Do I Need a Forklift to Unload My Driveway Gate?

While having a forklift makes the process effortless, it is NOT required. Most of our customers do not own heavy machinery. We offer several delivery methods—including shipping directly to your installer, personal delivery for local clients, or terminal pickup—that make receiving your custom gate easy and stress-free.

Option 1: We Ship to Your Installer (The “Easy Button”)

The absolute easiest way to handle a large gate is to have us ship it directly to your fence contractor’s business address instead of your home.

  • They Have the Equipment: Most professional fence companies have skid steers or forklifts at their facilities to unload crates in seconds.
  • Save Money: delivering to a commercial address with a dock often avoids the “Residential” and “Liftgate” surcharges, lowering your shipping cost.
  • Zero Hassle: You don’t have to wait at home for a delivery truck or store a massive crate in your garage. Your installer simply brings the gate with them on installation day.

Option 2: JDR Personal Delivery (I-75 Corridor)

If you are located within 300 miles of the I-75 corridor (ranging from Michigan down through Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida), we may be able to deliver the gate to you personally.

  • White Glove Service: Our team drives the gate to your property on our own trailer.
  • No Crate Waste: Since we transport it ourselves, we often don’t need the massive timber crate, saving you the hassle of disassembling and disposing of the wood packaging.
  • Expert Handling: Your gate is handled exclusively by the people who built it, eliminating the risk of freight carrier damage.

Option 3: Terminal Pickup (Flexible & Affordable)

If you have a flatbed trailer or a pickup truck, we can ship the gate to the nearest FedEx Freight Terminal to your zip code.

Freight dock skid pallet scaled 1
  • They Load You: You drive to the terminal, and the dock workers use their industrial forklifts to gently place the entire crated gate onto your trailer.
  • No “Appointment Window”: You pick it up on your schedule (during business hours) without waiting around all day for a truck.

Option 4: The “Break-Bulk” Method (Home Delivery)

If you must receive the gate at home and don’t have machinery, you can unload even large gates by hand with a little preparation.

  1. Limit: This works for gates up to ~14ft. Larger estate gates may require machinery.
  2. Open on the Truck: Ask the driver for permission to unscrew the lid of our custom timber crate while it is still inside the trailer.
  3. Slide Them Out: Once the crate is open, individual gate panels are manageable. A typical 12ft Aluminum Driveway Gate panel weighs roughly 100-120 lbs. With one person on the truck and two on the ground, you can slide the panel out by hand. The driver will often help also, but isn’t required to.
Scroll to Top