Sliding, swing and cantilever electric gates each suit a different Perth block. Here's how to pick the right one based on driveway length, slope, wind exposure and budget.
Sliding gates are the default for most Perth homes with a driveway wider than 3.5 metres and a fence line the gate can run along. They handle wind well (nothing to catch it), open and close fast, and don't need a swing arc into the driveway. The Centsys D-Series and FAAC 741 are our two most-installed sliding motors in Perth - both handle gates up to 500kg and run for a decade with basic servicing.
Swing gates suit narrower driveways or heritage-look installations where a sliding gate would look wrong. The trade-off is they need clear swing space (about 1.5m past the fence line into the driveway or garden), they're slower to open, and they're more affected by strong Fremantle Doctor wind gusts. Twin-swing configurations look period-correct on 1930s Peppermint Grove and Dalkeith homes.
Cantilever gates are the specialist option - a sliding gate that hangs from an overhead beam with no ground track. They suit steep driveways or sites where a ground track can't be installed (drainage, uneven surface, cars crossing the run). Cost is 30-50% higher than a standard sliding install because of the heavier bracketry.
Budget guide for supplied-and-installed electric gates in Perth: sliding $6,500-$12,000, swing $7,500-$14,000 (twin swing is dearer), cantilever $10,500-$18,000. All figures include a Centsys or FAAC motor, video intercom at pedestrian entry, mobile app credentials, and integration with the home's wider access control.
Automation of an existing manual gate is a separate quote - usually $3,500-$6,500 depending on gate weight and how much electrical work is needed at the fence line. We do this most weeks across the western suburbs.
