Electric Gates
Essex
Electric gates supplied, fabricated and installed across Essex — from the estuary towns and the commuter belt through to the conservation-area villages in the north-west of the county. Two independent fabricators, seventeen towns, all metalwork made to measure.
A look at our work
Every gate we fit is made to measure for the property it goes on. Here is a small selection of recent installations — traditional and contemporary, swing and sliding.
Two fabricators, one county
Rather than stretch one installer across the whole of Essex, we work with two independent fabricators whose coverage complements the other. Send us an enquiry and we will pass it to whichever of them covers your postcode — you do not need to choose.
Lewis has been fabricating and installing metal gates for over twelve years and has worked independently since 2023. He specialises in bespoke composite and metal gate designs, carrying out all fabrication in his own workshop. He covers the south and centre of the county, from the estuary towns through to the London commuter belt.
Andrew has been fabricating and automating gates for thirteen years and has worked independently since 2020. He covers the north-west of the county from his Lincolnshire base, and alongside gates he installs automated rising bollard systems — often the better answer on listed and conservation-area frontages where a gate will not get consent.
Essex is not one place
What a gate needs to cope with changes considerably between the estuary and the north-west of the county. These are the factors that come up most often.
On the estuary — salt air
Around Southend, Canvey Island and the Thames estuary, salt-laden air corrodes untreated steel and works into hinge pins and control boxes. Hot-dip galvanising before powder coating, stainless fixings and sealed enclosures are worth specifying from the outset rather than treating as an upgrade.
In the commuter belt — access control
Around Brentwood, Billericay and Loughton, households are frequently out during the day and deliveries arrive to an empty house. App control with video intercom answers this properly — see who is at the gate from anywhere, let a contractor in without handing over a fob, and confirm the gate closed afterwards.
In the north-west — consent
Saffron Walden, Thaxted and Halstead carry extensive conservation areas and a high concentration of listed buildings. Consent is needed more often than people expect, and where a gate will not be approved, rising bollards are a genuine alternative rather than a fallback.
On older frontages — the highway rule
A gate must not swing outward over a public highway or footway. On properties that open close to the road — common in the older towns and villages — that rules out an outward-opening gate entirely, and points toward inward hanging, a sliding gate or bollards.
Electric gate types & services
Electric Swing Gates
The most popular residential choice. Two leaves hinged to pillars, opening inward or outward, in a wide range of materials and styles.
Learn more →Electric Sliding Gates
Slides parallel to your fence — no swing clearance needed. The usual answer on shallow driveways or where a gate cannot open over the road.
Learn more →Electric Bollards
Automatic rising bollards for driveways and commercial entrances. Raised for security, lowered flush for a completely clear opening.
Learn more →Driveway Automation
Full driveway systems including video intercom, keypads, remote fobs, vehicle detection loops and app control.
Learn more →Automate Existing Gates
Already have gates? In many cases motors can be added without replacing them — depending on condition, weight and structure.
Find out more →Gate Repairs
Motor faults, damaged panels, failed intercoms or misaligned tracks — repairs covered across the county.
Learn more →How much do electric gates cost in Essex?
Prices depend on gate size, material, type and automation spec. Both our installers quote to the same ranges, so the figure you are given does not depend on which of them covers your postcode.
The figures below are typical ranges. A precise quote follows a site survey, which is free and carries no obligation.
Full cost guide →Frequently asked questions about electric gates in Essex
Which parts of Essex do you cover?
Seventeen towns have their own page, listed below, and the surrounding villages of each are covered too. Between our two installers that spans the estuary, the commuter belt, Colchester and the north-west of the county. If your town is not shown, send us an enquiry with your postcode and we will confirm straight away.
How do you decide which installer handles my enquiry?
We match you to whichever installer covers your postcode and suits the work. You do not need to choose — send us your details and the enquiry goes to the right person. There is no cost and no obligation to proceed, and both quote to the same price ranges.
Do I need planning permission for electric gates in Essex?
In most cases no — residential electric gates fall under permitted development rights in England. The main exceptions are gates over 1 metre adjacent to a highway, listed buildings, and properties in conservation areas. Essex has a considerable number of the latter two, particularly in Saffron Walden, Thaxted and the older parts of Colchester. Our planning permission guide covers the rules in full.
Can my gate open outward onto the road?
No. A gate must not swing over a public highway or footway, which includes the pavement. On properties with limited depth between the boundary and the road this rules out an outward-opening swing gate. The alternatives are to hang the gate inward where there is room, fit a sliding gate which needs no swing clearance, or use rising bollards.
How long does installation take?
Most residential installations are completed in one to two days. Projects involving new pillars, trenching for cable runs or full intercom systems can take two to three days. Bollard installations require excavation and typically take two days. If your property is listed, factor in the consent process beforehand — that timescale sits with the local authority.
Electric gate installers across Essex
South, central & east Essex
Covered by Lewis, based in Colchester
North-west Essex
Covered by Andrew, based in Boston, Lincolnshire
Don’t see your town? Send us an enquiry — the surrounding villages of each town are covered too.