Free on-site gate assessment - hinges, posts, and your LiftMaster or Nice gate operator checked before anything is quoted
The assessment is free and the quote is the invoice.
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AfterGate Repair in Windcrest, TX
Gate repair in Windcrest typically costs $185 to $640 depending on whether we’re resetting a heaved post, welding a cracked hinge plate, or replacing a burned-out operator board. Most jobs are finished the same day we arrive, and we quote the price before any work starts. If your gate is dragging or won’t latch, call (877) 610-2993 and a live person will answer, any hour of the day.
Windcrest sits on Blackland Prairie clay, and that fact alone explains more gate failures here than anything else we see. These expansive soils swell when wet and shrink hard when dry, which means a gate post set in the 1960s has been pushed and pulled hundreds of times since it went in. The result is rarely a snapped post. It’s a post that has tilted half an inch, then an inch, until the gate drags on the latch side or misses the striker entirely. The gate sags in the hinge post, not in the middle, and that is where we start.
Why Windcrest Homes Are Different
Most homes in Windcrest are single-story ranches built between the 1950s and 1970s, and many still have their original ornamental wrought-iron or tubular steel gates. At 50 to 70 years old, those gates are dealing with decades of soil movement plus years of intense San Antonio UV exposure. The combination is brutal: paint chalks and flakes, bare metal oxidizes, and ground-level welds corrode where moisture wicks up from the clay. We’ve ground off rust on gates off Crestway Drive that had three layers of failing paint and no primer left at the waterline.
Windcrest’s other defining trait is its Christmas lights tradition, nationally recognized since the 1950s. Residents invest heavily in exterior curb appeal year-round, which means gate repair and decorative refinishing calls spike every October and November as homeowners prep for the holiday season. Fall is our busiest window in the 78239 ZIP code, and we plan accordingly.
The February 2021 freeze also left its mark. Hard freezes crack weld points and seize automatic gate operator mechanisms that were never rated for sub-freezing temps. We’re still finding damage from that week on service calls across Windcrest.
Gate Repair in Windcrest
Most gate repair calls we get in Windcrest come down to one thing the homeowner already suspects: the gate was fine for years, then one season it wasn’t. A post leans out of line. A weld lets go at the hinge plate. An opener runs but the gate won’t. We’re local to the area, we know these gates and these soils, and we answer the phone at (877) 610-2993 with a live person any hour you call. If your gate is down or dragging, we can usually have someone out the same day.
Electric Gate Repair
Windcrest homeowners with electric driveway gates know the summer heat does not do favors to control boards and wiring. When an operator fails, we don’t make you wait for a part that’s coming from another state unless there’s genuinely no other option. Most control board replacements on Linear and Viking openers are done the same day. We also check the safety edges and photo eyes on every electric repair, because a gate that closes when it shouldn’t is worse than one that won’t open. Control board replacement on a Linear or DoorKing opener typically costs $280 to $450 installed.
Hinge & Post Repair
This is the single most common call we get in Windcrest, and it’s not even close. The expansive clay under your neighborhood swells when it rains and shrinks when it dries. Over decades, that movement tilts gate posts out of plumb. A gate sags in the hinge post, not in the middle, and that is where we start. We cut out the failing weld, set the post correctly, and weld the hinge back on site. Post reset and realignment, the bread-and-butter job in this neighborhood, falls between $320 and $520 depending on how far the post has moved and whether we’re repairing one side or both. Fix the panel without the post and you’ll fix it twice.
Gate Realignment
A Windcrest gate that scrapes the driveway or won’t latch is usually not a hinge problem. It’s a post that has moved. Realignment here means more than adjusting the hinge tension. It means checking both posts with a level, seeing which one has heeled over in the clay, and resetting it so the gate swings and latches like it did when the house was new. We’ve done this on everything from narrow garden gates off Crestway to wide double driveway gates near Windcrest Elementary. A simple hinge and latch tune-up usually runs $185 to $275. For more on how we approach repairs, see our Gate Repair page.
How fast can you get to Windcrest for a gate repair?
