If you are researching driveway gates for your London property, the first question on your mind is probably "how much is this going to cost?" The honest answer is that it depends on several factors, but we can give you a clear picture of what homeowners across London are actually paying in 2026.
We have collected pricing data from dozens of vetted installers across our network, covering everything from basic manual wooden gates to fully automated sliding systems with video intercoms and smart home integration. The figures below reflect real quotes from completed London jobs, not manufacturer list prices or catalogue estimates.
It is also worth understanding why London prices tend to sit higher than the national average. Access challenges, parking restrictions in central and inner boroughs, higher labour rates, and the premium materials that London buyers tend to specify all push costs upward. That said, a well-installed gate in London is one of the shrewder home improvements you can make, both for security and for resale value.
Electric Sliding Gates: £4,500 to £12,000
Electric sliding gates are the most popular choice for London driveways where space is limited. They move horizontally along a track, which means you do not need any swing clearance behind the gate line. A standard aluminium sliding gate with a reliable motor, two remote handsets, and safety photocells typically starts at around £4,500 fully installed.
At the higher end of the market, bespoke steel or wrought iron sliding gates with powder coating, a video intercom, keypad entry, and smartphone control push toward £10,000 to £12,000. The biggest cost drivers are gate width, the overall weight of the gate, and the complexity of the automation package you choose.
Cantilever sliding gates, which do not rely on a ground track and instead hang from a counterbalanced rail, are more expensive still. They suit sloped driveways and properties with uneven surfaces where a conventional track would be difficult to lay level. Expect to add £800 to £2,000 for a cantilever system over a standard tracked installation.
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Electric Swing Gates: £3,500 to £10,000
Swing gates are the classic choice and tend to be somewhat cheaper than sliding because there is no ground track to install. A pair of timber or steel swing gates with above-ground ram-arm motors starts at around £3,500. Mid-range installations with intercom access and a bespoke design typically sit between £5,000 and £7,500.
Premium swing gate projects with hand-forged ironwork, hidden underground motors, video entry systems, and full smart home integration can reach £10,000 or more. If your driveway has a significant slope, you should budget an additional £500 to £1,500 for the extra engineering required.
One consideration that is easy to overlook is pillar or post condition. If you are installing new brick or stone pillars as part of the project, add £800 to £2,500 per pair depending on the material and height.
Wooden Driveway Gates: £2,500 to £8,000
Timber gates offer the widest price range of any material because the wood species makes a significant difference to both cost and longevity. Softwood gates made from treated redwood or pine start from around £2,500 installed. Hardwood options such as iroko or European oak typically fall between £4,000 and £6,000, while Accoya pushes prices toward £6,000 to £8,000.
These figures include hanging, sealing, and a first treatment coat, but do not include automation. If you want electric operation added to timber gates, budget an additional £1,200 to £3,500 depending on the motor type and access control features you require.
Timber gates are a particularly strong choice for period properties in conservation areas or streets with character restrictions. A well-specified wooden gate sits naturally within a Victorian or Edwardian streetscape in a way that powder-coated aluminium simply cannot replicate.
Metal Driveway Gates: £2,800 to £9,500
Steel and aluminium gates cover a broad price spectrum. A simple flat-bar aluminium design with powder coating starts at around £2,800. Bespoke mild steel gates with hot-dip galvanising, intricate laser-cut patterns, and RAL colour matching typically cost between £4,500 and £7,000. Hand-forged wrought iron with traditional scrollwork can reach £9,500 or beyond.
Metal gates are often the best long-term investment because maintenance costs are virtually nil once the protective coating is properly applied. A quality galvanised and powder-coated steel gate should go 20 years or more without significant attention.
What Affects the Final Price?
- Gate width: wider openings need larger, heavier gates and more powerful motors, with costs rising sharply above 4.5 metres
- Material choice: aluminium is the lightest and most cost-effective metal, while wrought iron is the heaviest and most expensive per metre
- Automation level: a basic two-remote system versus a full intercom, keypad, and smartphone control package
- Ground conditions: London clay, sloped driveways, drainage complications, and uneven surfaces all add to groundwork costs
- Design complexity: off-the-shelf patterns cost less than fully bespoke fabrication
- Access logistics: tight streets and parking restrictions in inner London can add meaningfully to labour costs
- Pillar or post work: new brick, stone, or steel pillars add £800 to £2,500 per pair
Intercom and Access Control: What to Budget
Many homeowners underestimate what they want from an intercom system until the gate is installed. Adding a basic wired audio intercom costs around £200 to £400. A wired colour video intercom with night vision typically adds £400 to £800. A smart Wi-Fi video intercom that lets you answer the gate from your phone costs £600 to £1,200 installed.
Keypads that allow trusted visitors to enter a PIN code cost around £150 to £300. Battery backup units cost £200 to £400. If you want all of these together as a complete package, budget an additional £1,000 to £2,500 on top of the gate and motor costs.
How to Get the Best Value
The most effective single step you can take to get a fair price is to compare quotes from multiple experienced installers. Not three random firms found through a generic directory, but three vetted specialists who have completed dozens of similar residential projects in London. That is exactly what our free matching service provides.
Every installer in our London network has completed at least 50 residential gate installations, carries full public liability insurance, and offers written warranties on both materials and workmanship.
A final note on pricing: be cautious of quotes that seem unusually cheap. In gate installation, low prices often signal thinner steel sections, cheaper motor brands with shorter lifespans, missing safety features, or shortcuts in the groundwork. The difference between a gate that performs flawlessly for 15 years and one that causes problems within 18 months often comes down to a few hundred pounds in material and labour quality.
