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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AfterFast, Reliable Gate Installation Across San Anselmo
Gate installation in San Anselmo runs from about $1,800 for a basic single swing gate to $9,500+ for a custom ornamental double gate with automation. Most installations we do here take one to two days on site, with the exact timeline depending on whether we’re setting new posts, running power, or hanging a heavy steel gate on a sloped lot. If you live near San Anselmo Creek or off Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, the footing work matters more than the gate itself, and that’s where local experience saves you real money down the line. Call (877) 610-2993 and you’ll get Hal or someone on his crew who has actually worked in San Anselmo, not a call center reading from a script.
Why Gatewood Fence & Gate Is San Anselmo’s Preferred Gate Installation Company
Hal Gatewood started this company in 2001, and he still answers the phone himself most days. San Anselmo homeowners call us because we show up when we say we will, quote a price before any work starts, and stand behind every gate we hang with a 90-Day Done Right Promise in writing. That promise isn’t buried in fine print. If something isn’t right, Hal comes back and makes it right. No runaround.
We work throughout the Ross Valley, and San Anselmo has its own set of gate problems that you don’t see in drier towns. The creek and the shade change how fast wood rots. The hills change how a gate hangs. And the older Craftsman homes here need hardware that matches what was installed in 1924, not whatever the big box store has on the shelf. Fix the panel without addressing the post and you’ll fix it twice. That’s the kind of thing we check before we ever quote a job.
Every call is answered by a live person, 24/7. The person who shows up in San Anselmo is background-checked and uniformed. Hal’s name is on the shop and on every invoice. You can drive to the shop and look him in the eye if you want to. That’s the oldest accountability there is.
Our Gate Installation Services in San Anselmo
Driveway Gate Installation
A driveway gate in San Anselmo typically runs $3,200 to $9,500 installed, depending on width, material, and whether you want automation. Most homes here have narrow, sloped driveways off roads like Butterfield or Ross Avenue, which means we usually fabricate the gate to a specific opening rather than ordering something that sort of fits. We handle the full job: post footings, gate fabrication, operator installation, safety sensors, and the final tune so the gate closes without slamming. The price is agreed before we start, and it does not change at the door.
Pedestrian Gate Installation
Pedestrian gates in San Anselmo run $800 to $2,600 for a standard steel or wood gate with proper posts and hardware. These are the gates people actually use every day, and on older San Anselmo lots they’re often set into existing fence lines that have shifted over decades. We fit the gate to the existing opening when that makes sense, or reset the post when it doesn’t. A gate sags in the hinge post, not in the middle, and that’s where we start.
Sliding Gate Installation
Sliding gates are common on San Anselmo properties where the driveway meets the road at a steep angle and a swing gate would collide with the grade. Installed sliding gates here run $4,500 to $12,000, including the track, motor, and safety edges. Creek-corridor properties need the track set with extra clearance because flood debris can wedge under the gate and jam the operator. We size the track and set the clearance for how San Anselmo water actually moves, not a generic spec sheet.
Swing Gate Installation
Swing gates account for most of what we install in San Anselmo, especially on the Craftsman and Victorian-era properties throughout the flats and the Seminary area. A double swing gate with automation runs $5,500 to $14,000 depending on the weight of the gate and the operator you choose. Heavy ornamental steel gates need the hinge posts set deeper and with more concrete than a standard gate, because flood-saturated soil shifts posts even when they look solid. We size the footings for that, every time.
What happens when you call
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A real person answersNo phone trees - you reach a local pro.
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You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
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A background-checked tech heads outLicensed & insured, dispatched right away.
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You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
Trusted Brands We Service in San Anselmo
We install and service FAAC, BFT, Linear, and Viking operators, among others. If you already have a gate motor from one of these brands and it’s failing, we can often repair it in place rather than replacing the whole unit. For San Anselmo customers, we keep common operators and safety components in stock locally, which means we’re not waiting on a warehouse three states away when your gate won’t close. For a full breakdown of our Gate Installation services across Marin, see the main page.
Common Gate Installation Problems We See in San Anselmo Homes
- Flood-loosened post footings. After the wet winters San Anselmo gets, even concrete-set hinge posts can heave and shift, throwing a gate out of plumb. We see this constantly on creek-side properties and lots near the downtown flood corridor.
- Waterlogged wooden posts and lower rails. The Ross Valley gets 40 to 50 inches of rain in a normal year, and the limited winter sun means wood dries slowly. Rot sets in at the mortise joints and post bases before you see any visible sag in the gate.
- Debris damage from high water. Gates near San Anselmo Creek take hits from branches and debris during storm events. Bent frames and misaligned slide tracks are common, and operators installed without local flood clearance jam when the gate binds.
