Thanx for the responses, much appreciated. I�ve decided to go with an aluminum gate to minimize weight to reduce stress on the gate opener. I plan to go with the Mighty Mule opener, I see no reason to spend more money for one at this point. I think the key to longevity is proper installation and grounding. I plan to run AC power, water, CAT-5 and a coax to the gate, you never know what you�ll need tomorrow.
The soil in south Georgia is sandy (think Florida), so I�ve decided not to mount the gate on the brick column, instead I�ll install an adjacent steel post with outriggers per the attached pic. This should ensure the gate and column remains vertical.
I�ve got all my bids back for building the columns, two of them tied at $3500, or $700 per column, material and labor. The columns in the first pic I posted were installed 10 years ago at a cost of $600 per column, so I think this is reasonable.
I also forgot to mention the fence cost of $7.25 per foot, material and labor. From the research I�ve, I think this is pretty reasonable.
Thanx again
2O2S
