How Much Does an Aluminium Gate Cost? Your 2026 Guide
Aluminium gates – A popular choice when it comes to a new gate on a property, but do you really know why an aluminium gate costs what it does? Do you know what makes a gate more expensive or how you can reduce the cost?
With many suppliers on the market and installers of gates valuing their work differently this is a very difficult question to answer, but in this article, I will do my best to pull back the curtain on aluminium gates and give you more of an understanding of just how much an aluminium gate costs, and leave you more equipped at appreciating how certain factors can drive the price of an aluminium gate both up and down.
If you’re continuing to read this, then the chances are you’ve made the decision that you are looking for a new gate for your home or property. Whether you’re looking to upgrade your tired looking gate or your property renovation is nearing completion, it’s a big decision to make!
If you’ve not purchased a new gate before or don’t know what material you should be using, the internet is a minefield with multiple companies claiming that their product is the best. I often find this rabbit-hole of searching leaves people more confused than when they first started looking. But, before we even begin I want to address the price option head on, gates do not come cheap.
This article isn’t telling you WHY you should choose an aluminium gate, and it’s not telling you to buy a TFS gate. This article has been written so that you can have an idea of just how much an aluminium gate will cost, the reason for the cost, how it changes depending on the options you choose, and hopefully when you reach the end you’ll be a step closer to finding the right gate for you, or at least be better informed when it comes to aluminium. An aluminium gate might be perfect for you, or you may turn away after reading this article realising that it just isn’t for you and doesn’t fall into the budget you have.
An Overview on the Cost of Aluminium Gates
The first thing I need to make clear is that aluminium IS NOT the cheap option. I’ve worked in sales for many years and currently work with products that have different price points in both the access control and gate market, and I’ll be honest, I’ve lost count of the amount of people saying that it’s expensive compared to a different material or they want the cheap option. If this is the case then it probably isn’t worth reading on.
Within the aluminium gate market there are different products that can lead to varying prices, but for now lets deal with aluminium as a material, not as a product!
The fact is, aluminium doesn’t come cheap as a material. Aluminium costs more than steel when it comes to the raw material and can be more expensive than a lot of timber (timber vs aluminium deserves an article of it’s own) So from the beginning you are working with a product that can have a higher material cost. So if you’re looking for an aluminium gate that will cost the same as a steel gate, I’m sorry but you’ll be disappointed.
How Does the Price Differ Between Aluminium Gates?
So, we’ve dealt with the most basic question, why is an aluminium gate more expensive than other materials? Simple right? The material isn’t cheap. There is no point in dressing it up with fancy USP’s and company tag lines, you are quite simply getting a product where the material costs more!
The next thing to look at is why there is such a difference in cost between different aluminium gates.
Thickness of the Aluminium
One of the first things to look at is the thickness of aluminium used in the construction of the gates. More material means more cost, but it also means a sturdier and more robust gate. Aluminium is a light material, and compared to steel can be bent easier, so by having a thicker aluminium you will have a gate with less give.
If you would like to understand more, you can check out our article on why thickness matters with aluminium gates!
Welded or Bolted?
There are also how the methods in how the gates are constructed. There are two distinct types of aluminium gates: bolted or welded and just bolted. The internally welded and bolted gates will always come at a higher cost that a standard bolted gate. So, from here you can break down a type of gate and associate it with the cost.
A thinner bolted gate will always cost less than a thicker welded gate.
Gate Colour or Finish
The beauty of an aluminium gate is the versatility when it comes to colour and finish. You will see a high proportion of gates manufactured in RAL 7016 anthracite grey or in RAL 9005 black, but the options are endless.
You may believe that the colour of your aluminium gate will not fluctuate the price too drastically, this is wrong.
Our research has seen gates quoted at 30-40% higher for a colour seen as non-standard or for a woodgrain gate!
