Real examples of poor gate workmanship our engineers have been called out to put right. Not about naming names — about showing why workmanship matters.
A large part of our work is rectifying problems caused by previous installations. Most aren’t obvious until something stops working — by which point the damage to motors, cables, and control boards is already done.
Below are real examples from recent callouts. We’ve removed any details that identify the property or the original installer. The point isn’t to criticise anyone — it’s to show what proper workmanship looks like compared to what we routinely walk into.
Example 1
Unsealed cable entries let slugs and spiders nest inside the controller. Combined with the wrong type of cable used on the outside, water gets pulled in along the wires. Both are common causes of expensive, intermittent failures.
Example 2
Photocell sensors were run through extra inline junctions on the way back to the control panel. Every additional connection is another failure point. Sensors should be wired directly into the control panel, with no extra joints in between.
Example 3
Cable conduits left unfixed against the wall. Every time the gate moves, they flex and pull on the connections inside. Over time, terminals work loose and the gate develops intermittent faults that are difficult to trace.
Example 4
Leading-edge safety on a 400kg sliding gate — physically present, but not wired to a controller. No impact-stop, no reversal. A serious safety failure on a heavy gate that meets the public.
Example 5
The track was laid with a gap and out of alignment. The gate runs stiff, generates noise, and forces the motor to work harder on every cycle — significantly reducing motor lifespan and bringing a replacement bill forward by years.
Example 6
Multiple inline connections inside the controller, none labelled. When something does fail, fault-finding becomes a full investigation. What should be a 30-minute repair turns into hours of diagnosis.
A full gate service includes force testing, sensor function checks, electrical inspection, and a written report flagging anything that needs attention — including workmanship issues from a previous install.
See what’s included in a serviceCall us or book a time slot online. Emergency callouts available 7 days a week.