Fencing & decking
Gate Cost Calculator
Prices a gate, which is the part of a fence that moves and therefore the part that fails.
Result
A planning estimate, not a quote. Access, the age of the equipment, what is found once it is opened up and local labour rates all move the real figure, sometimes a long way.
Get a Free Business AuditHow the calculation works
Hours times crew times rate, plus materials and the call-out. A gate costs more per foot than the fence either side of it because it is a frame rather than a run, it needs hinges, a latch and a stop, and it needs a post at each side capable of carrying it. The material cost rises quickly with width, since a wider gate needs a stronger frame and better hardware to resist the leverage, and beyond a certain width a pair of gates is the sensible answer rather than one very wide leaf.
What moves the number
- Width, since the load on hinges and posts rises faster than the gate's size.
- Whether it is a single leaf or a pair, which changes hardware and the post requirement.
- Hardware quality, because hinges and latches are what wear out on a gate used daily.
- Whether anti-sag bracing is built in, which decides whether it still closes in a year.
Where this one goes wrong
Sag is the defining gate problem and it is designed out rather than fixed later. A gate frame is a rectangle, which has no inherent rigidity, so it needs a diagonal to triangulate it, and the diagonal has to run in the correct direction: a timber brace works in compression from the bottom hinge corner up to the latch side, while a cable or rod kit works in tension the opposite way. Fitting either the wrong way round does nothing. The other half is the hinge post, which takes the whole gate's weight as leverage and needs to be larger and set deeper than a line post, in more concrete.
Before you quote
- Include a diagonal brace or tension kit, running the correct way.
- Size and set the hinge post larger and deeper than a line post.
- Choose hardware for the gate's weight and daily use, not the cheapest available.
Questions
About this calculator
Why does my gate sag?
Because a rectangular frame has no rigidity without a diagonal, or because the hinge post has moved under the gate's leverage. Both are designed out rather than corrected afterwards: a correctly oriented brace triangulates the frame and a larger, deeper hinge post stops the post leaning.
Which way should a gate brace run?
A rigid timber brace works in compression, running from the bottom hinge corner up to the latch side. A cable or rod anti-sag kit works in tension and runs the opposite way, from the top hinge corner down to the latch side. Fitted the wrong way round, neither does anything.
How wide can a single gate be?
Beyond a certain width the leverage on the hinges and post becomes hard to manage and the gate is unwieldy to use, so a pair of leaves is the usual answer for a wide opening. It also halves the load on each hinge post, which is the real constraint rather than the gate frame itself.
The formula
total = hours x people x rate + parts + call-out, then sales tax
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How to use this calculator
- Hours on site (h). Enter your own figure; the page starts at 20 h.
- People needed. Enter your own figure; the page starts at 1.
- Labour rate charged ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $78.
- Parts and materials ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $2,000.
- Call-out or diagnostic fee ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $95.
- Sales tax (%). Leave at zero if you are quoting before tax.
The result updates as you type, so you can try a figure, see what it does to estimated total, and change it back. Nothing you enter is sent anywhere or saved.
A worked example
These are the figures the calculator opens with. Every number in the results column below is produced by the same calculation the page runs, so you can follow it through before putting your own figures in.
What goes in
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Hours on site | 20 h |
| People needed | 1 |
| Labour rate charged | $78 |
| Parts and materials | $2,000 |
| Call-out or diagnostic fee | $95 |
| Sales tax | 0% |
What comes out
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Estimated total main result | $3,655 |
| Labour | $1,560 |
| Before tax | $3,655 |
| Sales tax | $0 |
About $3,655: $1,560 of labour, $2,000 of parts and a $95 call-out.
How sensitive the answer is
Holding everything else steady and changing only labour rate charged, this is what happens to estimated total. It is worth knowing which of your inputs the answer actually hinges on, and which barely move it.
| Labour rate charged ($) | Estimated total |
|---|---|
| $39 | $2,875 |
| $59 | $3,275 |
| $78 example above | $3,655 |
| $117 | $4,435 |
| $156 | $5,215 |
Every other input is held at the example value while this one changes, which is not how a real job behaves. Treat it as a guide to which number matters most, not as five separate quotes.
What each figure means
- Hours on site (h)
- Measured in h, between 0 and 400, starting at 20 h.
- People needed
- A number, between 0 and 40, starting at 1.
- Labour rate charged ($)
- A money amount, starting at $78.
- Parts and materials ($)
- A money amount, starting at $2,000.
- Call-out or diagnostic fee ($)
- A money amount, starting at $95.
- Sales tax (%)
- Leave at zero if you are quoting before tax.
What the results tell you
| Result | What it is |
|---|---|
| Estimated total | The headline result. A money figure. |
| Labour | A money figure. |
| Before tax | A money figure. |
| Sales tax | A money figure. |
Estimating is the easy part
The jobs you never hear about cost more than the ones you mis-measure. BDEVY builds the marketing, systems and automation that bring them in.