Free on-site gate assessment - hinges, posts, and your LiftMaster or Nice gate operator checked before anything is quoted
The assessment is free and the quote is the invoice.
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterTrusted Gate Repair for Granada Hills Homeowners
A gate that drags on the driveway or swings shut on its own isn’t just an annoyance, it’s the first thing a visitor notices and the last thing between your family and the street. In Granada Hills, where heat and wind work on metal all year, a gate takes a beating. We fix them where they stand. Gatewood Fence & Gate has been locally owned and owner operated since 2001, and every repair carries our 90 Day Done Right Promise in writing. If your gate won’t open when you hit the remote, sags toward the latch post, or makes a sound like a bag of bolts, call (760) 361-6706 right now. A live person answers, day or night, and we’ll schedule a repair call that works around your day, not our dispatch board. Hal Gatewood started this shop because he got tired of seeing gates replaced that should have been fixed for a third of the price. He still runs it that way.
Home is where every job starts, and most of our Granada Hills work comes from people who have watched us work on their neighbor’s gate, or called after a big national outfit quoted a replacement when what they needed was a weld and two new hinges. The name is on the shop, and the shop is down the road. That is the oldest accountability there is.
What Our Gate Repair Service Includes
Here is exactly what we do, in plain language. If your problem is not listed, call and describe it. The person who answers will know enough to tell you whether it is worth a service call or you should keep an eye on it for another month. That conversation is free.
Electric Gate Repair
An electric gate is two systems working together: the physical gate and the motor that moves it. When one fails, the other gets blamed. We test the motor, the receiver, the safety edges, the photo eyes, and the hinges as one system, not a pile of parts. True electric gate repair means finding the actual fault and fixing it rather than clearing the error and hoping it does not come back on Monday. We carry sensors, receivers, remotes, keypads, and control boards for the brands most common in Granada Hills, so we usually finish the repair on the first visit. Show me the gate closing on its own and I’ll show you where it’s failing. We do not leave until we can show you exactly what we fixed, why it failed, and how the repair is covered.
If the motor will not respond at all, the problem is rarely the motor itself. In this part of the San Fernando Valley, ants get into control boards, power surges from summer brownouts take out capacitors, and sun-cooked sensors misread sunlight as an obstruction. We check line voltage first, then the low-voltage side, then the mechanical side. It is a sequence, and it works. You do not pay for guesswork, and we do not change parts that are not bad. The price is quoted and agreed before any work starts, always.
Automatic Gate Repair
Automatic gates include slide gates, swing gates, and barrier arms. The failure points are predictable: rollers wear out of round on slide gates, chain tension goes slack, and limit switches go out of adjustment. On swing gates, it is almost always the hinges, followed by the opener arm. We have been repairing automatic gate openers since 2001, and on site welding means we fix the gate in your driveway rather than hauling it off to a shop and leaving your property open for a week.
Hal has rebuilt swing gates that three other companies recommended replacing. A sagging leaf, a snapped weld at the picket line, a bent roller bracket: none of these are death sentences for a gate. Fix the panel without the post and you’ll fix it twice. So we start with the post, check the panel, and only then set the opener. When we are finished, the gate runs smoothly in both directions and the clutch releases if a child or a dog gets in the path. That clutch test is not optional, not on my watch, because in Granada Hills backyards and driveways are full of kids and pets.
Hinge & Post Repair
Every gate that sags is telling you something about its hinge post. A gate sags in the hinge post, not in the middle, and that is where we start. In Granada Hills, posts set in concrete can shift with the clay soil we have here, especially after a wet winter or a summer of irrigation on one side only. The fix is not always digging out the post; sometimes it is re-plating the hinge with heavier hardware, and sometimes it is welding on a new hinge bracket while the gate stays in place. True gate repair is repair, not a replacement upsell. That means checking post plumb, weld integrity at the hinge points, and bearing wear - the core of our hinge & post repair approach. We keep hinge stock on the truck and we have the welding gear to build up worn metal and drill a clean pin bore.
We see gate hinges in Granada Hills fail in a few predictable ways: electrolysis between dissimilar metals, a child swinging on the gate, or a vehicle tapping the leaf. Tell us when it started and we’ll have a good idea what we will find before we even lift the gate off its pins. You get a line-by-line quote before we start, and the hinge work is covered by the same 90 Day Done Right Promise as everything else.