We can usually reach most addresses in Windcrest within 60 to 90 minutes for urgent work, and we respond to all 78239 calls the same day. A live person answers the phone around the clock, so you’ll know exactly when to expect Hal or a member of his crew. Call (877) 610-2993 and we’ll give you a straight answer.
Why does my gate keep sagging even after someone “fixed” it?
Because they fixed the gate and not the post. Windcrest’s Blackland Prairie clay swells and shrinks with every wet-dry cycle, and a post set without proper depth or footing will tilt again regardless of how good the hinge adjustment was. The fix is resetting the post below the active soil zone, then re-welding the hinge plate. Show us the gate closing on its own and we’ll show you where it’s failing.
Gate Installation in Windcrest
Gate installation in Windcrest comes down to one thing most contractors miss: the soil. The Blackland Prairie clay under this city shrinks in drought and swells after rain, and that movement is brutal on gate posts. A new driveway gate set in shallow concrete will tilt within a year, start dragging, and bind at the latch. We plan for that from day one, setting posts 36 to 42 inches deep with rebar and flared footings that stay put when the clay moves.
Driveway Gate Installation
A driveway gate in Windcrest does two jobs at once: it frames the house and it controls who gets up to your front door. Most of the driveways we work here are on the wider side, built for ranch-style setbacks and room to park two cars side by side. We install custom steel and aluminum driveway gates sized to the opening, hung on posts set below the shrink-swell zone so they don’t heave. A standard single driveway swing gate with one operator lands between $3,200 and $5,000, quoted in writing after we measure.
Pedestrian Gate Installation
Pedestrian gates in Windcrest take more abuse than people realize. These are the side-yard gates, the garden entrances, the little walk gates off the patio that get opened and closed ten times a day. The hinge post takes every one of those cycles, and on this clay, a sloppy post set means the latch misses within months. We set pedestrian gate posts with the same care as driveway gates: deep, braced, and aligned before the concrete sets. A single pedestrian gate starts in the $1,800 to $2,500 range.
Sliding Gate Installation
Sliding gates are the right call when a lot slopes or a driveway curves tight enough that a swing gate would clip a car bumper. Windcrest has plenty of both. We fabricate and install sliding gates on cantilever and V-track configurations, with the operator, safety loop, and keypad wired or solar-powered depending on the location. Sliding gates add $800 to $2,000 for track, roller, and cantilever hardware on top of the operator cost. The track bed gets graded and compacted so water doesn’t pool and freeze against the rail. For more details, visit our Gate Installation page.
How deep should gate posts be set in Windcrest to avoid heaving?
For gate posts in Windcrest’s Blackland Prairie clay, we go 36 to 42 inches deep with a concrete footing and a rebar cage, flaring the footing base wider than the post hole. The clay here swells and shrinks through the seasons, and a post set less than 30 inches will move within the first year. On heavy double gates we go to the deeper end and add gravel drainage.
Do new automatic gates in Windcrest require safety photocells under local code?
Yes, automatic gate operators installed on Windcrest properties must meet UL 325 entrapment safety standards, which include photocells or an equivalent reversing edge across the gate path. We install a safety photocell pair on every automated gate we build, and we test the reverse function before we leave. If an older gate is missing them, we’ll flag it and add them during any operator replacement.
Gate Motor & Opener in Windcrest
Gate motor and opener repair in Windcrest typically runs $185 to $520 depending on whether we’re tracing a bad circuit board, replacing a stripped gear, or resetting a post that Blackland Prairie clay has heaved out of plumb. Most motor swaps on the single-story ranch homes here run $650 to $1,400 installed, and we can usually have someone at your Windcrest driveway the same afternoon you call. Hal Gatewood has been fixing gates since 2001, and the clay in this ZIP code has taught him plenty.
Motor Repair
Most calls from Windcrest start as a motor that stopped responding, runs but won’t move the gate, or faults every time it rains. We diagnose on-site: fault codes, limit switches, capacitor failure, gearbox wear, board burnout from lightning or electrical surges. If it’s repairable, we repair it. We don’t swap a whole operator because one board went bad. Motor diagnostic and minor repair runs $185 to $320, while motor repair with gear or board replacement falls between $280 and $520.
