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 Repair Across Austin
Gate repair in Austin, TX usually runs $180 to $340 for common fixes like realignment or hinge work, and most jobs are done same day. The hard part isn’t the gate itself. It’s knowing whether you’re on Edwards Plateau limestone or Blackland Prairie clay, because the ground under your post decides what failed and how we fix it. We cover every Austin ZIP from 78723 to 73301, and a live person answers when you call (877) 610-2993.
Hal Gatewood started this company in 2001 and still runs it himself. He’s the person who picks up the phone at 2 a.m. when your gate won’t close and your dog is loose. If you want to verify who you’re dealing with, drive to the shop and look him in the eye. That’s how it works here.
Why Gatewood Fence & Gate Is Austin’s Preferred Gate Repair Company
We’ve fixed gates on both sides of I-35 long enough to know the city’s split personality. West Austin sits on limestone. East Austin sits on clay that shrinks and swells with every drought-flood cycle. A post that tilts in 78702 usually needs a different repair than one that shifts in 78703, and a company that treats them the same will be back out in six months to fix it again. We’d rather do it once.
Every job carries the 90-Day Done Right Promise, stamped in writing. If it’s not right, one call brings Hal back. No runaround, no arguing about what the warranty covers. The name is on the shop, and the shop is down the road. That’s the oldest accountability there is.
We answer calls with a live person around the clock. Not a voicemail, not a phone tree. When your gate is stuck open at midnight in Wells Branch or Anderson Mill, you talk to someone who knows gates and can tell you what to do before we get there.
Our Gate Repair Services in Austin
Electric Gate Repair
Electric gate repair in Austin typically runs $200 to $450 depending on the operator and what’s failed. We service LiftMaster, FAAC, BFT, and Linear systems, and we diagnose the control board before we start swapping parts. Older FAAC boards from the mid-2000s are a common sight in Austin, especially after a hard freeze or a long stretch of triple-digit heat. Some can be repaired. Some can’t, and we’ll tell you straight before you spend a dollar.
Automatic Gate Repair
Automatic gates don’t just stop working. They usually warn you first: a stutter when opening, a gate that reverses for no reason, or an operator that sounds like it’s working harder than it should. In Austin’s summer heat, rubber seals and limit switches degrade faster than manufacturers expect. When we come out, we check safety edges and photo eyes too. A gate that doesn’t stop when it should is a liability, not just an inconvenience.
Hinge & Post Repair
Hinge and post repair is where Austin’s geology really shows up. East of I-35, Blackland Prairie clay heaves hinge posts during drought-to-flood cycles. A gate that sagged in July may sit straight by November, then sag again in March. We reset posts below the active clay zone when possible, or use concrete collars and sister posts where the ground won’t cooperate. West of I-35, we’re usually hammer-drilling into caliche hardpan just to get a solid footing.
Gate Realignment
Gate realignment in Austin usually runs $150 to $300. The gate sags in the hinge post, not in the middle. That’s where we start. In East Austin, clay movement is the usual culprit. In Tarrytown and 78704, live oak roots push against footings slowly over decades. Either way, fixing the panel without addressing the post means you’ll fix it twice.
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 Austin
We’re certified to service nine major gate brands, and we keep common Austin parts in stock so we aren’t waiting on a distributor in Dallas for a FAAC limit switch or a Linear control board. Most repair jobs don’t need a full operator replacement, but when they do, we quote the brand that fits what you have, not whatever’s easiest for us. Hal has been welding on site since 2001, so when a Viking hinge bracket cracks or a BFT arm bends, we usually repair it in your driveway instead of hauling the gate off to a shop.
Common Gate Repair Problems We See in Austin Homes
- East Austin post heave from clay movement. The Blackland Prairie clay in 78702 and nearby eastern corridors shrinks in drought and swells after rain. Hinge posts tilt seasonally, gates bind, and latches stop aligning. A proper fix means getting the post below the active clay zone, not just shimming the hinges and hoping.
- Legacy operator board failure. Older DoorKing and FAAC control boards crack after February ice events or fail after prolonged 100°F+ summers. Replacement boards for 20-year-old operators are hit or miss. When the board is discontinued, a new operator is often cheaper than hunting down a used part.
