Small repair on a wash visit
Gate latch and sag
This is a small exterior fix on a cleaning visit, not a licensed trade, and it is refused when it is plumbing, electrical, or structural.
A gate that drags or will not latch.
A gate that drags or will not latch is often a loose hinge, a latch that no longer catches, or a split board. If the post is sound, the gate can be made to close.
A post rotten at the ground, or a fence leaning down the line, is a fence job. Forcing the latch is how the next hinge tears out.
What I check
- Whether the hinge post is solid at the ground.
- Whether the hinges are loose, bent or pulling out of the wood.
- Whether the latch side has moved, or the gate itself has sagged.
- Whether the gate swings into a slope or a raised spot of ground, which can look like a sag.
When it is worth it
A gate on a sound post usually just needs its hinges tightened or reset, a latch that catches again, or a split board replaced. That is a short job, and it can ride along with a fence wash. A gate that latches again is also a gate that keeps the dog in.
What I won't touch
Setting new posts, rebuilding a fence line, automatic gate openers and anything wired. Those are a fence company or an electrician.
What to have ready
A photo of the gate closed, one of the hinge side, and one of the latch. Tell me if it is wood, vinyl or metal. Send them here.
The price is agreed before anything comes off the house. If opening it up shows more than the quote covered, I stop and we talk.
Call (706) 415-7564Send a photo of it
Longer answer: A gate that drags · Every small repair I do, and what I won't