Motor Installation
When a motor is genuinely beyond saving, we install a new one matched to the gate’s weight, width, and the fact that your posts sit in expansive clay. That matters more than most people realize. A motor sized for a perfectly plumb gate will fail early on a gate that shifts with the seasons. We set the operator up to tolerate some movement, and we often recommend post reinforcement as part of the job. Full motor replacement on a single-driveway gate runs $650 to $1,400, and the price is quoted and agreed before we start. No surprises at the door.
Slide Motor Replacement
Wide gates, 14 to 20 feet across, are the ones that kill residential slide motors in Windcrest. The torque demand from a heavy iron gate on a hot afternoon causes thermal overload shutdowns. The rack and pinion wear unevenly when the gate sags. We size the slide motor for the actual gate weight, re-cut or replace worn rack, and correct the post alignment before mounting anything new. Slide motor replacement for wide or heavy gates runs $900 to $1,800. Learn more on our Gate Motor & Opener page.
Why does my gate motor keep losing limit settings after a heavy rain?
Because the clay under your gate posts swells when it gets wet, pushing the post and gate a few degrees out of alignment, which throws the motor’s limit settings off. Windcrest sits directly on Blackland Prairie expansive clay, and this is the most common repeat problem we see. The fix is post footing correction, not just reprogramming the limits, which will drift again after the next rain. Call (877) 610-2993 for an assessment.
My gate is 18 feet wide and very heavy. Will a standard slide motor work?
No. An 18-foot ornamental iron gate puts torque far beyond what a standard residential slide motor gearbox is rated for, especially in Windcrest’s 100°F summers, and thermal overload shutdowns are the result. You need a slide operator rated for the gate’s actual weight and width, with correct rack and pinion alignment. We spec these regularly for Windcrest entrances. Call (877) 610-2993 for a quote.
Gate Access Control in Windcrest
Gate access control in Windcrest means keypads, remotes, phone entry, card readers, video intercoms, and smart systems that decide who gets in and who stays out. Most of the time, the problem isn’t the keypad in your hand. It’s the 60-year-old gate hanging off a post that Blackland Prairie clay has been quietly pushing out of plumb for five decades. We show up, find the real cause, and fix it without replacing parts that don’t need replacing.
Keypad Entry
When a Windcrest keypad beeps but the gate just sits there, homeowners assume the keypad died. Often it hasn’t. The safety photocells near the hinge post have drifted out of alignment because the post itself moved. The board sees a fault and locks out the entry command. We test the keypad, verify the photo eyes, and only replace the pad if it’s actually bad. A replacement keypad runs roughly $180 to $320 installed.
Remote Control
Remotes can fail in clusters after a hard freeze, especially with older boards that weren’t rated for sub-freezing temperatures. Windcrest got hit hard in February 2021, and we still see control boards that work fine in warm weather and stop accepting remotes when a cold snap drops overnight. Sometimes it’s a corroded antenna wire. Sometimes it’s capacitors on the receiver board. We test before we quote. Adding or replacing a standard remote control is $75 to $150 per remote, programmed and tested.
Phone Entry
A phone entry system lets you buzz a visitor through from your cell instead of walking to the panel. This is a smart retrofit for Windcrest homeowners with long driveways or gates near Midcrown, Walzem, or the quieter lanes off Jim Seal Drive. We can install a cellular-based phone entry device that works with most existing gate operators, including older Viking and DoorKing units. A phone entry retrofit starts around $450 and runs to $900 depending on whether we’re wiring to an existing operator or adding a cellular unit. No landline needed. See our Gate Access Control page for more.
My gate worked for years, but after the last big rain the keypad just beeps and the gate won’t move. What happened?
The ground under your hinge post got wet and swelled, and the post moved just enough to knock the safety photocells out of line. The board sees that misalignment and locks out the keypad command for safety. It’s the most common Windcrest call we take after a heavy rain, and the fix starts at the post, not at the keypad. Call (877) 610-2993 and we’ll sort it out.
