Your entrance gate is a big investment! And if you ask the right person to build it, install it and maintain it for you, it's going to stand the test of time.
Your driveway gate is going to provide security, safety and curb appeal; requiring high quality products and services and exceptional durability, so accepting a driveway gate contractors quote is no small decision.
The Team at Designer Gates takes your concerns seriously and as trusted, knowledgeable technicians are here to answer your questions and reassure you of your choice.
Here are the top 5 questions we recommend you ask before accepting any driveway gate quote:
1. What guarantee do you give?
You want someone that is going to stand by the quality of their product. Designer Gates knows how important your investment is and stands by the quality that they provide. That's why we offer a 12 month guarantee on workmanship, 24 months on automation and 6 months on batteries and remotes. We also offer affordable servicing and maintenance to ensure that your investment is in tip top shape.
2. Do you do all of the work yourself?
When you are looking to install a driveway gate you don't want to be dealing with multiple contractors. They add up quickly! With a standard gate contractor you might be needing to also engage with someone for the concrete works, brick/block layer, plasterer, fencer, electrician and the list goes on.
Even if another gate contractor plans to manage those subcontractors, you still need to find out who you will need to contact for any warranty issues, repairs or maintenance and what that company or persons guarantees, liability insurance and similar safeguards are. A headache for sure!
At Designer Gates we do our own fencing and concrete works. This means you only have one person to communicate with from start to finish and into the future.
We have one trusted electrician and one trusted block layer that we use outside of our own employment to ensure that you get the best service possible and we do all of the communications and arrangements, leaving you to sit back and relax.
3. What finish can I expect?
One of the key things we hear from homeowners who regret choosing another gate installer is that they wish they had known what the finish would look like.
Key regrets we hear of are:
That their gate wheels are unsightly or leave a substantial gap under the gate.
At Designer Gates we use rebate wheels on our sliding gates that allow for nice tight gaps under your driveway gate and minimal wheel visibility.
That their rollers are unsightly or leave marks on the front and back of the gate
At Designer Gates we use an angle bracket to hide our rollers and protect the powder coating on the visual surfaces of the gate.
That their gate was hand painted or was powder coated over hot dip galvanising and the finish is patchy and bumpy.
At Designer Gates we use Duragal steel or Aluminium as standard and our powder coaters use Dulux Power Coat products. Duragal steel has a layer of protection to prevent rust and leaves a smooth powder coated surface. Aluminium is naturally rust free and has the best powder coat adhesion properties of all steels.
4. What Timeline can I expect?
We've heard of timelines between 4 weeks to 12 weeks but there's more to this question than meets the eye.
If you are looking at a supplier who is offering a 4 week turn around, they are most likely using pre-made products. You need to weigh up whether you want a premade product even with the attractive turnaround time.
The issue with a premade option is that there is no room for movement. You may end up with a gate that's too big or small for your driveway or gap, with posts in unsightly positions or a design or colour that's not quite what you wanted.
Here at Designer Gates, we custom make your gate and driveway solution. Your gate is made in our onsite workshop to perfectly fit your driveway or gap. The design can be adjusted to your liking including your colour preference. And is then installed by our in house team of trusted and knowledgeable installers.
We update our timeframes regularly and consistently meet these due to careful planning. We always recommend getting the most up to date timeframes from our office team but this typically sits around the 6-8 week mark.
5. Can you provide ongoing servicing?
This new driveway gate of yours is a prized investment. You wouldn't leave any other investment to deteriorate so neither would you leave your gates to degrade.
You want to find someone who sees the value in upkeeping your gates like an asset to be maintained.
Here at Designer Gates we provide affordable servicing for our clients to ensure that their gates are performing at their best and their longevity is protected. We have a standard list of checks to complete on gates that includes maintenance and safety checks.
After considering these 5 questions you will be well placed to make an informed decision on who to work with for your project.
In our humble opinion we believe Designer Gates should be top of your list to contact so please get in touch today for your FREE measure and quote.