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.
Before
After
Before
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AfterFast, Reliable Gate Installation Across South Pasadena
A new driveway or pedestrian gate in South Pasadena typically costs between $2,400 and $7,800 installed, depending on material, size, and whether we’re rebuilding the existing posts or pouring new footings. Most installations on pre-1940 properties take 2 to 4 days once materials arrive, because the masonry work and period details can’t be rushed. We’re Gatewood Fence & Gate, and we’ve been answering our own phone since 2001. Call (877) 610-2993 and Hal Gatewood will talk you through what your gate actually needs, usually before we ever set foot on the property.
South Pasadena isn’t like other cities we work in. The housing stock is older, the street trees are protected, and the historic review process means you can’t always just order a modern aluminum panel and call it done. We know that going in. It changes how we quote, what we recommend, and how we sequence the work. If you live in the 91030 or 91031 zip code, you’re in our regular service area and we know the streets, the setbacks, and the tree-root problems as well as you do.
Why Gatewood Fence & Gate Is South Pasadena’s Preferred Gate Installation Company
Hal Gatewood started this company in 2001 and his name is still on the shop, the invoices, and the work. We’re not a national outfit with a rotating crew. The person who measures your gate is likely the same person who welds it, sets the posts, and comes back if anything’s wrong. In South Pasadena, that matters because a gate on a 1925 Craftsman doesn’t follow a manual. It follows what the house gives you.
Our customers in South Pasadena call us for a few reasons that come up again and again. We show up when we say we will. We quote a price before work starts, and that’s the price. We weld on site, which means your original ironwork stays in your driveway instead of getting hauled somewhere. And every job comes with our 90-Day Done Right Promise in writing. If something isn’t right, you call and Hal comes back. No runaround, no phone tree. You call, a person answers.
We also understand South Pasadena’s permitting and design review reality better than an out-of-town company ever could. When a historic district flags a replacement gate, we can tell you what’s likely to be approved and what isn’t before you spend money on drawings or materials. That local knowledge saves homeowners real time and real dollars.
Our Gate Installation Services in South Pasadena
Driveway Gate
Driveway gates are the bulk of our installation work in South Pasadena, because so many homes here have deep lots with formal front entries. A new steel or wood driveway gate paired with an opener runs $4,200 to $7,800 on average in this market. If you have original masonry pillars on a property near Meridian Avenue or Fairview Avenue, we’ll assess whether the footing needs rebuilding before we hang anything new. Hanging a new gate on a pier that’s been lifted by tree roots is a wasted job, and we won’t do it that way.
Pedestrian Gate
Pedestrian gates on South Pasadena bungalows are often original to the house, which means wrought iron or old-growth redwood that has spent 80 to 100 years in the Southern California sun. When replacement is the right call, we fabricate to match the existing style and proportion. A custom pedestrian gate here generally runs $1,200 to $3,400, depending on material and whether we’re building new posts or reusing sound existing ones.
Sliding Gate
Sliding gates are less common in South Pasadena than swing gates, mostly because the older properties were laid out for gates that open outward or inward rather than traveling sideways along a fence line. But on narrower lots or driveways with limited swing clearance, a sliding gate can be the right answer. Expect $3,800 to $6,500 for a manual sliding gate, and more if you’re adding a motor. We’ll run the power, set the track, and install the safety edges and photocells as code requires.
Swing Gate
Swing gates are the native gate style for most South Pasadena homes, and we handle more of these than any other type. Whether it’s a double gate across a wide driveway or a single pedestrian gate at a side entry, swing gates in this area frequently involve repairing or rebuilding the hinge posts before installation can happen. That’s not an upsell. It’s just what old masonry and shifting soil demand. A swing gate installation with new posts typically falls between $2,800 and $5,500.
For full details on how we approach each type, read more about our Gate Installation process.
What happens when you call
- 1
A real person answersNo phone trees - you reach a local pro.
- 2
You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
- 3
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 South Pasadena
We’re certified to install and service nine major gate opener brands, including LiftMaster, FAAC, DoorKing, Elite, Ghost Controls, and Viking. For South Pasadena customers, that means we can usually match an existing opener brand rather than forcing you into an entirely new system. We keep common control boards, safety edges, and accessories in stock, so a same-week repair or installation isn’t unusual. And if your existing gate has a proprietary motor from a brand we don’t carry, we’ll tell you how to get parts rather than sell you something you don’t need.
