Gate installation: a guide for pros

What customers ask, how to win the job, and what to put on your profile.

Offering gate installation

Gates are the part of the fence that gets used most, so customers judge you on how smoothly they swing and latch after a year of use. Win the job by setting the hinge post right and showing the hardware you chose for the weight.

What customers ask

Will the gate sag in a year?
Can it close and latch by itself?
What hinges do you use for a heavy drive gate?
Can you match the gate to the fence?
Will the gate clear the ground on the slope?
How long will it take to install?

How to win the job

On the first call, ask what the gate is for, how wide it must be, what material the fence is and whether it must latch on its own.
On site, check the swing path, the ground clearance, the post location and the depth the posts can be set, then mark the opening.
Show the hinge and latch hardware on a sample or a photo, so the customer sees what will hold the gate.
In the quote, list the posts, the concrete, the frame, the hinges, the latch and any self-closing device as separate lines.
Explain the bracing and the diagonal frame in plain words, since that is what keeps the gate square.
Set the adjustment visit in writing, so the gate is checked after the first season and the hinges are tuned.

What to put on your profile

Photos of the hinge post and the latch post in concrete before the gate is hung, with the bracing visible
Finished gate photos from the front and the hinge side, showing the hardware and the gap
Gate types you build, such as walk, drive, pool and matching gates for existing fences
Your service area and whether you also do automatic gates, fence repair and gate repair

Follow-up that helps the customer

Offer a hinge and latch adjustment after the first season, explained as routine care
Suggest a self-closing or self-latching upgrade for a gate that is used by children or near a pool
Mention an automatic gate operator as information when the customer has a long drive or heavy traffic

Licenses and permits

Whether gate installation needs a contractor license varies by place and by job size, and drive gates, pool barriers and gates with electrical systems may need a permit. Confirm what applies where you work with your state or local licensing agency and local building department, and keep your insurance current.

Questions

What do I do when the customer wants a pool gate with a standard latch?

Explain that a pool gate needs self-closing and self-latching hardware to meet the barrier rules, and quote that hardware. Put the requirement in writing so the customer understands the choice.

Should I warranty the gate against sag?

Warranty the posts, the frame and the hardware you installed, and state that wood movement and weather change the swing over time. Put the adjustment visit in writing with the warranty.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

Edit history

Oct 29, 2026: Drafted by infinibell to our content guidelines.

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