If you’re planning a new entrance gate, the first question is usually “What will it cost?” A custom driveway gate is priced more like custom furniture than a box off a store shelf. Two gates that look alike in photos can be far apart in price once width, material, detail, finish and automation come into it.
This guide explains what drives driveway gate cost for homeowners in Rome and Northwest Georgia. We build gates at our shop in Cave Spring, just southwest of Rome, and quote every one for its own opening, so you won’t find a price list here. You will find the factors that move the number.
Last reviewed: October 2026.
The short answer
A custom metal gate costs whatever its size, material, design, finish, posts, installation and automation add up to. There’s no honest one-size figure. Pricing depends on the job, so the quickest way to a real number is a free quote: tell us how wide the opening is, the look you like, whether you have columns and whether you want an opener.
What different gate types involve
Gate type
What it involves
What tends to add cost
Single swing gate
One leaf hung from one post or column, common on narrower drives
Width. A long single leaf needs a stiffer frame, heavier hinges and a stronger post.
Double swing gate
Two leaves that meet in the middle; the classic estate look
Two sets of hinges and posts, and two operator arms if it’s automated
Sliding gate
Rolls sideways along a track or on a cantilever frame
Room beside the opening, track or cantilever hardware, and a level run for the gate
Matching walkway gate
A pedestrian gate built to match the driveway gate
An extra post or column, hinges and a latch
Automatic opener
Operator, controls, power and safety devices
Gate weight, power source and how people get in and out
What drives the price of a custom gate
1. Width and height
More gate means more metal, more welding and heavier hardware. Width also decides whether you need one leaf or two, and big gates need heavier posts, hinges and openers. Height matters too, and in Rome it’s limited by fence rules (see below).
A wide opening like this one needs a stiff frame, heavy hinges and solid columns, all of which factor into the price.
2. Material
Nearly every “wrought iron” gate built today is actually steel, which is strong, rigid and works for almost any design. Aluminum is lighter and won’t rust, which makes it easier on hinges and openers, but it’s less rigid on very wide spans. Steel and aluminum are priced differently, so it’s worth comparing both for your design. Our wrought iron vs. aluminum vs. steel guide covers the trade-offs in detail.
3. Design and detail
A clean flat-top gate with straight pickets is the most economical. Arched or bell-curve tops, scrollwork, geometric patterns, privacy infill, monograms or a family name all add design and shop time. Solid panels also add material, and they catch more wind, which matters if the gate will be automated.
Geometric patterns like this diamond design take more cutting, fitting and welding than a plain picket gate.
4. Finish
In Georgia’s humidity, the finish matters as much as the metal. Paint systems, powder coating and galvanizing are priced differently and hold up differently over time. Ask us about finish options for your gate, and when you compare quotes from anyone, ask what finish is included and how the metal is prepared underneath it.
5. Posts, columns and site work
A gate is only as good as what it hangs on. Steel posts set in concrete, existing brick or stone columns, a sloped drive, rock or soft ground all affect the work involved. A drive that slopes up from the road may rule out a swing gate entirely, and existing columns have to be checked to see whether they can carry the gate’s weight.
Solid privacy gates use more material than open pickets and need posts and hinges sized for the extra weight and wind load.
6. Automation
Opener cost depends on gate weight and width, swing or slide, solar or hardwired power, and how people get in. It’s often the biggest variable in a gate budget, so decide early whether you want one.
7. Installation and access
A steep approach, a tight spot between a ditch and a column, or soft ground can add installation time. Most of our gate work is in Rome and around Floyd County, and we also build gates for properties in Cedartown, Rockmart, Cartersville, Summerville and Centre, AL. See the areas we serve if you’re not sure you’re in range.
Automatic gates: what adds cost
An automatic gate is a system, not just a motor. Expect a quote to cover an operator sized to your gate, a control board, power, ways to open it (remotes, a keypad or smart controls) and a way for vehicles to exit. Solar can avoid trenching a power line, but it depends on how much sun the gate location gets. Hardwired power is very reliable, but running new wiring to a gate usually means an electrician, and the City of Rome’s permit FAQ lists new electrical wiring among the work that needs an electrical permit. Our guide to how automatic gate openers work goes deeper on solar vs. hardwired power.
