Stepping out of your car to heave open a heavy set of gates is a chore that many of us in Chigwell would gladly leave behind.
At Woodford Gates Ltd, we combine modern luxury and effortless security to deliver high-quality automation across our home county of Essex.Our traditional ironmongery skills are paired with the latest electric motor technology to ensure your entrance is as smart as it is beautiful.
Over the years, we have built a reputation for excellence that few other gates and railings firms can match. It is a reputation we worked hard to create and one that we work even harder to keep. We invite any prospective customers to search for reviews online to see what our clients have to say.
Why Choose
an Automated Gate System?
A manual gate is only effective if you remember to close and lock it every time you leave.
Automated gates automatically lock themselves behind you. Aside from the physical locking mechanism, the motors themselves make it extremely difficult for an intruder to open the gates by force.
With an electric automated gate, you don’t have to rummage around for keys and manhandle a heavy iron gate in the pouring rain.
Your gate can be opened and closed at the touch of a button.
Great for keeping you dry in bad weather, keeping you and your family safe, or assisting with mobility problems.
In a competitive property market, first impressions are everything.
A bespoke set of automated iron gates signals to potential buyers that the property has been maintained to a high standard and that security has been taken seriously.
This often translates into a higher valuation and a quicker sale.
A smooth installation starts with clear communication and meticulous planning.
Our team treats your property with the respect it deserves, ensuring all groundworks and electrical connections are handled professionally. In this way, we make the transition to automation as stress-free as possible.
The first step involves visiting your Chigwell property to assess any technical requirements. We check the power supply and ground conditions, and take precise measurements of the opening. We also discuss your lifestyle and security needs, such as how many people will need access and whether you require integration with any existing security system.
Once the technical details are confirmed, our craftsmen get to work in our workshop in nearby Woodford Green. We fabricate your gates from high-quality wrought iron, ensuring they are perfectly weighted for the chosen automation system. This ensures a long, trouble-free lifespan for the entire installation.
Our installers are experts in both the mechanical and electrical aspects of the job.
We carefully set the levels, install the motor units, and wire in all the safety features. Once the physical installation is complete, we run a series of rigorous tests to ensure the gates operate exactly as they should, making whatever adjustments are necessary for optimal performance.
Our relationship with our Chigwell clients doesn’t end with installation.
We provide a full handover, showing you how to use the system and what to do in an emergency.
We also offer ongoing maintenance packages to ensure your gates stay in peak condition.
If your current electric gate is making strange noises, moving slowly, or failing to respond to your remote, our team is ready to help. We have extensive experience with a wide variety of motor brands and control systems. These are some of the more common ways we can assist you.
Sliding gates can sometimes suffer from debris in the tracks or worn-out drive gears. We can clean and realign your tracking system and repair or replace the motor units to ensure the gate glides smoothly once more.
The rams or underground motors used for swing gates are exposed to the elements and can eventually suffer from water ingress or mechanical wear. We carry a range of spare parts and can often swap out a failing arm or motor unit quickly.
Sometimes the hardware is fine, but the computer has a glitch. We can diagnose faults in the control panel, replace blown fuses, or reprogram your fobs and keypads. We can also replace or upgrade an intercom system that is failing to operate at peak performance.
We are incredibly proud of the work we have completed for our neighbours across the region. If you take a drive through the leafier parts of Chigwell, you will likely see our automated systems protecting some of the most beautiful homes in the area. For more details and some visual examples, visit our Gallery page.
Choosing the right style of electric gate helps you make the most of the space you have available on your driveway. As part of our consultation process, we examine the layout of your property, consider the gradient of the ground, how close you are to the pavement, and various other factors. Only then can we offer our considered opinion on the best automated iron gate for you.
For properties with shorter driveways, a sliding gate is often the most practical choice. These open and close horizontally, tucking neatly behind a wall, hedge, or fence line.
They are particularly popular in Chigwell for wider entrances, where traditional swing gates would require too much room to open inward.
Speaking of swing gates, if you have the room, these remain a timeless and popular choice.
They are available as a single, farm-style gate or a pair of gates that open saloon-style. Powerful hydraulic or mechanical arms are fitted to the gates to ensure smooth opening and closing.
Combining the merits of sliding and swing gates, bi-folding electric gates fold back on themselves, concertina-style. This means they don’t need the wide opening arc of a swing gate and they are also very quick to open and close.
There’s no mystery to operating an automated gate. An electric opening device is fitted to the gate itself. When operated, it mimics the movements you would perform to open or close the gate manually (pushing or pulling on a swing gate, for instance). The result is a secure and convenient method of accessing your home or workplace.
Most of our clients enjoy the simple convenience of a handheld remote control. These fobs can be kept in your car or on your keyring, and are used to trigger the gate as you approach.
We can provide duplicate fobs for family members or staff, all of which use rolling-code technology to prevent the unauthorised copying of your signal.
If you need to manage visitors to your home or business, a keypad or intercom system is essential.
We can install wireless or hard-wired intercoms that allow you to speak with callers at the gate from inside your house, or via your smartphone.
This lets you confirm their identity before granting them access.
Safety is our absolute priority, especially in households with children or pets. We install infrared photocells that create an invisible beam across the driveway. If this beam is broken while the gate is moving, the system halts the gate immediately. Likewise, if the gate meets with any physical obstruction while closing, it will automatically reverse direction, preventing harm or damage.
Automated Gates
for Residential Properties
Residential electric gates provide a boundary between your home and family and the busy Essex streets.
They are a significant deterrent to opportunistic thieves, while also making it safe for young children and dogs to play in the garden, by blocking off access to the road.
All our domestic systems are designed to be user-friendly, so that they enhance your daily routine, rather than complicating it.
Automated Gates
for Commercial Properties
For business owners and site directors in Chigwell, an automated gate is a vital part of site management, as well as for health and safety.
Since they typically experience more traffic than their domestic counterparts, we use heavy-duty industrial motors capable of hundreds of operations per day.
We can integrate your new gates with any existing building security, such as timed access or logging systems for staff and visitors.
Why Choose
Woodford Gates?
Founded
in 2004
Local wrought ironwork specialists
A Name to Be Trusted
Fully Insured and Guaranteed
Gates and Metal Fabrication
Near You
Operating out of Woodford Green, we are ideally situated to serve the entire Chigwell area and the surrounding Essex towns. Being local means we can respond quickly to service calls and provide a personal touch that larger, national companies simply cannot match. We understand the local terrain and the weather conditions that your gates will face, allowing us to build and install systems that are truly fit for purpose in our corner of the country.
Frequently Asked Questions
About Automated & Electric Gates
Once the gates have been fabricated and the site is prepared, the actual installation of the automation typically takes between two to three days.
In many cases, yes. If your current iron gates are in good structural condition and the pillars are strong enough to support the force of the motors, we can often add an automation kit.
Every system we install comes with a manual override facility. This usually involves a special key that allows you to disengage the motors, letting you swing or slide the gates by hand until the power is restored.
For a standard residential gate, we recommend a professional service at least once a year. This allows us to check the safety sensors, lubricate moving parts, and ensure the electrical connections remain tight.
Yes, they do. We provide a comprehensive warranty that covers both our workmanship and the motor hardware. We will provide you with all the documentation during the final handover.
Sloped driveways aren’t ideal, but we find that there is almost always a way round the problem, such as rising hinges for swing gates or specialised cantilever systems for sliding gates.
For automated gates of the highest quality in Chigwell and across Essex, contact Woodford Gates Ltd today. Call the team to discuss your specific requirements, or send an email to have someone call you back.