You will often find there will be a standard price for a range of colours but for colours that are not standard to a manufacturer or supplier they may be an additional cost. For woodgrain gates for example, the different finish and additional process to give it that finish can come at an additional cost. For colours that a company would call a non-standard colour the best way to describe would be that if you had a huge batch of powder to coat RAL 7016 gates, the cost of that coating would be spread across a number of gates, that is working off the manufacturer having a minimum quantity of powder that they would need to purchase. If you want a RAL colour that is rarely used it may be that a manufacturer would need to cover the cost of that material in the one gate alone.
It’s important to mention that this will always differ depending on who manufactures your gate and their own process with the manufacturing of your gate. They may never have another request for a RAL 2007 Luminous Bright Orange! So, remember to ask how the change of colour can impact the cost. Is it the same for all colours? Are there standard colours in the range? What are the standard colours?
Are there Posts to Fix the Gate too?
Are you fixing your gates onto existing posts or do you need posts to fix the gates to? Unless requested it is rare that posts will be included in a quote, so it’s always important to factor the need for posts into your project. Post sizes vary depending on the company you use and the size of the post, but as we have already touched on earlier in this article, more material equals more cost. If your gate is a woodgrain, your posts may be more expensive!
Cost! Sorry, posts come at a cost too, anything from £100 up to £250 a post, again depending on colour, size and thickness. Factor this in!
Hardware and Access Controls
Each gate will or won’t be supplied with hardware and access control systems. That means locks, hinges, drop bolts, intercom systems, automation systems, magnet locks, the list is endless and the possibilities more than you may realise. it’s worth keeping an eye on our blog for articles on access control and gate hardware.
many gates will come complete with hinges and locks, but it’s always good to ask what are the options and how much will each cost. You may not need everything that comes with the gate that’s offered, you may need more.
You can find out the cost of your access control components using a simple Google search, but it’s important to remember that a code lock can cost anywhere from £30 to £350 and a magnet lock the same.
Ask what is being used on your gate, why it comes at that cost and if you are unhappy with the price, are there any alternatives?
Gate Installation Costs
So, you have the standard cost of the gate. You have decided on a bespoke gate with thicker aluminium, in a light oak woodgrain finish and you need two posts to attach the gate too. So, you’re ready to place the order and get the gate of your dreams into manufacturing, right? Well, not necessarily. There is much more you need to consider in terms of installation costs!
How Much Does it Cost to Install an Electric Gate?
Having an automatic feature added to your gate can improve accessibility and security. However, installing these systems will add a heavy cost to your project.
The general cost of electric gates can vary from project-to-project. As a general rule of thumb, expect to pay figures over £8000 plus VAT for the manufacturing, installation and automation of your aluminium gate.
Cost Examples
So, with all these different features and properties to think about when selecting a gate, just how much does an aluminium gate cost? There is no one clear answer, but we can produce a rough example below. These costs are based off a 3500mm wide x 1800 high gate.
Standard RAL Colour Cost £3,100
Non-standard RAL Colour Cost £3,720
Woodgrain Cost £4,030
Bespoke Gate with installation & Automation £8000 plus VAT
If you were looking for posts you would see the same pattern of pricing depending on what you were looking for, ranging from £150 to £225
Remember, this is not a cost sheet. Each manufacturer, each supplier, every website will have a different pricing structure, different price points, and the cost of materials will change. Use this as a guide to highlight the pricing differences rather than the overall cost of your gate. What you really need to know is how much and why it cost what it does?
In short, when answering the question; How much does an aluminium gate cost? the answer is that there is no definitive answer or ball park figure, but there are options that can increase and decrease the cost to fall in line with your budget.
Learn More: TFS Gates
Hopefully this article has gone a little way to helping you understand more about the cost of aluminium gates, about how different options can affect cost, and armed you with a few questions to ask when deciding if an aluminium gate is the right gate for you.
If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact TFS Gates through their contact form. Alternatively, you can reach out to TFS gates via telephone: 0330 700 3030 or via email: sales@tfsdirect.co.uk