Why does my remote work on some days and not others, especially after a hard freeze?
The receiver board or its antenna connection is temperature-sensitive. Windcrest’s older operators weren’t built for sub-freezing nights. When the board contracts in the cold, a marginal solder joint or aging capacitor can drop the signal, and the remote goes dead. It works again in the afternoon, which makes it feel random. It isn’t. We can test the board’s receive strength and replace what’s failing. Call (877) 610-2993.
Gate Parts & Welding in Windcrest
Gate parts and welding in Windcrest almost always start with the post, not the gate. The Blackland Prairie clay under this city shrinks in summer drought and swells after rain, heaving posts out of plumb and cracking ground-level welds on gates that have stood since the 1950s and 60s. That’s why our repair-first approach matters: we fix the post, re-weld the hinge plate, and put the gate back in service without hauling it off or selling you a replacement you don’t need.
Post Replacement
In Windcrest, post replacement is the repair we do more than any other. The expansive clay soil under this city doesn’t just settle – it moves. A post set in concrete 50 years ago may now be leaning 2 or 3 inches out of plumb, pulling the gate with it. We dig out the old footing, pour a deeper one sized for the soil conditions, and reset the post true. Then we re-hang the gate so it swings freely. Post replacement in Windcrest typically runs $400 to $900 depending on post size, footing depth, and whether we’re doing one post or both. Skip the post and fix the panel, and you’ll fix it twice.
Custom Welding
Ground-level welds on 1950s and 60s ornamental iron gates fail. Moisture sits at the base, rust eats the weld, and then the clay soil starts pushing on the post and finishes the job. We cut out the old metal, weld in new stock, and reinforce the hinge plate so it’s stronger than the original. Our welders work on site, in your driveway, with the gate still on its hinges. Custom welding repairs are usually $150 to $450 when we’re cutting out rust damage and reinforcing a hinge plate or rail joint.
Gate Roller Replacement
Sliding gates on Windcrest properties rely on rollers that take a beating from heat, dust, and the occasional freeze. When rollers wear flat or seize up, the gate starts dragging, the motor works harder, and eventually the operator burns out. We replace worn rollers with heavy-duty units sized for the gate’s weight and length, and we check the track alignment while we’re in there. Gate roller replacement runs $175 to $350 per gate, including parts and alignment. If the track has shifted because the ground moved, new rollers alone won’t solve it. We look for that. More information is on our Gate Parts & Welding page.
Why does my Windcrest gate post keep tilting after I’ve had it welded?
The weld isn’t the problem – the soil is. The expansive clay under Windcrest swells when it rains and shrinks when it dries, and that movement pushes against the underground portion of the post. If the footing isn’t deep enough or the post wasn’t set for this specific clay, it will tilt again regardless of how good the weld is. We reset the post with a footing sized for Blackland Prairie conditions, then weld.
My 1960s wrought iron gate has rusted through at the bottom hinge. Can it be saved?
In most Windcrest cases, yes. We cut out the rusted section, weld in new metal that matches the original profile, and reinforce the hinge plate so the repair outlasts the rust that caused it. If the post itself is rotted through, we replace that too. A gate doesn’t need to be scrapped just because the bottom hinge area has rotted. A full post-plus-weld-plus-rehang job on a 1960s ornamental iron gate often lands between $650 and $1,300.
Brands We Service in Windcrest
We stock parts and carry diagnostic tools for nine major brands: LiftMaster, FAAC, BFT, Linear, Viking, Ghost Controls, DoorKing, Elite, and Mighty Mule. Most common failures on Linear, Viking, and DoorKing units can be repaired same day from our mobile inventory. If we need to order a specialized board or gear assembly, we’ll tell you upfront and give you a realistic timeline. See our brands for full details.
