Electric Gates, Garage Doors and Driveway Power for London Homes

Electric gates, roller garage doors, driveway lighting and an EV charger all need power at the front of the house, often some distance from the consumer unit. In London, where front gardens are small and driveways are shared or tight, planning these together saves digging the drive up twice. This guide covers what a safe installation looks like. It is general information, not legal advice.

Plan everything at once

If you are having the drive relaid, it is the best time to run cables and ducts for everything you might want later: gate motors, a garage door, lighting, a doorbell or intercom, CCTV and an EV charger. An empty duct laid now costs little and avoids lifting new paving later. See our guide to charger on a post or on the wall.

Electric gates

• Gate motors usually need a dedicated supply with a local isolator, so the gate can be safely switched off for maintenance.
• Cables to the gate posts should be a suitable armoured type, buried or protected along their route.
• Safety devices such as photocells and safety edges stop the gate closing on a person or car; these should be fitted and tested by a gate specialist.
• Plan how the gate opens in a power cut, either by manual release or a battery backup.

Roller and sectional garage doors

Electric garage doors are usually supplied from a fused spur near the motor. If the garage has old wiring or only a single socket, it is a good time to check the circuit and add sockets and lighting. Our guide to garage conversions covers garage electrics in more detail.

Driveway and path lighting

Lighting along a drive or front path makes it safer to use at night. Low-level bollard lights, PIR floodlights and lights built into gate posts all need weatherproof fittings and RCD protection. See our guide to outdoor and security lighting.

Check the supply

A gate motor and lighting add little load, but an EV charger adds a lot. If you plan all of them, an electrician should check your main fuse and consumer unit first. Outdoor circuits usually need RCD protection, and new circuits are usually notifiable under Building Regulations, so keep the certificate for the work.

Book a survey

Energy North Ltd wires driveways, garages and EV chargers across North, East and West London with City & Guilds certified electricians. See our EV charger installation page or contact us through our website.