- Historic hardware mismatch. Many San Anselmo homes have original period-style gates, and owners don’t want a generic replacement. Matching the ironwork profile, hinge style, and finish to a 1920s Craftsman gate requires custom fabrication, not a catalog order.
Pricing for Gate Installation in San Anselmo, CA
Here’s what we typically see in San Anselmo for gate installation work:
- Pedestrian gate, steel or wood, single: $800 to $2,600
- Single swing driveway gate, manual: $1,800 to $4,500
- Single swing driveway gate, automated: $3,800 to $7,500
- Double swing driveway gate, automated: $5,500 to $14,000
- Sliding gate with automation: $4,500 to $12,000
- Custom ornamental gate with underground operator: $8,000 to $20,000+
What moves the price is the gate’s size and weight, the condition of the existing posts, whether we need to run power, and whether the lot slopes enough to require custom fabrication. Poor soil near the creek adds footing depth and concrete volume. Every quote is written and agreed before any work starts. We also offer $40 off any repair over $200, no trip charge inside the county, and a permanent 10% discount for seniors and veterans. Call (877) 610-2993 for a free estimate on your San Anselmo gate.
We Also Serve Cities Near San Anselmo
Our crews work throughout the Ross Valley and central Marin. If you’re in Fairfax, Kentfield, San Rafael, or Larkspur, we can schedule a free measure and written quote for your gate project. For more on how we serve the broader area, see our page on Gate Installation in San Anselmo and the surrounding communities.
Serving San Anselmo, CA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the San Anselmo area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage - if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
FAQs - Gate Installation in San Anselmo
Yes. Creek-side and flood-corridor properties in San Anselmo need post footings designed for saturated soil shift, not just the dead load of the gate. Flood-saturated ground moves even concrete-set posts, which is why we enlarge the footing, set posts deeper, and use a concrete volume that accounts for soil heave. This isn’t a standard detail on a spec sheet. It’s what we learned from installing gates through the 2005 flood and every wet winter since. If you’re near the creek, ask any contractor how they’re handling that before you sign. Call (877) 610-2993 and we’ll walk the site with you.
Yes, we match ornamental ironwork profile, hinge style, and finish to the period of your home. Many San Anselmo gates are original to the house, and owners want them repaired or reproduced, not replaced with something generic. We do on-site welding and custom fabrication, which means we can repair the existing gate in your driveway or build a matching section that’s indistinguishable from the original. The name is on the shop, and the shop is down the road. Call (877) 610-2993 and describe what you have.
For a heavy ornamental gate, an underground operator is often the right choice because it handles the weight without a visible arm or a bulky above-ground motor. A FAAC underground operator runs about $3,500 to $7,000 installed as part of a new gate project in San Anselmo. The trade-off is that underground operators need proper drainage and a sealed vault, especially in wet, shady lots where water pools. They’re not right for every property, but on a steep driveway or a formal entry, they’re the quietest and cleanest option. We’ll tell you honestly if your site would be better served by an above-ground unit.
We set slide gate tracks with extra clearance, use sealed motor housings and elevated control boards, and install photocells with debris-tolerant positioning. Gates near Sir Francis Drake and the creek corridor take debris hits during high-water events, and an operator installed without local flood clearance will jam when the gate binds. Last winter, our crew installed a custom ornamental swing gate on a steep Craftsman-era lot near Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, replacing a waterlogged wooden post with a concrete footing enlarged for flood-saturated soil. We hung a steel double gate with a FAAC underground operator, aligned the rack and pinion drive, set safety photocells across the entry, then re-tuned the close force so the gate seals without slamming after weeks of rain. That’s the standard we apply to every San Anselmo install.
Any new automatic gate in San Anselmo must meet California and UL 325 entrapment protection requirements, which means safety photocells or contact edges, a reversing mechanism, and proper warning signage. A gate that can injure someone is a liability you own forever, and it’s not something to cut corners on. We install and test every sensor as part of the job, and we show you how to test them yourself. If a gate isn’t safe, it doesn’t leave our truck. Call (877) 610-2993 for a free estimate, and we’ll walk you through exactly what your installation will include.
Contact Gatewood Fence & Gate for Gate Installation in San Anselmo
If you need a gate installed in San Anselmo, call (877) 610-2993. You’ll get Hal or someone on his crew, a straight answer, and a written price before any work starts. We serve all of San Anselmo, including the Seminary area, the flats near downtown, and the hillside lots off Butterfield and Ross Avenue. Estimates are free. The name is on the shop, and the shop is down the road.
Written by Hal Gatewood, Owner at Gatewood Fence & Gate, serving San Anselmo since 2001.