Frequently Asked Questions

Most repairs are completed in 2 to 4 hours. A hinge rebuild on an older iron gate in West Town might take 90 minutes. Troubleshooting an intermittent electrical fault in a BFT system in Near South Side, with buried line tracing, can stretch to half a day. We don't clock-watch. We stay until it's done right and tested thoroughly.

We inspect the full system: gate frame, hinges, wheels, track, motor, controls, safety devices, and power supply. We identify every issue, not just the obvious one. Then we explain what we found, show you the worn parts, and give you a written estimate with options. Work starts only when you say go. When finished, we cycle the gate 20 times and teach you the maintenance points.

We specialize in them. Those gates were built when every town had an ironworks, and the metal was heavier gauge than most of what's sold today. We've restored gates in Chicago that have been swinging since 1962. We match the original weld style, fabricate missing scrollwork when needed, and preserve the character that made the gate worth keeping.

Yes. Our Chicago crew handles driveway gates for homeowners in Grand Boulevard, loading dock gates for warehouses in Lower West Side, and security barriers for institutions in the Chicago Loop. The principles don't change: Krafted right, every time, with proper materials and no shortcuts. The scale changes; the standard doesn't.

Hinge pins need greasing twice yearly, track debris needs clearing monthly, and safety sensors need cleaning quarterly. Chicago's freeze-thaw cycles are hard on gate systems. The salt spray from Lake Michigan, felt even inland in neighborhoods like Douglas and McKinley Park, accelerates corrosion on unprotected steel. A 30-minute seasonal check prevents the 3 a.m. failure that traps your car in the driveway.

We work on LiftMaster, FAAC, BFT, and Linear systems regularly, plus most other major brands. We don't push one manufacturer for every job. A light residential swing gate in Brighton Park might suit a Linear operator fine. A high-cycle commercial slide gate in South Lawndale needs FAAC's hydraulic durability. We match the equipment to your gate's weight, usage, and your preference for features.

Often yes. We maintain relationships with suppliers who stock legacy components, and we fabricate what we can't source. For obsolete circuit boards in older LiftMaster systems, we've successfully adapted current-generation controls while preserving the original motor and mechanics. We don't declare a gate dead until we've exhausted every honest avenue.

We use OEM parts whenever possible, especially for electronic components where compatibility is critical. For mechanical items like hinges, rollers, and catch posts, we sometimes fabricate in-house or source from foundries we've trusted for decades. We tell you which we're using and why. Standing behind it means knowing exactly what's in your gate.

Yes. We hold all required Chicago contractor licenses and comply with the City's electrical and structural codes for automated gate systems. Gate openers are permanently wired electrical equipment, and Chicago requires proper permitting for new installations. We pull permits where required, handle inspections, and close the paperwork loop so you're not left holding a violation notice.

We're fully insured and bonded, with coverage that protects your property and our crew. We've carried continuous coverage since 1984, the year we opened. We can provide a certificate of insurance on request, and we never subcontract to uninsured day laborers. Your home first means we work in your house the way we'd work in our mother's.

Simple repairs to existing manual gates generally don't require permits. Replacing an automated gate opener, modifying the gate structure, or installing a new gate typically does. Chicago's Department of Buildings has specific requirements for automated gates, including safety entrapment protection. We handle permit determination as part of our initial assessment and include any fees in your written estimate.

We offer same-day service for urgent situations throughout our Chicago service area, including Bridgeport, Lower West Side, Near South Side, McKinley Park, Douglas, Chicago Loop, Grand Boulevard, New City, South Lawndale, Brighton Park, and West Town. Call (844) 321-0766 before 2 p.m. and we'll typically have a journeyman to you that day. After 2 p.m., we prioritize safety issues and schedule others for first thing next morning.

A gate that won't open and traps your vehicle inside or outside, a gate that's hanging dangerously from a broken hinge, or an automated gate that's lost safety sensors and won't stop on contact. We've responded at midnight in January to a failed estate gate in Near South Side with a funeral the next morning. We'll be there when we say, emergency or not.

During business hours, we aim for 2-4 hour response across Chicago. For true emergencies, our on-call journeyman carries common openers, motors, and control boards and can often complete the repair in one trip. Winter storms strain our schedule, but we've never left a neighbor's car trapped overnight when it was in our power to prevent it.

We apply The Keystone Standard to every repair: 90 days, in writing, no arguing. If the same issue returns within 90 days, we come back and fix it at no charge. No paperwork battle, no finger-pointing. We've honored this since 1984, and it's why neighbors in Chicago call us back and send their grown children our way.

The Keystone Standard covers both parts we supplied and our labor. Manufacturer defects beyond 90 days fall to the equipment maker's warranty, which we help you navigate. If we installed it, we don't disappear when something goes wrong. Standing behind it means seeing the problem through, even when the calendar gets complicated.

Damage from accidents, vandalism, or unlicensed modifications voids coverage, as does failure to maintain moving parts. We document the gate's condition when we arrive and note any pre-existing issues that could affect longevity. We're plainspoken about what we can promise and what depends on you. No surprises on the bill, no surprises in the warranty.

Yes. LiftMaster, FAAC, BFT, and Linear each offer manufacturer warranties ranging from 2 to 5 years on residential operators, with commercial coverage varying by model. We register your equipment, file the paperwork, and keep copies in our files. If the manufacturer stalls, we advocate for you. The 400th job gets the care of the first.

Written by the team at Ironworks Gate Co., serving Chicago since 1984.