Common Gate Installation Problems We See in South Pasadena Homes
- Heaved masonry piers from protected tree roots. South Pasadena’s 80-to-100-year-old street trees are protected by city ordinance, and their root systems routinely push original gate pillars off plumb. You can’t fix that by adjusting the gate panel. The footing has to be exposed, repoured, and reset first.
- Santa Ana wind damage on old iron and wood gates. When the Santa Anas funnel through the San Gabriel Valley, they hit South Pasadena’s mature tree canopy and dump debris with real force. We regularly see bent hinges, racked gates, and cracked posts after a single strong wind event.
- Historic district design review stalls simple replacements. On contributing properties, a modern panel swap often requires approval that matches period materials and style. Homeowners who try to skip that step end up with a gate they can’t permit or a fines notice. We help you file it right the first time.
- Dry-season wood shrinkage causes recurring misalignment. South Pasadena’s rainless summers dry out century-old redwood and Douglas fir gate boards enough that latches stop catching and hinges carry extra load. Owners often think it’s a one-time fix, but on original wood gates it’s a seasonal rhythm. We can retrofit hardware that tolerates that movement.
Pricing for Gate Installation in South Pasadena, CA
| Gate Type | Typical South Pasadena Range |
|---|---|
| Pedestrian gate (wood or iron, new posts) | $1,200 - $3,400 |
| Driveway swing gate (single, with new posts) | $2,800 - $5,500 |
| Driveway swing gate (double, with opener) | $4,200 - $7,800 |
| Sliding gate (manual) | $3,800 - $6,500 |
| Sliding gate (automatic) | $5,200 - $9,000 |
| Masonry pier repair or footing rebuild | $900 - $2,600 per pier |
| Opener, control board, and safety edge install | $1,100 - $2,800 |
These are real numbers for the South Pasadena market, not national averages. The biggest variables are what the existing posts look like, whether we’re working on a historic property with review conditions, and how much site access affects the labor. We quote everything before work begins. You’ll know the number, in writing, before we pour concrete or hang a hinge. Estimates are free. Call (877) 610-2993 and we’ll give you a firm figure, not a guess.
We Also Serve Cities Near South Pasadena
While this page is for South Pasadena homeowners, we regularly install and repair gates in South Pasadena and the surrounding communities: Alhambra, Pasadena, San Marino, and San Gabriel. If you’re in one of those areas, the same crew and the same upfront pricing apply. You’ll just get a different set of historical quirks to work around.
Serving South Pasadena, CA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the South Pasadena 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 South Pasadena
If your property is in one of South Pasadena’s historic districts or is a contributing structure, probably not without design review approval. The city’s preservation standards require replacement materials to match the period character of the original. That usually means wrought iron, not powder-coated tubular steel. We can guide you through what the review board will accept before you spend money. Call (877) 610-2993 to talk it through.
Because South Pasadena’s long, rainless summers shrink century-old redwood boards enough to change how the gate hangs and latches. The wood swells and contracts with seasonal moisture, and that movement works hinges and latch hardware loose over time. Retrofitting with modern, adjustable hardware helps, but on original gates, an annual tightening is normal maintenance. We can set it up so the adjustments are quick.
Santa Ana wind events drive debris and dust through South Pasadena’s mature street canopy, and that material can knock safety photocells out of alignment or coat the sensor lenses enough to trigger false stops. We’ve also seen wind-whipped gates stress the operator’s pull-to brackets and bend the mounting arms. After a big wind event, a sensor alignment check is the fastest fix, and it’s something we can usually handle the same day.
If the gate is on a historic contributing property, the city’s design review process will likely apply to any visible change, including a new gate or substantial alterations. The automatic operator itself falls under California’s UL 325 safety requirements regardless of historic status, which means safety edges and photocells are mandatory, not optional. We handle both the design review paperwork and the safety compliance as part of the install.
Most of the “sagging gate” calls we get in South Pasadena are actually a hinge post problem, not a panel problem and not an operator problem. On a Meridian Avenue Craftsman, we found a 1920s redwood swing gate that had been racked by Santa Ana winds. The real culprit was a heaved post footing from a protected street tree root. We reset the footing, straightened the hinge post, and retrofitted the original wood with a modern LiftMaster operator and safety photocells, keeping the period look while meeting UL 325. If the gate is sagging, the post is almost always where it starts. Call (877) 610-2993 for an honest assessment of what’s actually failing.
Written by Hal Gatewood, Owner at Gatewood Fence & Gate, serving South Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley since 2001.