A timber driveway gate in Mt Eliza costs from about $3,600 to about $5,850 for one of my standard designs. I build and finish it at my Hastings factory in around 1 to 2 weeks. Installing it takes 1 to 2 days, depending on the design and your site. I’m Sam, and I design, build and fit every gate myself. For the service itself, see my driveway gates in Mt Eliza page.
This guide is for Mt Eliza homeowners planning a new driveway gate, or replacing one that has sagged or rotted. I have been designing and building custom timber gates since 2020. Some of my most useful lessons came from Mt Eliza driveways, so I share them here.
Below I cover cost, swing or sliding, why timber gates fail, upkeep, automation and how I work. If you’d rather talk now, text or call me on 0418 170 729.
How much does a driveway gate cost in Mt Eliza?
My standard designs range from about $3,600 to about $5,850. The final price depends on the size, design, timber, framing, your site, installation and any automation. These are the price ranges from my range page:
Design – Price range
Tubbarubba: $3,600 to $4,680
Moonah: $3,600 to $4,680
Fingal: $3,800 to $4,940
No 16: $4,100 to $5,330
Koonya: $4,200 to $5,460
Marandoo: $4,300 to $5,590
Flinders: $4,500 to $5,850
One Chain: $4,500 to $5,850
These are indicative prices. I quote against a specific design once I have seen your driveway, so you know the price before I start building.
Automation adds to the cost. I supply, install and service gate motors, including FAAC systems.
A custom design that needs a steel frame behind it will also change the price.
If you already have a design in mind, send me a photo of it and your driveway with your enquiry. It helps me give you a rough idea sooner.
You can see every design, with photos and notes on how each one is braced, on my Our Range page.
Should I choose a swing or sliding gate for my Mt Eliza driveway?
A swing gate suits a flat driveway with clear space for the gate to open. A sliding gate suits a sloped driveway or a tight space, if there is room beside it. I check this on my site visit.
Swing Gates
These open out like a big door.
Good for: Big, flat driveways.
Look: Classic and welcoming.
Thing to note: They need clear space to swing open.
Sliding Gates
These roll to one side.
Good for: Homes with driveways on a slope or with less space.
Look: Clean, modern, smooth.
Thing to note: You need room on one side for the gate to slide.
Automatic Gates
These open with a button, remote, or keypad.
Good for: Anyone who wants to open the gate without leaving the car.
Look: Swing or sliding, with a motor added.
Thing to note: It costs more, and the electrical work must be done by qualified professionals.
Timber Gates
These are what I build, from Australian timber, braced inside the frame.
Good for: Homes in Mt Eliza because they blend with trees and coastal surroundings.
Look: Warm, natural, full of character.
Thing to note: They need a clean and a fresh coat of paint about every 8 to 10 years.
Why do timber gates rot in Mt Eliza?
Most timber gates rot because water gets trapped in the joints, not because timber is a poor choice. One of my earliest jobs was replacing a set of Hamptons-style gates for a Mount Eliza homeowner. They were only 10 years old but had totally rotted.
They were hardwood gates with mortice and tenon joints (a tongue of timber glued into a slot), then painted. In my mind they should have lasted a lifetime.
When I pulled them apart, the joints and the routed groove hiding the lining board ends had become traps for water. As I cut through one joint, water poured out onto the floor.
Later I replaced another set of gates and a side gate in Mount Eliza that had rotted out after 10 to 12 years. They collapsed as I removed them.
Those two jobs are why I build differently. Mt Eliza has slopes, big blocks, coastal winds and salt air, so I always visit first. I look at the opening, the slope, the ground, the access and how the gate will be used.
How do I make sure a timber gate lasts?
I build every gate around how timber fails outdoors. My top rails run the full length of the gate. That way the end grain (the cut end of a board, where water soaks in) of the side posts never faces up.
I don’t bolt gates together. Bolts loosen as timber moves, and that leads to sag. Instead I set braces into the frame, so the joints are pushed together rather than twisted.
Where a design can’t work in solid timber alone, I add a discreet steel frame behind it. It is generally powder coated to blend in, and it carries the hinges and any motor.
Every cut surface is treated against rot. Each gate is primed and finished with at least two coats of quality exterior paint.
You can bring your own design, adapt one of mine or create something new with me. Read more on my design philosophy page, or see a custom timber gate on a steel frame.
How do I look after a timber driveway gate?
A well-built, well-finished timber gate needs a good clean and a fresh coat of paint about every 8 to 10 years. That is when gates should be repainted, not replaced.
If you’d rather paint the gate yourself, I still treat and prime it before delivery, so I know it is protected.
Keep the hinges moving freely, and check now and then that the gate still swings or slides in line.
If your gate has a motor, it needs regular servicing. I service gate motors and check gates for damage, swing and alignment.
With a good clean and a fresh coat of paint, a gate of 8 to 10 years old should look close to new again. If an older gate is sagging or catching, call me before it gets worse. I also repair and realign gates, and I can tell you honestly whether yours is worth saving.
Should I automate my Mt Eliza driveway gate?
Automate it if you want to open the gate from the car, by remote or keypad. I supply, install and service automation, including FAAC systems, so the gate and the motor come from one supplier.
You don’t have to get out of your car when it’s pouring rain.
You can let visitors in with a keypad or remote.
Electrical work is done or connected by appropriately qualified professionals where Victorian regulations require it.
If you want a motor added to a gate you already have, ask me. I’ll check whether the gate is strong enough to carry it. On a new gate, the steel frame or bracing gives the motor and hinges solid fixing points from the start.
Automation does cost more upfront. See my gate automation and electric gates pages for how it works.
What should I decide before choosing a driveway gate?
Five questions make the choice much clearer. Think about them before we meet, and the site visit goes faster.
Do I want the gate mainly for looks, for privacy, or to keep pets and children in?
Is my driveway flat, sloped, wide or narrow?
Do I want automatic opening now, or later? If later, tell me, so I can plan the frame for a motor.
What style fits my home: Hamptons, coastal, rural or modern?
Do I have my own design, or a photo of a gate I like, to bring?
Bring your answers, and any photos, to our first chat. There are no wrong answers. You can bring your own design, choose one from my range, or we can work out something new together.
How I Work?
Text or call me on 0418 170 729, ideally with photos of your driveway. I visit your Mt Eliza property to look at the opening, slope, ground and access. We agree the design, timber, size and whether it swings or slides. I check the design for weight, span and bracing, and add a steel frame only where it is needed. Then you get a quote. I build the gate at my factory in around 1 to 2 weeks, and installation takes 1 to 2 days.
My factory is at Factory 3, 2 Sovereign Drive, Hastings VIC 3915, open Monday to Friday, 7am to 4pm. From there I work across Mount Eliza, Mornington, Mount Martha, Frankston and the rest of the Peninsula. Appropriate business insurance is maintained for the work I do.
Want to see finished work first? My gallery shows gates I have built, including an Ironbark gate for a beach house and a timber gate for a Rye beach house. You can also read about swing gates, sliding gates and automatic gates.
When you are ready, text or call me on 0418 170 729. Texting is the quickest way to reach me. Sam
