Frequently Asked Questions - Gate Repair in Arlington, TX
Straight answers to the questions Arlington homeowners ask us most about automatic gate repair, from pricing to same-day service. If yours isn't here, call (817) 616-4984 and ask us directly.
Pricing & Cost FAQs
Automatic gate repair in Arlington typically runs $180 to $900, with most jobs landing around $300 to $500. The spread comes down to what failed: a control board replacement costs more than a safety sensor adjustment, a broken weld costs less than a sagging post reset. We quote every job before work starts, so you'll approve the number before we turn a wrench. Call (817) 616-4984 for a free written estimate on your specific gate.
Replacing a gate opener motor in Arlington usually costs $450 to $1,200 depending on the operator's size, brand, and whether the arm or gearbox needs replacement alongside it. A lighter residential swing gate costs less than a heavy slide gate on a commercial track. We'll tell you if the motor is rebuildable before we recommend replacement, because that's a decision that should be made with the price in front of you, not after the fact.
Quotes vary because some companies price for a band-aid and others price for a fix that lasts. A sagging gate can be wedged back level for $150, or the post can be dug out, reset in concrete, and rehung for $600. We quote the fix that holds, and we'll tell you the difference before you choose. The number we give you is the number on the invoice, never a starting point for surprises.
No, we don't charge a separate diagnostic fee for repair work in Arlington. We come out, find the problem, and quote the fix. If you decide not to proceed, the inspection doesn't cost you a dime. The only time a trip charge applies is when you're outside our normal Arlington service radius, and we'll tell you that on the phone before we roll a truck.
Repair is worth it more often than most companies will admit, because repair bills are smaller than replacement bills and a well-built gate has decades of life in it. Hal's default is to fix what's fixable: he welds cracked frames on site, rewires bypassed sensors, and resets posts other shops say are done for. We'll recommend replacement when the steel is fatigued or the operator is obsolete and parts are gone, and we'll show you why with the gate in front of you.
Service & Process FAQs
A gate repair call in Arlington includes a full inspection of the operator, safety sensors, hinges, welds, track (if you have a slide gate), and the post set. We identify the failed part, explain the fix in plain English, and give you a written price before we start. If it's a simple adjustment we'll often handle it right then and there. You get the fix done and you understand what was wrong, which most homeowners appreciate as much as the working gate.
Most residential gate repairs in Arlington take one to three hours on site. A sensor alignment is under an hour. A control board swap is about an hour and a half. A post reset with concrete takes a full day because the concrete needs to cure before the gate can bear weight. We'll give you a time window when you book, and if that window slips we call you before you have to call us.
Yes. We repair residential driveway gates in Arlington neighborhoods like Dalworthington Gardens, Pantego, and the older sections around UTA, along with commercial gates at apartment complexes, storage facilities, and business parks across the Arlington area. Commercial slide gates and barrier arm operators are a regular part of our week, not an afterthought. If it hangs, slides, swings, or opens on a motor, we work on it.
Call (817) 616-4984 and tell us what the gate is doing, or not doing. We'll ask a few questions: swing or slide, how it failed, whether the motor hums or does nothing. Then we schedule a visit, inspect the gate in person, and hand you a written quote with parts and labor separated. You approve the number, we do the work, and the price doesn't change unless we find something hidden and get your okay first.
Yes, and we think you should insist on that from any gate company in Arlington. You'll get a plain-English explanation of what failed, why it failed, and what it takes to fix it. Hal's been known to hand a homeowner a broken part and show them exactly where it gave out. If a shop won't explain the problem in terms you understand, that's a red flag worth listening to.
Brands & Parts FAQs
We repair all major gate operator brands, including FAAC, BFT, Linear, Viking, LiftMaster, Mighty Mule, and Apollo. FAAC and BFT are the ones we see most on higher-end Arlington properties, and we keep common boards, sensors, and remotes for them on hand. If we don't have the part on the truck, we can usually source it same-week, and we'll tell you the timeline before you commit.
We use whatever serves you best. On safety components like sensors and edges, we prefer OEM parts because a bypassed or cheaply made safety edge is how people get hurt. On mechanical parts like hinges, wheels, and brackets, a quality aftermarket part often does the job at a better price. We'll tell you what we're installing, why, and what it costs, and you make the call.