Safety isn’t optional
Automatic gates can be dangerous if they’re installed carelessly. Gate operators are covered by the UL 325 safety standard, and the construction of automated vehicular gates by ASTM F2200. In practice that means entrapment protection such as photo eyes and safety edges, and a gate built without dangerous gaps and pinch points. Budget for these. They aren’t upsells.
Permits and rules in Rome and Floyd County
Gates are usually part of a fence line, so check the fence rules first. According to the City of Rome’s planning FAQ on the Unified Land Development Code (Article 4.2.5), in single-family residential zoning a fence or freestanding wall in a yard next to a street can be no more than 4 feet tall, and side and rear yards are limited to 6 feet. Fences 7 feet or taller need a building permit, and 8 feet or taller need engineered footings. All fences inside a historic district must first be approved by the Historic Preservation Commission. Ask the Rome-Floyd Planning Department (706-236-5025) how those rules apply to your gate and columns before you settle on a design, and contact Georgia 811 before anyone digs post holes.
Cave Spring, Cedartown, Cartersville and the other towns we serve set their own rules, so check with the local city or county office.
Smart ways to control cost
Keep the frame simple and put the budget into one custom feature, like a monogram or a cut-steel panel.
Price aluminum and steel side by side for your design.
Plan for an opener now, add it later. Setting the right posts and running conduit during installation is far easier than retrofitting.
Still deciding between swing and slide, or one leaf and two? Our guide on how to choose a driveway gate walks through those decisions.
How a custom gate project works at Fabco
Call for a free quote and tell us about your drive and the style you like.
On-site consultation. We look at the opening, the columns or posts, the slope and whether there’s power nearby.
Design and price. We settle the style, height, material and details with you, then price the job.
Fabrication in our Cave Spring shop, then finishing.
Installation. We hang and adjust the gate on site, and set up the opener if your project includes one.
Frequently asked questions
Why don’t you list gate prices online?
Because every gate we build is sized and designed for its own opening. A posted number would be wrong for most drives. A free quote based on your actual site is more useful.
Is an aluminum gate cheaper than steel?
It depends on the design and size. Aluminum is lighter on hardware; steel is more rigid on wide spans. We’re happy to price both.
Can you automate the gate I already have?
Often, if the gate, hinges and posts are sound and it swings freely. We’ll need to see it first.
Do you build gates outside Rome?
Yes. Our shop is in Cave Spring, and we work throughout Rome and Floyd County as well as Cedartown, Rockmart, Cartersville, Summerville and Centre, AL.
If you’re planning a new entrance gate, the first question is usually “What will it cost?” A custom driveway gate is priced more like custom furniture than a box off a store shelf. Two gates that look alike in photos can be far apart in price once width, material, detail, finish and automation come into it.
This guide explains what drives driveway gate cost for homeowners in Rome and Northwest Georgia. We build gates at our shop in Cave Spring, just southwest of Rome, and quote every one for its own opening, so you won’t find a price list here. You will find the factors that move the number.
Last reviewed: October 2026.
The short answer
A custom metal gate costs whatever its size, material, design, finish, posts, installation and automation add up to. There’s no honest one-size figure. Pricing depends on the job, so the quickest way to a real number is a free quote: tell us how wide the opening is, the look you like, whether you have columns and whether you want an opener.
What different gate types involve
What drives the price of a custom gate
1. Width and height
More gate means more metal, more welding and heavier hardware. Width also decides whether you need one leaf or two, and big gates need heavier posts, hinges and openers. Height matters too, and in Rome it’s limited by fence rules (see below).
2. Material
Nearly every “wrought iron” gate built today is actually steel, which is strong, rigid and works for almost any design. Aluminum is lighter and won’t rust, which makes it easier on hinges and openers, but it’s less rigid on very wide spans. Steel and aluminum are priced differently, so it’s worth comparing both for your design. Our wrought iron vs. aluminum vs. steel guide covers the trade-offs in detail.
