Why does my gate sag?
Usually because the hinge-side post is leaning, the hinge screws have pulled loose, or the gate frame has racked out of square. Check the post with a level first; if it is plumb, the fix is in the hinges or the frame.
Fix a gate that sags or drags
Tom Hanks, owner, 24/7 Express Handyman Service · Updated September 2026
24/7 Express Handyman Service fixed a sagging gate in Salt Lake, Park City and Heber. 30 inches is the frost depth Salt Lake City's building division uses in its design criteria. (Design Criteria - Salt Lake City Building Services)
What gate repair costs
| Salt Lake City & Millcreek | from $205 |
|---|---|
| Park City & Summit County | from $225 |
| Heber Valley & Wasatch County | from $225 |
Gate repair in Salt Lake City & Millcreek starts at $205: the 2-hour minimum at $95/hour ($190) plus the $15 fuel surcharge, with no dispatch fee. Time past 2 hours is billed in 30-minute steps. Larger parts are billed at cost plus 25%.
Call now
Answered 24/7 by Tom or his dispatcher.
24/7 Express Handyman Service confirms the address, the zone rate and the dispatch fee, and takes a card, before rolling.
Quick answers
Can frost make a gate post lean?
It can. Building footings are required to sit below the frost line, and local building design criteria put that line at 30 inches. A gate post set shallower can shift as the ground freezes and thaws, tipping the gate toward the latch side.
Which way should a gate brace go?
From the bottom corner on the hinge side up to the top corner on the latch side. A wood brace set that way works in compression and holds the latch corner up; set the other way, it does little to stop sag.
What 24/7 Express Handyman Service does on site
- Tightening or replacing loose hinge screws and upgrading to heavier hinges set into solid post wood.
- Adding a diagonal brace or an anti-sag cable kit so the gate frame stays square.
- Re-plumbing or re-setting a leaning hinge post and realigning the latch so the gate closes cleanly.
How it works
- Check whether the gate frame, the hinges or the post is what is moving.
- Square the gate and brace it from the bottom hinge corner up to the top latch corner.
- Reset the hinges, re-plumb or re-set the post if needed, and adjust the latch.
- Referred out: automatic gate openers and their wiring go to a gate company or licensed electrician.
When to stop and call
If the gate will not close on a pool, a busy street, or a yard a dog could escape from, prop or tie it shut and call. 24/7 Express Handyman Service can secure it temporarily until the repair is done.
What happens next
- The written scope and price come first; if the hinge post itself is failing, post replacement is quoted separately in writing.
- Photograph the damage before anything is moved and keep every receipt; 24/7 Express Handyman Service provides an itemised invoice your insurer may ask for. The dispatch fee and job cost are paid by you on the day.
Every job 24/7 Express Handyman Service takes on is under $3,000 including labor, materials and any change orders (Utah Code §58-55-305); a change that would push a job over that line is referred to a licensed contractor, not written up as a second job. plumbing, electrical, HVAC, gas appliance / combustion system work is referred to a licensed trade.
Sources
- Design Criteria - Salt Lake City Building Services — retrieved 2026-09-23
- Prescriptive Residential Wood Deck Construction Guide, DCA 6 (2015 IRC) - American Wood Council — retrieved 2026-09-23