Gate Realignment
A gate that scrapes the driveway, refuses to latch, or binds against the post needs more than a shove and a new chain. Gate realignment is a careful process: we measure the diagonals, check the post for lean, adjust the hinge placement, and set the gate weight so the load is evenly carried. We see a lot of gates in Granada Hills hanging from single-action hinges never meant for their weight, and by the time they drag, the bottom hinge has already started to pull free. They warp in the summer heat and they bind in the January rain, and if the post has moved, adjusting the hinges alone will not make it right.
Our realignment work is done on site, with the gate swinging in its own frame of reference. We do not eyeball it. Small adjustments to the hinge barrel, the pin angle, and the post cap can be the difference between a gate that closes itself and one that fights you every morning. Some jobs are an hour with shims and a level; others involve re-welding a hinge pad and setting new bolts. Either way, you will know the price before we pick up a tool.
Lock Repair
A gate lock that sticks, a key that turns but will not retract the bolt, a latch that pops open when the wind gusts up Balboa Boulevard: these are small problems that turn into large ones. We repair and replace mechanical locks, keyed locks, and electric strike locks. The electric strikes on automatic gates fail more often than the motor, usually because moisture gets into the solenoid or the strike plate goes out of alignment with the latch. We deal with it every week in Granada Hills, from the ranches up to the smaller lots near Rinaldi.
When it is a post lock on a manual gate, we drill out the old cylinder and set a new one. When it is a magnetic lock, we check the power supply before we order a board. We carry enough lock parts on the truck that most calls are finished in one trip. You will not be waiting a week for a part to ship. If the gate will not stay closed, call before nightfall. A gate that will not latch leaves the yard open to loose dogs and curious strangers, and that is not a trade off any family should have to make.
Weld & Rust Repair
Rust is a slow fire. It runs under the paint and eats the metal from the inside out, and by the time you see a bubble in the finish, the tube is already thin. In Granada Hills, where we do not get a lot of rain but we do get morning marine layer from the Valley, rust repairs are among our most common calls. We grind back to solid metal, cut out the rot, and weld in new steel plate where the old tube used to stand. It is real metal work. No fiberglass wrap, no body filler. The repaired section is stronger than the surrounding steel, primed, and painted to match. We cannot always match a 20-year-old powder coat perfectly, but we will get it close, and we will be honest about what we cannot match.
Welding on site is what separates us from the replace only shops. Hal has been welding since well before he hung the Gatewood sign, and he still runs the bead himself when the job is structural. A gate with a cracked hinge plate or a broken stay is not scrap; it is a few hours of careful work in your driveway. We will show you the repair before we leave, and we will tell you which sections are worth fixing and which ones will need attention next year, so you are never surprised.
What happens when you call
- 1
A real person answersNo phone trees - you reach a local pro.
- 2
You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
- 3
A background-checked tech heads outLicensed & insured, dispatched right away.
- 4
You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
Brands We Service for Gate Repair
We carry OEM and quality aftermarket parts for the openers you are most likely to have in Granada Hills. We service FAAC swing and slide operators almost every day, and we keep their hydraulic fluid, limit switches, and control board capacitors on hand. The FAAC 400 and 391 models are durable machines, but they need their oil level checked once a year, and the star bolt on the piston should be inspected. Most FAAC failures we see are in the connector wiring or the battery pack inside the enclosure, not the piston.
On the BFT side, we see a lot of their Deimos and Phobos slide operators on gates in Granada Hills. BFT makes a good gearbox, but the limit switches are finicky in Valley heat, and when they drift, the gate slams at the end of travel. We set them, test them, and then test them again before we call the job done. Linear openers, especially the LSO series, are popular here because they are simple and reliable. When they fail, it is usually the drive belt (easy to replace) or a blown receiver board (less easy). We carry both. And Viking gate operators, common on rural properties in the northern Valley, have their own quirks: the control board is sensitive to voltage drop, and the torque limiter needs adjustment each season. We have worked on enough Viking units to know where to look first, and we are certified to service nine major brands including Viking.
Whether you have a FAAC, a BFT, a Linear, a Viking, or an off-brand unit that says nothing but “Made in China” on the cover, we can help. A real repair shop fixes what is in front of it. Hal has been doing that since 2001.
