Carlsbad Metal Gates Group is North County's premier team for ornamental metal fencing, specializing in racked steel fence panels, hand-forged picket fences, and estate perimeter runs. We offer spear-top and flat-top steel pickets and puppy picket bottoms for dogs.
Our team provides post layout on deep bell footings, delivering straight fence lines for homes and secure frontage for both residential and commercial projects. Backed by 14 years in business, we've completed over 1,326 projects, from a 40-foot front yard run to forged estate fencing that wraps a whole lot, with our 2-year workmanship warranty behind each one.
From survey stakes at the property line to a fence finish matched to your driveway gate, our team handles every detail. Serving Carlsbad and neighboring Rancho Santa Fe, Fairbanks Ranch and Elfin Forest, we set iron and steel fencing that follows a hillside without stepped gaps or leaning posts.
Call us for a free estimate, and we will walk your fence line with a level before we price a single panel.
What you can hold us to
Steven, South gated community estate, Fairbanks Ranch
An estate front with a mix of old fence styles along the street
Amanda, equestrian estate, Rancho Santa Fe
An estate entry court whose fence needed to match forged ironwork on the house
Investment and duration figures are estimates. Your written quote sets the final price and schedule.
Steven's South gated community estate in Fairbanks Ranch had a mix of old fence styles along the street, and now runs 180 linear feet of front and side fencing in galvanized ornamental steel, black powder coat. We racked matched panels of ornamental steel fence to the grade, with spear tops and a puppy picket bottom for the dogs, for an estimated $10,800 to $14,600 and an estimated 3 to 4 days on site. The result is one continuous fence line that follows the slope with no stepped gaps.
Amanda's equestrian estate in Rancho Santa Fe needed an entry court fence that matched forged ironwork on the house. We made 110 linear feet of forged fence in hand-forged mild steel, black finish, with forged pickets and scroll panels, galvanized and finished, then set on deep footings. Amanda's hand-forged wrought iron fence ran an estimated $10,200 to $13,900 and took an estimated 4 to 6 days, and the ironwork now reads as part of the original house.
Racked panels follow the grade in a smooth line, and stepped panels stay level and drop in steps, so the slope of your yard decides which one we build. Standard rackable steel panels adjust roughly 24 to 36 inches over an 8-foot run, which covers most front yards in La Costa, Calavera Hills and Encinitas. Steeper lots in Elfin Forest and Harmony Grove usually need custom stepped panels, because racking past that limit leans the pickets out of plumb.
| Fence on a slope | Best grade | Bottom gap | Look |
|---|---|---|---|
| Racked panels | Gentle, even slopes | Stays even along the run | One smooth line |
| Stepped panels | Steep or uneven ground | Triangle gaps at each step | Level steps |
| Custom raked panels | Curved or changing grade | Cut to the ground | Built to the lot |
Stepped fences leave triangle gaps under each panel, so on a dog yard we fill them with puppy pickets or a matching bottom rail.
Post footings decide whether a metal fence stays straight for decades, and ours are 24 to 36 inch deep bell footings, 10 to 12 inches across, in 3,000 to 4,000 PSI concrete. Gate posts get the heaviest section and the deepest hole on every job from Poway to Del Mar, because a swinging gate pulls on its post every day. We set posts to the panel width, not a round number, so no panel is cut short at the end of a run.
Most residential metal fences up to 7 feet are exempt from a building permit under California Building Code section 105.2, but local zoning still limits fence height in a front yard. Front yard limits in North County cities are typically lower than side and rear limits, and we confirm the allowed height for your address before the design is final. Estates under The Covenant in Rancho Santa Fe and homes in gated communities go through design review, so we prepare elevations for the review package.
Steel fencing does not burn, which matters on chaparral lots in Elfin Forest and on rural Bonsall properties where the 2017 Lilac Fire swept through roughly 4,100 acres. A wood fence that touches the house can carry fire to the walls, while an iron or steel fence line leaves nothing to ignite. On these lots we also keep the bottom gap clear of brush and add a gate fire crews can open, like the ranch gate with an emergency access key switch on Brian's acreage with a long gravel drive.
Ornamental steel fencing in Carlsbad is estimated at roughly $50 to $85 per linear foot installed, and hand-forged iron at roughly $85 to $130, with height, slope and the finish moving the price most. A level 4-foot front fence sits near the low end, and a 6-foot racked perimeter with forged details sits near the top.
