Gate Cost and Pricing Guide
A custom fabricated gate is priced as one assembly, not by the foot. Below are researched Metro Vancouver budget ranges for the gate types we are asked about most, what sits inside each range, and the things that reliably push a gate above it.
Typical Metro Vancouver budget
$3,000 to $28,000
A custom fabricated pedestrian gate generally starts around $3,000. A manual double driveway gate commonly lands between $8,000 and $16,000. Add automation and most double gates move into the $14,000 to $28,000 band. Sliding and cantilever gates sit higher again.
Width and weight
A 12 ft double leaf needs heavier frame, heavier hinges and deeper posts than a 3 ft walk gate. Weight drives the hardware, and hardware drives a large part of the cost.
Infill and detail
Plain bar infill is the base. Ornamental or hand-forged detail adds roughly 15 to 30 percent over plain fabrication across this market.
Automation
Operators, safety sensors and access control are always a separate line. If power has to be trenched to the gate, that is separate again.
Want the number for your opening?
Send the width of the opening, a photo and roughly what you have in mind. We will come back with a real budget before anyone commits to a design.
Request a QuoteExample Gate Prices
These are researched market ranges for Metro Vancouver, supplied and installed, before tax. They assume a straightforward site with reasonable access and no demolition.
| Gate type | Typical budget | What drives it |
|---|---|---|
| Pedestrian or garden gate, custom steel | $3,000 to $6,500 | Width, infill pattern, hardware, whether posts are new |
| Single swing driveway gate, manual | $5,000 to $11,000 | Leaf width, frame weight, post and footing work |
| Double swing driveway gate, manual | $8,000 to $16,000 | Total opening, leaf weight, hinge and drop-rod hardware |
| Double swing driveway gate, automated | $14,000 to $28,000 | Operators, safety sensors, keypad and remotes, power supply |
| Sliding or cantilever driveway gate, automated | $16,000 to $35,000 | Counterbalance length, track or cantilever rail, rack drive, concrete work |
What Automation Adds
Every fabricator in this market quotes automation separately, and every one of them excludes the electrical supply to the gate. Treat these as add-ons to the gate budget above.
| Automation item | Typical budget | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Swing gate operators, single or double | $3,000 to $7,000 | Operators, safety photo eyes, remotes, basic keypad, installation |
| Slide or cantilever operator | $5,000 to $9,000 | Rack drive, heavier operator, longer safety device runs |
| Running power out to the gate | $1,000 to $2,500 | Trenching and wiring where there is no supply nearby |
| Intercom, video or app access | $300 to $2,000 | Priced per device and per feature |
| Battery backup | $200 to $500 | Worth having on a gate that is the only vehicle access |
What Changes the Cost
- Opening width. The jump from a single leaf to a double leaf is not linear. Two leaves means two of most things.
- Infill. Vertical bar is the base. Privacy slats, timber panels, perforated sheet and forged detail each add material and labour.
- Posts and footings. A gate is only as good as what it hangs on. Rock, services in the way or an existing wall that has to be worked around all add cost.
- Finish. Paint is cheapest. Powder coat is the common choice. Hot-dip galvanizing then powder coat costs more and lasts longest near salt air.
- Slope. A driveway that falls across the opening changes how the gate has to swing, and sometimes forces a slide instead.
- Removal. Taking out an existing gate and posts, especially concrete-set steel, is real labour.
- Access. If the gate cannot be brought in and set with a small crew and a truck, the install line goes up.
Fabrication Only or Fabricated and Installed
Some clients want the gate built and delivered, with their own contractor setting posts and hanging it. That removes the install line but shifts the risk: the gate has to be built to dimensions somebody else is responsible for. Where a builder or landscaper is already on site and setting the posts, supply-only can make sense. Where the opening is existing and irregular, it usually does not.
TrussMetal coordinates installation on most projects. What that looks like on your job is confirmed before the quote goes out, so nothing about who does what is a surprise.
How to Keep a Gate Within Budget
- Give an accurate opening width early. Almost every budget surprise starts with a guessed dimension.
- Send photos of the posts, the ground and the approach, not just the gap.
- Decide on automation before fabrication starts. Retrofitting an operator to a gate not built for it is more expensive than building for it.
- Keep the infill pattern consistent across leaves and any matching fence panels.
- Choose the finish early. Changing from paint to galvanized after fabrication means the gate goes back out.
- If you want ornamental detail, concentrate it in one area rather than spreading it across the whole gate.
When the Price Goes Up
- Very wide single leaves, which need disproportionately heavy frame and hardware
- Matching an existing heritage or hand-forged pattern
- Sloping or curved openings
- Retrofitting into an existing masonry or concrete structure
- Solid or heavily clad leaves, which catch wind and need heavier everything
- Sites where the truck cannot get close to the opening
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a custom metal gate cost in Vancouver?
Across Metro Vancouver, a custom fabricated pedestrian gate typically budgets between $3,000 and $6,500 installed, a manual double driveway gate between $8,000 and $16,000, and an automated double gate between $14,000 and $28,000. Those are researched market ranges rather than a fixed price. The width of the opening, the infill and the finish move a gate within that band faster than the design does.
Why is a custom gate so much more than one from a supplier?
A catalogue gate is made in volume to a fixed size, in light material, with no site work included. A custom gate is built to your opening, in heavier stock, with hardware sized to the actual leaf weight, and it is hung and adjusted on site. Both are legitimate purchases. If a catalogue size fits your opening and the material suits the exposure, it will be cheaper, and we will tell you so.
Is installation included in these ranges?
The gate ranges above assume supply and installation on a straightforward site. Automation, running power to the gate, removing an existing gate and any structural work to the posts or wall are separate.
How much does gate automation cost on its own?
In this market, swing gate automation typically budgets $3,000 to $7,000 installed and slide or cantilever automation $5,000 to $9,000, covering the operator, safety sensors, remotes and a basic keypad. If there is no power near the gate, add roughly $1,000 to $2,500 for trenching and wiring.
Can you quote from a photo?
We can give you a budget indication from a photo and a rough width, which is usually enough to tell you whether the project is in the right range. A firm written quote needs confirmed dimensions, either measured on site or taken from your drawings.
Do these prices include tax?
No. All ranges on this page are before tax. Applicable taxes are shown on your written quote.
What We Need to Give You an Exact Price
The more of this you can send, the tighter the quote comes back and the fewer rounds it takes.
- Photos of the opening, the posts or walls either side, and the approach
- The width of the opening and the height you want
- Whether the gate swings, slides, or you are not sure yet
- Whether you want automation now, later, or not at all
- Whether there is power near the gate
- Any existing gate or posts that need to come out
- A sketch or a photo of a gate you like, if you have one
Get an Exact Price for Your Project
Send us a few details, photos or a drawing and we will price the actual scope instead of guessing from a generic range. Photos can go to sales@trussmetal.com if the form is easier without them.
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Pricing guide updated: August 2026. Figures are planning ranges in Canadian dollars, before tax.