# Help a clueless homeowner out - getting gates replaced **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 20, 2016, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-a-clueless-homeowner-out-getting-gates-replaced/749614 "2016-03-20T03:25:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hey\_Hey\_Paula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hey\_Hey\_Paula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_Hey_Paula)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2016, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-a-clueless-homeowner-out-getting-gates-replaced/749614/1 "2016-03-20T03:25:21Z")
Hi there, clueless homeowner here. Well, not that clueless normally, but I’m stumped. We’re on a corner lot, and have three wooden gates set into concrete block walls. The gates are literally falling apart now, and I want to replace them with metal gates. But I have no idea where to start. I checked with Home Depot and they only have pre-made gates, I’ll need custom gates because of the odd sizes. I don’t even know what kind of contractor to Google. The most annoying part is, our neighbor had new metal gates installed a couple of years ago, but when I introduced myself recently and asked if he had his vendor’s contact information, he said he didn’t have it anymore. I wish I’d asked when he first had it done, his gates turned out really nice. :smack: So where should I start? ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2016, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-a-clueless-homeowner-out-getting-gates-replaced/749614/2 "2016-03-20T03:32:02Z")
IMHO - Angie’s List. It’s worth the membership fee to get good people. You may be able to start out with a trial to get this information. Angie’s List, then fencing contractors, wrought iron work, or general contractor. Start with search terms like those and you should be able to find what you need. You can also skip Angie’s List and just Google on the search terms and area you’re in. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2016, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-a-clueless-homeowner-out-getting-gates-replaced/749614/3 "2016-03-20T03:34:11Z")
I’d probably start by looking up fence companies in your area and then checking out their reviews on facebook/google/yp etc and going from there. ---
**Author:** ![herman\_and\_bill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f1d935/32.png) [@herman\_and\_bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/herman_and_bill)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2016, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-a-clueless-homeowner-out-getting-gates-replaced/749614/4 "2016-03-20T04:06:02Z")
Look for a welder or a blacksmith or onamental iron work . ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2016, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-a-clueless-homeowner-out-getting-gates-replaced/749614/5 "2016-03-20T04:43:19Z")
I bought a gate at Home Depot last summer that came unassembled. You just cut the top and bottom pipes to the width you need, assemble the sides, top, and bottom, and stretch the chain link across it. Took about 45 minutes to an hour total and only cost around $50. The kits were right next to the pre-made ones. I used it to replace a broken down wooden gate. ---
**Author:** ![Claverhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Claverhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claverhouse)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2016, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-a-clueless-homeowner-out-getting-gates-replaced/749614/6 "2016-03-20T05:35:46Z")
I don’t know if they have such things in America, but in Britain I would advise anyone to go for advice at their nearest Agricultural Hardware store — more expensive places but quality is better than Homebase etc.\*\*, \*\*and they aren’t pushy if you’re enquiring. They are around even in non-rural areas for all your mini-tractoring needs: [**Ernest Doe**](http://www.ernestdoepower.com/) is big around here. ---
**Author:** ![Richox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@Richox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richox)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2016, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-a-clueless-homeowner-out-getting-gates-replaced/749614/7 "2016-03-20T07:47:16Z")
I’m just having three gates put in as well. The job seems to be normally done by fencing contractors as a rule of thumb. Lots of the fencing guys don’t make a big song and dance about gates on their advertising or whatever, I guess its assumed everyone knows it comes with the territory or that fencing is their major focus. So if you can find a reputable fencing contractor, you should be able to find a reputable gate installer. they’ll have relationships with someone to weld them up a frame, if they cant do it themselves - it’s really not hard. ---
**Author:** ![Isilder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@Isilder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isilder)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2016, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-a-clueless-homeowner-out-getting-gates-replaced/749614/8 "2016-03-20T09:35:46Z")
> [@Hey\_Hey\_Paula](#): > > But I have no idea where to start. I checked with Home Depot and they only have pre-made gates, I’ll need custom gates because of the odd sizes. It can be cheaper or better to cut a larger gate down to size, rather than buy a kit. Kit’s might be a bit fragile ,flimsy … Buy a gate, take it to a welder… You could get it done at a fence makers workshop, or get a handyman to bring his welder in… ---
**Author:** ![ZurBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/71e660/32.png) [@ZurBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZurBob)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2016, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-a-clueless-homeowner-out-getting-gates-replaced/749614/9 "2016-03-20T10:46:08Z")
Um, phone book… Fence. Quaint by today’s standard, but it works, and it’s free. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_Hey\_Paula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hey\_Hey\_Paula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_Hey_Paula)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2016, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-a-clueless-homeowner-out-getting-gates-replaced/749614/10 "2016-03-20T22:24:40Z")
Thanks everyone - “fencing” was the term my brain could not come up with. In my defense, I was a theatre major, and “fencing” is something the fight choreographer teaches you. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2016, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-a-clueless-homeowner-out-getting-gates-replaced/749614/11 "2016-03-21T00:11:58Z")
> [@Hey\_Hey\_Paula](#): > > Thanks everyone - “fencing” was the term my brain could not come up with. In my defense, I was a theatre major, and “fencing” is something the fight choreographer teaches you. 🙂 Interesting. A fight choreographer taught me how to put up chain link fencing. Come to think of it, maybe he was just a drunken brawler, but still. . . ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2016, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-a-clueless-homeowner-out-getting-gates-replaced/749614/12 "2016-03-21T03:50:03Z")
Nothing to do with the OP - but just to brag, Recently visited my hometown and checked out the childhood home - the wooden picket fence dad n I put up 30 years ago is still standing and looking as good as the day it was built! Kinda made me rather happy to see it ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2016, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-a-clueless-homeowner-out-getting-gates-replaced/749614/13 "2016-03-21T11:43:15Z")
It’s helpful to run your selection of fencing guys past Yelp. It can eliminate the fly-by-nights and point up the well-reviewed ones. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2016, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-a-clueless-homeowner-out-getting-gates-replaced/749614/14 "2016-03-21T15:57:56Z")
> [@bengangmo](#): > > …and looking as good as the day it was built! I’ll just note that this is susceptible to more than one interpretation. :p;)