Galvanized steel, powder coat, ball-bearing hinges, photo eyes
Sized for the opening and the trailer turn
For slopes, debris and commercial entrances
For flat drives with no swing room
Motor, photo eyes, battery backup, remotes
Added to a new or existing automated gate
4 to 6 ft galvanized and powder coated
5 to 6 ft custom forged pickets and scrolls
The rust-free coastal choice
60 inch barrier, self-closing, self-latching gate
Steel or wrought iron, balusters under 4 inches apart
316 stainless cable on steel posts
Kit or custom, set on its own footing
Steel and glass, floor-mounted pivot
Investment and duration figures are estimates. Your written quote sets the final price and schedule.
| Fence job | Est. investment | Est. duration on site |
|---|---|---|
| Ornamental steel fence, 4 to 6 ft | Est. $50 to $85 per linear foot | Est. 2 to 4 days |
| Hand-forged wrought iron fence, 5 to 6 ft | Est. $85 to $130 per linear foot | Est. 3 to 6 days |
| Powder-coated aluminum fence | Est. $25 to $75 per linear foot | Est. 2 to 3 days |
| Cor-Ten weathering steel privacy fence | Est. $85 to $145 per linear foot | Est. 3 to 5 days |
| Matching pedestrian walk gate | Est. $600 to $1,500 per gate | Est. 4 to 8 hours |
An estate front of about 180 linear feet, like Steven's, typically lands near an estimated $10,800 to $14,600 once old fence removal and the racked panels are counted.
Every fencing price on this page is an estimate for Carlsbad and may change with steel prices. Your written quote after the site walk sets the final price and the install schedule, and it depends on the length and height of the run, the slope, and whether the fence is stock or forged.
Galvanized ornamental steel is the best value for most fence lines, hand-forged iron suits a historic estate, and aluminum is the rust-free pick within sight of the ocean. The table compares the main fence metals by estimated price, expected life and where they fit.
| Fence metal | Est. installed price | Expected life | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ornamental tubular steel, galvanized and powder coated | Est. $50 to $85 per linear foot | 20 to 50 years | Estate fronts and perimeters |
| Hand-forged wrought iron | Est. $85 to $130 per linear foot | 50 to 100 years | Historic and custom estates |
| Extruded ornamental aluminum | Est. $25 to $75 per linear foot | 30 to 50 years | Coastal and pool fencing |
| Cor-Ten weathering steel | Est. $85 to $145 per linear foot | 40 to 60 years | Modern inland homes |
Near the bluffs we often switch to aluminum fencing and gates for coastal homes, and modern homes inland often choose horizontal slat fences in Cor-Ten or steel.
A galvanized and powder-coated steel fence does not leave rust streaks on stucco walls or stone pillars, because zinc under the coating stops rust before it starts. Painted steel rusts from the inside of the tube and bleeds orange down every pillar it touches. Inland fences in Poway and Lake San Marcos face sun more than salt, so we pick a powder coat color rated to hold up to UV.
Our crew has set fence lines on 1,326 projects across 14 years, and we lay out every post from a string line before a hole is dug. The fence and its gates come out of the same shop in the same finish, so the color and the picket line match. Our 2-year workmanship warranty covers welds, post plumb and gate alignment.
We install ornamental fencing within a 40-mile radius, most often on Rancho Santa Fe estates under The Covenant, gated communities in Fairbanks Ranch and chaparral lots in Elfin Forest. We also fence homes in Encinitas, Del Mar, Poway and Bonsall horse properties.
A new fence line usually ends at a gate, so owners pair it with custom driveway gate fabrication or an estate gate entry with stone pillars. Horse properties add equestrian and ranch gates sized for a truck and trailer.
Ornamental steel fencing is estimated at roughly $50 to $85 per linear foot installed, and your written quote sets the final price.
Yes, racked panels follow a gentle slope in a smooth line, and steeper ground gets stepped or custom raked panels.
Most fences up to 7 feet are exempt from a building permit in California, but local zoning sets front yard heights, which we confirm for your address.
A galvanized and powder-coated steel fence resists rust in coastal air, while painted steel rusts from the inside.
Yes, we copy the picket spacing, tops and finish of your gate, or build the gate and fence together in one finish.
Most ornamental steel fences take an estimated 2 to 4 days on site, depending on length and slope.
Yes, we add puppy pickets at the bottom so small dogs cannot squeeze through.
Our deposit is capped at $1,000 or 10% of the contract, whichever is less, under California law.
Request a free estimate, and we will walk the fence line, check the slope and write an itemized quote for steel or forged iron.
Start to finish
We measure the opening, the grade and the swing or slide path before anything is drawn.
You approve a scaled drawing, the metal, the finish and the operator before steel is cut.
The gate is welded in our shop, then galvanized and powder coated for the salt air.
We set the posts, hang the gate, wire the operator and test every photo eye and safety edge with you.
Where we work
Call us or send the form, and we will book a site measure and a written estimate.
Calls only, we do not receive text messages.
