Why there is no price per metre
Two gates of identical width can differ threefold. That isn't a matter of margin, it's a matter of material and labour: a two-metre open gate in light sections and a four-metre solid gate, automated, galvanised then powder-coated, have nothing in common but the word "gate".
A published rate would therefore be either wrong, or so broad it teaches you nothing. We would rather explain what actually weighs in the calculation.
The seven factors that set the price
1. Dimensions and weight
The width of the opening and the height govern everything else. The wider a leaf, the further it cantilevers on its hinges, and the heavier the sections have to be. Steel weight doesn't rise in proportion to width: it rises faster.
2. Swing or sliding
A swing gate needs two solid anchor points and room to open. A sliding gate needs a track or a cantilever structure, a carriage, a top guide, and above all a run-back length at least equal to the width of the opening. The choice often depends on the ground more than on taste: a sloping driveway frequently rules out a swing gate.
3. The infill: open or solid
Bars let light and wind through. A solid panel, chosen for privacy, weighs more and catches the wind like a sail: it calls for heavier stiles, reinforced hinges and, when automated, a more powerful motor. It is one of the areas where an aesthetic choice has the greatest technical consequences.
4. Design complexity
Straight bars are cut and assembled quickly. Hot-forged scrolls, collars and individually bent pieces take forge hours that cannot be recovered anywhere else. A repeated motif costs less than the same number of pieces all different.
5. The finish
This is the most underestimated item, and the one that determines how long the work lasts. Three levels exist: powder coating alone, hot-dip galvanising, and galvanising followed by powder coating. The last is the most durable, and the most expensive. In the Belgian climate, plain paint on bare steel is a false economy.
6. Automation
The motor is only part of the item: power has to be brought to the gate, safety cells fitted, and a control chosen — remote, keypad or intercom. One point matters: allowing for automation at the design stage costs far less than adding it two years later to a gate that was never sized for it.
7. The support and the installation
Pillars in good condition change everything. If they have to be built, rebuilt, or a slope compensated for, installation becomes a project in its own right. The anchoring method, access for equipment and the nature of the substrate weigh as much as the steel.
What a proper quote covers
A complete quote covers the on-site survey, the drawings, workshop fabrication, transport, installation, anchoring and the finish. If it states neither the exact finish nor the installation method, it cannot be compared with any other.
With us, the visit, the survey and the detailed quote are free, and the answer comes within 48 hours. The craftsman who will make the piece is the one who comes to measure.
Why one quote can be half the price
A wide gap between two quotes almost always has a technical explanation. The most common:
- imported standard panels, cut down on site, rather than a piece drawn for your opening;
- paint on bare steel instead of galvanising: invisible on delivery, visible after three winters;
- lighter sections, which hold at assembly but sag over time;
- no prior site visit, with the extras that surface on installation day;
- installation subcontracted to a team that did not make the piece.
None of these choices is illegitimate in itself. They simply have to be known before you compare two figures.
Lead times
Between approving the quote and installation, allow for workshop fabrication and for surface treatment, which is done externally in the case of galvanising. A precise lead time comes with the quote: it depends on the workshop's load at the time of order, and we would rather state it honestly than promise it short.
Frequently asked questions
Can you give me a ballpark over the phone?
We can give an order of magnitude once the dimensions, the opening type and the finish are known. Those are exactly the three things an on-site survey settles without guesswork, and the survey is free.
Is the quote free?
Yes. The visit, the survey and the detailed quote are free, with an answer within 48 hours.
Galvanising or powder coating: which should I choose?
Powder coating gives the colour and the surface finish. Hot-dip galvanising protects the steel throughout, including the areas nobody will ever repaint. For outdoor work meant to last, combining the two remains the benchmark.
Does an automated gate cost much more?
The difference lies as much in the structure as in the motor: an automated gate has to be stiffer and better balanced. That is also why automation is best decided at the design stage, even if installation comes later.
Do you work outside Brussels?
Yes. Our workshop is in Brussels, and we work throughout Belgium. Call us with your project and your municipality.
A precise figure for your gate
Visit, survey and detailed quote free. Answer within 48h, from the craftsman who will make the piece.