Yes, we repair FAAC, Viking, and every other common operator brand in Arlington. FAAC hydraulic operators develop specific issues, usually around the pump or the solenoid valves, and we've seen enough of them to diagnose quickly. Viking operators are sturdy but they need regular limit switch attention. Bring us the brand and the symptom, and we'll bring the fix.
Yes, and we're particular about it. Arlington code and good sense both require working entrapment protection on any automatic gate: photo eyes, safety edges, or both depending on the gate type. If we find sensors that have been bypassed, we'll show you, tell you why it's dangerous, and quote the fix. A gate that closes on a car, a kid, or a delivery driver is a liability no property owner should carry.
Licensing & Insurance FAQs
Yes. Gatewood Fence & Gate is a licensed and insured operation serving Arlington and the surrounding Tarrant County area. Every pro working under our name is required to hold the license and insurance their state requires. When you hire us, you're protected, and we're happy to show credentials when we arrive. Ask any company you're considering to do the same; the ones who hesitate are the ones to avoid.
Hal Gatewood leads the team. His name is on the shop and the shop is down the road, which is how this company has always worked. That's not a slogan; it's the operating model. The person you meet on the job is the person who stands behind the work, and you'll likely run into him at the hardware store on a Saturday, which is the oldest accountability mechanism there is.
Ask for their license number, their insurance, and a physical address within driving distance. Then check the address on a map. If a company can't give you a street in Tarrant County, or the address traces to a PO box three states away, keep looking. Hal publishes his name, address, and license number because he wants you to be able to find him. That's how it should work, and that's how it works here.
Emergency & Response FAQs
Yes, and a gate stuck open is a priority call for us because it means your property is exposed. Call (817) 616-4984 and describe what's happening. We answer 24/7, and we'll get someone out to your Arlington property as soon as we can. If the gate is stuck open and you can't secure it another way, tell us that on the phone; it changes how we route the call.
We work Arlington every day, so we're usually not far from you. The honest answer is that response time depends on what's already on the board, but we prioritize safety issues: a gate stuck open on a busy street or a gate that closes on its own comes before a worn hinge. Call (817) 616-4984 and we'll give you a real window, not a vague promise.
Often, yes, especially for emergency work like a gate stuck open, a gate that won't open, or an operator that's failing in a way that leaves your property unsecured. Same-day service depends on our schedule and the parts your gate needs. Call us first thing and your odds improve considerably; we'll tell you the earliest slot we have and honor it.
Yes, absolutely. A gate that moves without a command usually means a failing control board, a shorted wire, or a sensor problem, and any of those can cause the gate to close on a person, a car, or a pet. Treat it as an emergency: stop using the gate, pull the power if you can do so safely, and call us at (817) 616-4984. Show us a gate closing on its own and we'll show you where it's failing.
Warranty & Guarantees FAQs
Yes. Every fences and gates job we do carries a ninety-day written guarantee, and one call brings Hal back to make it right. You get that in writing, not as a handshake. If something we touched fails inside that window, we come back and fix it at no charge. That's the promise stamped on every page of this company, and it's been the promise since Hal put his name on the shop.
The ninety-day guarantee covers the workmanship and the parts we install. If a board we replaced fails, or a weld we laid cracks, or a sensor we aligned drifts out, we're back to make it right at no charge. It doesn't cover new problems unrelated to our repair, or damage caused by weather or impact, but we'll always tell you what's what, and we'll always be straight about what's covered.
The operators we install carry their own manufacturer warranties, which vary by brand: FAAC, BFT, Linear, and Viking each have their own terms. We'll register the product for you when we install it, and we'll handle warranty claims if something fails inside the manufacturer's window. Our ninety-day workmanship guarantee sits on top of that, covering our labor and installation from day one.
Call us. If it's inside ninety days and it's the same problem, we fix it free under the guarantee. If it's a different problem or it's past the window, we'll come out, tell you what's wrong, and quote the fix before we touch anything. We'd rather keep you for twenty years than win one big ticket, and a callback we handle well is how that happens.
Written by Hal Gatewood, Owner at Gatewood Fence & Gate, serving Arlington since 2001.
Still Have Questions?
We are happy to help. Call us anytime - 24/7 emergency service available.
(817) 616-4984