrete; it is simple, but gravel and debris in the track make it bind. A cantilever gate rides on enclosed rollers with nothing across the driveway, which keeps the entry clear but needs a stiffer frame and a longer run. Either way, a rack-and-pinion operator drives it.
Before touching the motor, we release the operator and move the gate by hand. If it swings or rolls freely, the problem is electrical: a failed capacitor, a burned control board, misaligned photo eyes, drifted limit settings or dead backup batteries. If it drags, the problem is mechanical: worn hinges, flat rollers, a bent track or a frame that has dropped. We fix the binding first, because a new operator on a gate that fights it wears out the same way.
Two pedestrian gates of the same width can come in far apart on price, and the reason is usually on the site, not in the gate. We price each installation from what we find at the opening. Most of what moves the number is something you can check yourself before anyone quotes.
| What changes the price | Which way | Why |
|---|---|---|
| An old post, footing or gate already in the opening | costs more | It has to be cut out, broken up and hauled off before a new post goes in. |
| A sound block or masonry wall to hang from | often costs less | Hinging to solid masonry can save setting a post, as long as the wall will carry the weight. |
| Slope across the opening | costs more | A gate on a grade needs stepped footings or rising hinges. The ground here changes from one block to the next, so we check each site. |
| Crew access only through a side yard | costs more | Concrete, steel and tools come in by hand when a truck cannot reach the work. |
| Electric strike, keypad or remote access | costs more | Power has to be trenched in from a source, and the length of that run sets the labor. |
| Heavier steel and a welded brace | costs more | Thicker tube and diagonal reinforcement keep a wide gate from sagging on its hinges. |
| Pavers, turf or irrigation at the post location | costs more | They have to be lifted, worked around and put back. |
| Water that pools at the opening | costs more | The gate needs extra clearance or the ground needs regrading so the steel is not standing in runoff. |
When you line up bids, compare the parts that get left out. Look for post depth and footing size, the steel gauge, the finish, and whether hinges and latch are self-closing. Check whether removal, haul-off and wiring are included, and whether the permit is. We handle the permit and write it into the quote.
Yes, in most cases. We start by checking what is already there: post size, hinge condition, how the frame is braced, and whether the gate swings level. An iron or steel gate that is square and well anchored can usually take an electric operator. The pedestrian entry gate goes in beside it on its own post with its own latch, so people on foot never wait on the motor.
Maintenance is where most gate trouble gets headed off. A service visit covers hinge and roller lubrication, fastener checks, the limit and force settings on the operator, and a test of the safety sensors and auto-reverse. Rust spots on iron get sanded and touched up before they spread. Operator manufacturers publish their own coverage terms, and we go through them with you before you pick a unit, so you know what the maker stands behind.
A license means the contractor answers to someone other than themselves. Gate work touches footings, masonry and live electrical, and a mistake in any of them tends to show up years later. Before you sign with anyone, us included, ask for the license number and the classification it covers, then look it up with the state yourself. It takes a few minutes and tells you whether the work in the estimate matches what that contractor is allowed to do.
Through a frame, not straight to the post. We set steel posts in concrete, then weld or bolt horizontal rails between them. The sheet panels fasten to those rails with self-tapping screws or rivets, spaced close enough that the sheet cannot drum or flex. On a pedestrian gate, the same panel is framed in steel tube so it hangs square. Ground varies from block to block, so every site is graded and tested first.
Yes. Call us when a gate is stuck open, stuck shut, or moving on its own. Until it is repaired, keep people and cars clear of its path. Use the manual release on the operator (usually a key or lever on the arm or motor housing) to free the gate. Never force it against a running motor. That strains the gearbox and can turn a small repair into a full replacement.
The common choices are horizontal slat panels, solid sheet with a cap rail, perforated sheet, and laser-cut panels in a custom pattern. Clean horizontal slats and flat solid panels suit modern homes. Traditional properties usually look right with laser-cut scrollwork, or a solid panel set inside a wrought-style iron frame. The median home here was built around 1990, so we match new panels to the walls, hardware and paint that are staying.
Most pedestrian gates we build are steel or wrought iron, and the choice comes down to what the gate has to do. Steel is the practical default: strong, straight, and easy to match to an existing fence line. Iron suits a custom design with scrollwork or heavier pickets, and it puts more weight on the hinge post, so we size the post and footing to carry it. The median home here was built in 1990, which means the new gate often has to meet an older fence cleanly. We measure that line before we design anything.
Operation is the second decision. A manual gate with a self-closing hinge and a solid latch covers most residential entries. For electric access, we fit a keypad, card reader or intercom tied to an electric strike or maglock, and we wire it into the same control system as any vehicle gate on the property. Safety matters on a gate people walk through, so the closer should pull it shut firmly without slamming. Ground in Maricopa County can be steep and hilly, and it changes from block to block, so we grade and test each site before work starts. A gate hung on an unchecked slope drags, or swings open on its own.