Pricing for Gate Repair in Windcrest, TX
| Service | Typical Range in Windcrest |
|---|---|
| Simple hinge and latch tune-up | $185 - $275 |
| Post reset and realignment | $320 - $520 |
| Control board replacement (Linear/DoorKing) | $280 - $450 |
| Full operator replacement | $640 - $1,400 |
| Single pedestrian gate installation | $1,800 - $2,500 |
| Single driveway swing gate with operator | $3,200 - $5,000 |
| Double swing gate with heavy-duty operator | $4,500 - $8,500 |
| Sliding gate hardware (track, roller, cantilever) | $800 - $2,000 |
| Motor diagnostic and minor repair | $185 - $320 |
| Motor repair with gear or board replacement | $280 - $520 |
| Slide motor replacement (wide/heavy gate) | $900 - $1,800 |
| Post replacement | $400 - $900 |
What pushes price up in Windcrest is almost always the soil: a post that has heaved several inches needs deeper excavation and more concrete than one that’s barely shifted. The number we quote is the number on the invoice, agreed before we touch a tool. We don’t show up with one price and hand you another at the door.
Neighborhoods We Serve in Windcrest
We cover all of Windcrest, from the streets near Windcrest Elementary down to the homes around Windcrest Country Club and the neighborhoods along Crestway Drive. We’re inside the 78239 ZIP code regularly. Typical response time for repairs in Windcrest is same day or next morning. Emergencies get priority.
- Windcrest Country Club area
- Homes off Midcresst Drive
- Streets near Crestway Drive
- Windcrest Original Townsite
- Areas near Walzem Road
Service Area - Cities Near Windcrest
We work throughout the San Antonio metro area with no trip charge inside Bexar County. If you’re near Windcrest, you may also be close to our service in Converse, TX, Live Oak, TX, Kirby, TX, Universal City, TX, or Alamo Heights, TX. Dispatch and scheduling are coordinated from our San Antonio office; crews serve Windcrest, TX locally.
Serving Windcrest, TX - Our Local Coverage Area
Gatewood Fence & Gate crews serve Windcrest and the communities around it; dispatch is coordinated from our San Antonio office. The map shows the Windcrest coverage area; if your address is on it, we can help.
Also serving nearby: Windcrest, TX, Converse, TX, Live Oak, TX, Kirby, TX, Universal City, TX, Alamo Heights, TX.
FAQs About Gate Repair in Windcrest
We cover the entire 78239 ZIP code, from the older homes along Midcrown and Crestway to the edges near Eisenhauer Road and Walzem. Windcrest is not a big city, and we know the streets. If you’re inside city limits, you’re inside our service area, and there’s no trip charge inside the county.
No, our pricing is the same across the metro area. There’s no Windcrest markup and no trip charge inside Bexar County. The things that genuinely affect price are the amount of post movement, the condition of the existing welds, and whether we’re repairing the operator or just the gate hardware. Everything is quoted before work begins.
Every job we do carries our 90-Day Done Right Promise in writing. If it’s not done right, one call brings us back, no runaround, no arguing. That applies to every hinge reset, weld, operator repair, and realignment we complete in Windcrest. The promise is on the invoice, not buried in fine print, and Hal’s name is on the shop down the road.
Call (877) 610-2993 for a free estimate. A live person answers any hour, and we’ll give you a straight answer on when we can be there and what it will cost before any work starts.
What happens when you call
- 1A real person answersNo phone trees - talk to a local gate repair pro.
- 2You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched. No surprises.
- 3We come out and measureLicensed & insured, at a time that suits you - the visit and the quote are both free.
- 4You get the price in writingLine-itemed, yours to keep, and nothing starts until you say go.
What Windcrest Customers Say
"Fitted a keypad and an intercom so my mother can let carers in without coming down the drive. He set it up and then made her practise with it until she was comfortable."
- Lucinda Marchbanks"Beautiful gate and solid work. The build took about three weeks longer than the estimate because he was waiting on the ironwork, and I would rather have known that at the start than found out along the way."
- Beatrice Nwosu"Operator had died and the manufacturer no longer makes the board. Rather than sell me a whole new system he found a compatible unit and adapted the mount. Saved me a great deal of money."
- Salvador Arredondo