3. Design and detail
A clean flat-top gate with straight pickets is the most economical. Arched or bell-curve tops, scrollwork, geometric patterns, privacy infill, monograms or a family name all add design and shop time. Solid panels also add material, and they catch more wind, which matters if the gate will be automated.
4. Finish
In Georgia’s humidity, the finish matters as much as the metal. Paint systems, powder coating and galvanizing are priced differently and hold up differently over time. Ask us about finish options for your gate, and when you compare quotes from anyone, ask what finish is included and how the metal is prepared underneath it.
5. Posts, columns and site work
A gate is only as good as what it hangs on. Steel posts set in concrete, existing brick or stone columns, a sloped drive, rock or soft ground all affect the work involved. A drive that slopes up from the road may rule out a swing gate entirely, and existing columns have to be checked to see whether they can carry the gate’s weight.
6. Automation
Opener cost depends on gate weight and width, swing or slide, solar or hardwired power, and how people get in. It’s often the biggest variable in a gate budget, so decide early whether you want one.
7. Installation and access
A steep approach, a tight spot between a ditch and a column, or soft ground can add installation time. Most of our gate work is in Rome and around Floyd County, and we also build gates for properties in Cedartown, Rockmart, Cartersville, Summerville and Centre, AL. See the areas we serve if you’re not sure you’re in range.
Automatic gates: what adds cost
An automatic gate is a system, not just a motor. Expect a quote to cover an operator sized to your gate, a control board, power, ways to open it (remotes, a keypad or smart controls) and a way for vehicles to exit. Solar can avoid trenching a power line, but it depends on how much sun the gate location gets. Hardwired power is very reliable, but running new wiring to a gate usually means an electrician, and the City of Rome’s permit FAQ lists new electrical wiring among the work that needs an electrical permit. Our guide to how automatic gate openers work goes deeper on solar vs. hardwired power.
Safety isn’t optional
Automatic gates can be dangerous if they’re installed carelessly. Gate operators are covered by the UL 325 safety standard, and the construction of automated vehicular gates by ASTM F2200. In practice that means entrapment protection such as photo eyes and safety edges, and a gate built without dangerous gaps and pinch points. Budget for these. They aren’t upsells.
Permits and rules in Rome and Floyd County
Gates are usually part of a fence line, so check the fence rules first. According to the City of Rome’s planning FAQ on the Unified Land Development Code (Article 4.2.5), in single-family residential zoning a fence or freestanding wall in a yard next to a street can be no more than 4 feet tall, and side and rear yards are limited to 6 feet. Fences 7 feet or taller need a building permit, and 8 feet or taller need engineered footings. All fences inside a historic district must first be approved by the Historic Preservation Commission. Ask the Rome-Floyd Planning Department (706-236-5025) how those rules apply to your gate and columns before you settle on a design, and contact Georgia 811 before anyone digs post holes.
Cave Spring, Cedartown, Cartersville and the other towns we serve set their own rules, so check with the local city or county office.
Smart ways to control cost
Still deciding between swing and slide, or one leaf and two? Our guide on how to choose a driveway gate walks through those decisions.
How a custom gate project works at Fabco
Frequently asked questions
Why don’t you list gate prices online?
Because every gate we build is sized and designed for its own opening. A posted number would be wrong for most drives. A free quote based on your actual site is more useful.
Is an aluminum gate cheaper than steel?
It depends on the design and size. Aluminum is lighter on hardware; steel is more rigid on wide spans. We’re happy to price both.
Can you automate the gate I already have?
Often, if the gate, hinges and posts are sound and it swings freely. We’ll need to see it first.
Do you build gates outside Rome?
Yes. Our shop is in Cave Spring, and we work throughout Rome and Floyd County as well as Cedartown, Rockmart, Cartersville, Summerville and Centre, AL.
Get a free quote for your gate
Ready to put real numbers on your project? Call (706) 232-2642 or send us a message for a free quote. Browse our custom driveway and entrance gates for ideas, or see our ornamental fence work if you’re planning a matching fence line.
Fabco Fabrications, Inc., 5592 Cave Spring Rd SW, Cave Spring, GA 30124, just southwest of Rome. Open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.