- Heritage live oak root interference. In 78703 and 78704, mature live oaks press against gate posts for decades. Austin’s heritage tree ordinance protects live oaks above 19 inches in diameter, so you can’t just cut the root. We move the post, sister a new footing, or relocate the gate path around the root zone.
- Rack and pinion wear on sliding gates. East Austin’s older sliding gates often jam because the gear teeth wear down while the track stays straight. Show me the gate closing on its own and I’ll show you where it’s failing. Usually it’s a worn gear on the operator, but a bent track needs straightening or replacement before you burn out another motor.
Pricing for Gate Repair in Austin, TX
Here’s what we see across Austin for common repairs:
- Gate realignment: $150 to $300
- Hinge replacement or rebuild: $180 to $350 per hinge assembly
- Post reset or reinforcement: $400 to $900 depending on depth and clay conditions
- Electric gate board repair or replacement: $200 to $450
- Full operator replacement: $800 to $2,200 installed, depending on brand and gate size
- On-site welding repair: $120 to $400 per section
The price you’re quoted on the phone is the price you pay when the job’s done. You agree to the number before any work starts, in writing. No trip charge inside the county. Seniors and veterans get 10% off, permanently. And if you have a written estimate from another company, bring it in. Hal will give you a free second opinion.
We Also Serve Cities Near Austin
Our Gate Repair crew covers the whole Austin metro, including Hornsby Bend, Wells Branch, Anderson Mill, and Jollyville. If you’re just outside the city line, call anyway. We cross county lines every day, and we’ll tell you straight if we can get there today or first thing tomorrow. This page has focused on Austin, but everything we do here applies to most surrounding areas. See our Austin service area page for full coverage details.
Serving Austin, TX - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Austin 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 Repair in Austin
Your post is sitting in Blackland Prairie clay, which expands when it gets wet and shrinks when it dries. After a heavy rain, the clay swells unevenly and tilts the post. The fix is resetting the post below the active clay zone or reinforcing it with a concrete collar big enough to resist the seasonal movement. Call (877) 610-2993 and we’ll dig into it and tell you what your specific post needs.
Sometimes we can repair it, sometimes replacement is the cheaper answer. If the board is the problem and we can source a replacement, repair makes sense. If the motor bearings are shot and the limit switches are worn, you’re looking at most of the cost of a new operator anyway, and a new one comes with a manufacturer warranty. We’ll diagnose it honestly and give you both options with prices before any work starts.
Probably not. Austin’s heritage tree ordinance protects live oaks above 19 inches in diameter, and cutting a major root can kill the tree and trigger fines. The better fix is moving the post to a clear spot, sistering a new post next to the old one, or relocating the gate path around the root zone. We’ve done this plenty of times in Tarrytown and South Austin. Call (877) 610-2993 and we’ll look at your tree and your gate before recommending anything.
Most of the time it’s a worn gear on the operator, especially on gates installed before 2010 that have never had the gear replaced. But if the track is bent, either from clay movement shifting the slab or from years of gate weight on an underbuilt footing, replacing the gear alone won’t fix it for long. We check the track straightness first. Then we tell you what’s actually causing the jam before we sell you a part.
The short answer is that if your gate was installed before 2016, it probably doesn’t. Current code requires monitored photo eyes, functioning safety edges, and an operator that automatically reverses when it hits an obstruction. Older systems often lack one or all of those. We can inspect your gate during a regular repair call and tell you what needs upgrading to meet current standards. Estimates are free at (877) 610-2993.
Contact Us for Gate Repair in Austin
If your gate won’t open, your post is tilting, or your operator just stopped responding, call (877) 610-2993. A live person answers, day or night. We’ll give you a straight price before any work starts, and every job carries the 90-Day Done Right Promise in writing. Austin is our home, not a territory on a map. Hal will be there himself, or you can drive to the shop and look him in the eye.
Written by Hal Gatewood, Owner at Gatewood Fence & Gate, serving Austin since 2001.