Signs You Need Gate Repair Right Now
- The gate has started to scrape or drag on the concrete. This is a symptom of a failing hinge or a post that has shifted, not something that will “wear in.” The longer it drags, the more damage it does to the gate bottom and the driveway. In Granada Hills, where many driveways slope toward the street, a hanging gate can also pop off its track entirely and become a falling hazard.
- The gate opens halfway and stops, or reverses for no reason. That is an obstruction signal, a bad sensor, or a control board that overheated. The safety system is doing its job, but something is feeding it bad information. Ignoring it will eventually overheat the motor and turn a small repair into a replacement.
- You hear grinding or squealing when the gate moves. Metal on metal is telling you the bearings or the chain have lost lubrication, or the sprocket is wearing. Grease slows it down, but it does not fix it. The fix is usually cheap if you catch it early. Wait too long, and the drive shaft eats the sprocket and you are buying a new operator.
- The gate will not stay latched, or the lock turns but the bolt does not move. A gate that pops open in the wind is a liability. Kids get out, dogs get out, and in a wind event, the leaf itself can slam hard enough to snap hinges. Lock failures are the fastest repairs we do and often save a much bigger repair a month later.
- The gate leans noticeably to one side or the other when open. A lean when open means the hinge post has relaxed instead of holding true. The gate is now working against itself, and every open and close cycle is putting more stress on the motor. We can rebuild the hinge point and set the post right without ripping out the whole fence line. A gate sags in the hinge post, not in the middle, and that is where we start.
Our Gate Repair Process - Step by Step
This is how a Gatewood repair call goes, start to finish. No surprises, no waiting on a text from a dispatcher. Just a straight line from first call to fixed gate.
- 1
Call and talk to a live person. You call (760) 361-6706 and a live person answers, 24/7. Tell us what the gate is doing and when it started. Hal or one of his crew will ask a few questions about the gate type, the opener brand if it has one, and the symptoms. We will give you a rough idea of what it might be and what a worst-case repair would cost, so you know where you stand before we ever pull into the driveway.
- 2
On-site inspection and a written price. We come to your Granada Hills property at the scheduled time, not a four-hour arrival window. Hal or a uniformed, background-checked technician looks at the gate, checks the hinges, posts, operator, and safety setup, and gives you a written price. Upfront pricing is a core promise, not a footnote. You approve the work before we begin, with no trip charge inside the county.
- 3
The repair, done at your place. We repair on site whenever the job allows. Hinges get welded, boards get replaced, gates get realigned, and the gate stays in your driveway the whole time. We do not haul your gate away for a week. Most repairs in Granada Hills are completed the same day we arrive.
- 4
Testing, tuning, and explaining. We test the gate through 10 full cycles in both directions. We check the clutch release, the photo eyes, the safety edges, and the remote range. Then we walk you through exactly what we did and how the repair works. You will know how to test the safety features yourself before we leave.
- 5
90 Day Done Right Promise in writing. Every job gets stamped with our promise: if it is not done right, we make it right. One call brings us back, no runaround, no fine print. It is a promise, and it is on the invoice. If the repair fails within 90 days, we come back and fix it. That is the whole deal.
How Much Does Gate Repair Cost in Granada Hills?
A typical gate repair in Granada Hills runs $120-$950 depending on what is wrong. A simple lock replacement or hinge adjustment is at the low end. A full hinge rebuild with the gate removed, posts re-plated, and the operator reset is at the high end. Here is what local homeowners can expect for the most common calls:
| Repair Type | Typical Cost in Granada Hills |
|---|---|
| Lock replacement (mechanical, gate-mounted) | $120-$240 |
| Hinge adjustment / realignment | $150-$380 |
| Weld repair, minor crack or rust-through | $180-$450 |
| Photo eye / safety sensor replacement | $160-$320 |
| Control board replacement | $280-$600 |
| Full hinge & post rebuild on a swing gate | $500-$950 |
| Gate operator replacement (slide or swing, labor included) | $700-$1,800 |
What drives the price is part cost, gate size, and whether the repair is structural or electrical. A bent hinge pin is a parts-and-time job. A sunk post is a dig-and-set job. Both look similar from a distance, but one costs more because it takes more hours and more material. That is not a mystery and it is not a trick. We will show you which one you have before you pay a cent.
