# Electric Gates - advice/recommendations please



## tufty1 (19 Jan 2011)

Looking to widen the driveway opening by about 12 inches, fit new pillars and electric gates to our drive (car and house broken into recently and hoping this will help).

I'm aware of the planning issues relating to widening the opening and the 1.5m (5ft) high limit to boundary fence to front gardens. We do not have any boundary fences but have large hedges which are roughly 6ft high.

Is there any restriction to installing 6ft high gates to match our hedges? obviously if we took the hedges down in the future it would look abit daft!

Also, we live in south Dublin, so any advise or recommendations regarding contractors who will do the pillars, gates and electrics would be most appreciated.

Any rough costs for standard pillars, electrics and timber gates and issues to watch out for when talking to contractors would be very useful as well.

Thank you.


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## ali (19 Jan 2011)

*Recommend gate supplier*

I got electric gates fitted by DNA Security last year. Tel 4933332. Found them very good. No connection. 

A.


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## emmt (19 Jan 2011)

Wasn't sure whether to post this or not but here goes...other half installed the 'mechanism' to our existing gates to make them electric. Lovely job. We also got them cos the house had been broken into and wanted to beef up our security. Next morning, proudly closed gates. Came home that evening to find that the house had been broken into!!!

Moral of the story: It may deter burglars but still need to keep things hidden away/stored in a safe etc.

Guards told us they dont want anything that is heavy to carry - money, jewellery etc is the goal.

Sorry this is a bit negative! Still glad we got them tho'...


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## LucasARK (26 Apr 2011)

There wouldn't be any restrictions for the size of your gates. Just for the very wide gates you would be limited to only few types of above ground devices, but still you can use undeground systems - just bare in mind that they require diggind so your tarmacadam / paving will have to be redone after fitting underground motors.


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## onq (26 Apr 2011)

tufty1 said:


> Looking to widen the driveway opening by about 12 inches, fit new pillars and electric gates to our drive (car and house broken into recently and hoping this will help).
> 
> I'm aware of the planning issues relating to widening the opening and the 1.5m (5ft) high limit to boundary fence to front gardens. We do not have any boundary fences but have large hedges which are roughly 6ft high.
> 
> ...



*PLANNING ISSUES*

From:

[broken link removed]

_*Can I build walls around my house without planning permission?*

 Yes. Subject to:_ 

_Not more than 2m high to the rear._
_Not more than 1.2 metres to the front or forward of the front of the house.

(Page 157, Class 5)._
_ NB: Metal palisade or other security fencing is not exempt.

*Can I erect a gate within my property without permission?*_ _

 Yes, subject to a 2m maximum height._ _

(Page 157, Class 5, Page 159 Class 9)_ _

*Can I provide car parking in my garden without permission?*_ _

 Yes. To the front or side for not more than 2 cars._ _

(Page 158, Class, Part )_ _


*NB.*_ _ The widening of vehicular entrances is not exempt. _

=========================================

From this you can see that on the view of one local authority -

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The height railings, fencing and walls, etc. erected to the front of thje house is limited to 1.2M.
I understand that this include piers intended for the reinforcement of the walls.
The total height should also include the cappings.

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The heights of gates is limited to 2.0M.
One local authority has taken the view that piers or posts from which gates hang can be the same height as the gates.
This means that a 2.0M set of piers (including cappings or capstones) can be built to support s 2.0M pair of gates or a sliding gate.
(see note on installed height below)

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Plus, as you appear to be aware, _"the widening of vehicular entrances is not exempt"._

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Therefore, you could erect the gates themselves without permission up to a height of 2.0 M.
This is the *installed height*. It is not the height of the leaf of each gate, but *includes whatever ground clearance* they will enjoy.
The clearance for a sliding gate can be minimal, but swing gates may need additional clearance / rising butt hinges to clear ground sloping adversely in the direction of swing.

You could also erect the piers, including cappings or capstones to a height of 2M if the local authority takes the view I have described above for gate piers.
Do not assume this to be the case. Ask them for their comment via the planning officer for the area.

Finally, as you will need permission to widen the gates anyway, why not seek permission for all the works?
It will be the same cost regardless as the entrance width application will at least need a plan and elevation.


*SECURITY*

Gates which together with the boundary treatment obscure the view of the house from the front, i.e. solid timber or figures metal on metal sheet gates, increase security risk.
The passive monitoring function of passers-by is eliminated and this means that thieves can take their time gaining access to an otherwise well-defended house.
The erection of powered gates can be seen as a statement that not only do the owners desire privacy but also that they have significant disposable income.

*STANDARD DESIGN AND REFERENCES*

Go for a standard gates width and design and ask to see and visit references and to speak with the owners involved.
The reason I suggest this is that they are a known quantity and you can see before you buy and suss our faults.
Departing from the usual range of design/size can bring with it necessary changes that can pose challenges.


*ONE-OFF DESIGN DIFFICULTIES*

We once designed a once off set of 2.4M gates and the additional weight and turning force changed all details.
To avoid sagging, the gates needed to be 100mm mild steel RHS tubing and this needed a heavier motor.
Even the heavy duty "in the ground" motor couldn't deal with the weight plus wind loading.
We had to install a special roller design of gate mechanism operating mid way up.
Yet another reason not to choose solid gates - the wind loading is huge.

*COSTING*

Buying from a catalogue showing standard gate designs can be a great benefit in terms of time and pricing.
Othjerwise you need to get the set of gates drawn up even roughly to give an idea of what you want.

The supplier may have someone on hand to draw up the proposed design, agree and price.
Or you could appoint an architect to design the gates, get tenders and run the contract.

Hope this helps.

ONQ.

[broken link removed]

All advice on AAM is remote from the situation and cannot be relied upon    as a defence or support - in and of itself - should legal action be    taken.
Competent legal and building professionals should be asked to advise in    Real Life with rights to inspect and issue reports on the matters at    hand.


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