You avoid overpaying by getting a line-by-line quote, and by asking whether a repair is even necessary. Some shops will quote a new control board when the fix is a $15 limit switch. We will not do business that way. And remember, we offer $40 off any repair over $200, a free second opinion on any written estimate, no trip charge inside the county, and a permanent 10% discount for seniors and veterans. We quote the work before we do it. If another company gave you a written estimate for gate work in Granada Hills, bring it to us. We will look it over, tell you if it is fair, and tell you if there is a cheaper proper fix, no charge.
Gate Repair Near Granada Hills - Our Service Area
We are based in the northern San Fernando Valley and serve all of Granada Hills and the surrounding communities. That includes Gate Repair in Sherman Oaks, Gate Repair in Van Nuys, and the neighborhoods up and down the 118 and 405 corridors. We also regularly work in Tarzana, San Fernando, Encino, North Hollywood, Northridge, Sylmar, Reseda, Panorama City, and Chatsworth. Most local calls get same-day or next-morning scheduling, and no trip charge inside the county means the drive costs you nothing. If you are in Granada Hills and your gate is down, call us now. We are already nearby.
Serving Granada Hills, CA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Granada Hills area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage - if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
Frequently Asked Questions - Gate Repair in Granada Hills
Gate repair is fixing the gate itself, the hinges, the posts, the lock, or the opener that moves it, without replacing the whole system unless it is truly necessary. It covers everything from a stuck latch to a dead control board. We do structural repairs, electrical repairs, and weld repairs on site at your Granada Hills home. The goal is always to restore the gate to safe working order, not to sell a replacement the gate does not need.
Most repairs are done in one visit and take between one and three hours. A simple lock replacement takes under an hour. A hinge rebuild with welding can take most of a morning. If a part needs to be ordered and we do not have it on the truck, we will tell you before we leave and give you a real date, not a one-to-two-week shrug. We stock the most common parts for the brands we service, so most Granada Hills calls are same day.
In Granada Hills, the range runs from about $120 for a minor fix up to $950 for a full hinge and post rebuild. Your exact price depends on what is wrong, the size of the gate, and whether we are welding or just adjusting. You will get a written line-by-line price before any work starts, and the price we quote is the price you pay, period. Call (760) 361-6706 for a free estimate, and for exact pricing on your specific gate.
Yes. We are certified to service nine major gate brands, including FAAC, BFT, Linear, and Viking. We stock OEM wear parts for these units and we know their failure points in the Granada Hills climate. We also service LiftMaster, Ghost Controls, DoorKing, Elite, and Mighty Mule. If you have an opener from any of these brands, call us. If it is a model we do not normally carry parts for, we will tell you straight and help you decide whether to repair or replace.
Yes, and it is not an answering service. Calls are answered by a live person, day or night, 7 days a week. If your gate is stuck open and you need it secured before you can sleep, call us. We will talk through what is happening, help you get the gate secured if it is safe to do so by hand, and schedule the earliest possible repair call. In Granada Hills, we often get a technician to emergency open-and-jam calls the same day or first thing the next morning.
It is simple. If the repair does not hold, or if the same problem comes back within 90 days, we come back and make it right, no charge. It is stamped in writing on every invoice, not buried in fine print. If a hinge we welded cracks, we fix it. If a board we installed fails, we replace it. One call brings us back. Hal Gatewood’s name is on every invoice, along with the promise.
Clear a path to the gate and make sure the area around the hinges is accessible. Move cars or trash bins if they are in the way. If the gate has a manual release, know where it is, but you do not need to use it. We will test everything before we start. If your gate is controlled by a keypad code, have the code ready so we can test the opener. That is all. We bring the rest: tools, welder, parts, and the 29 years of experience that looks at your hinge post and tells you what happened before we touch it.
Schedule Your Gate Repair Service in Granada Hills Today
Call (760) 361-6706 now and tell a live person what your gate is doing. We will give you a straight answer, a schedule that works, and a free, no-obligation estimate for your repair. Hal Gatewood has been serving Granada Hills since 2001, with a published address, a state license, and a shop you are welcome to visit. No call center, no runaround, and no gate replaced before it has been given a real chance to be fixed. If it is not done right, we make it right. That is the whole job.
Written by Hal Gatewood, Owner at Gatewood Fence & Gate, serving Granada Hills since 2001.