Mulholland Brand designs, fabricates and installs custom aluminum driveway gates for homes across Orange County, from Irvine and Tustin to Newport Beach and Anaheim. Every gate is built to your measurements in the company's own factory in Canoga Park, then installed by Mulholland's own crew, not a subcontractor. The gates are powder-coated aluminum, so they will not rust in coastal air and never need repainting. Mulholland has served Southern California since 1994 and holds California contractor license CSLB #1061373. It also motorizes the gates it builds, with openers, safety sensors and keypad or smart-lock access for Irvine homes that want an automatic gate.

What does an Orange County driveway gate have to deal with?

Orange County is not one climate. A gate a mile from the beach lives in salt air every day. A gate in an inland planned community deals with strong sun and an HOA that has opinions about colour.

Salt is the hard one. It gets into bare steel and iron at every weld and scratch, and rust starts from the inside of the paint. Aluminum does not rust, which is a strong reason to choose it near the coast.

Then there are the communities. Much of Irvine, Ladera Ranch and Mission Viejo sits inside associations with approved colours and styles. Mulholland can match the powder coat to an approved association colour and pick a profile that sits within the existing scheme, which helps at architectural review.

Style also changes across the county. Newport Beach and Laguna tend toward clean modern lines. Older inland neighbourhoods often lean traditional. A custom gate should suit the house it sits in front of, which is why off-the-shelf sizes and patterns rarely look right. For more on how Mulholland works here, see the Orange County service area page.

Aluminum, iron or wood: which should you choose?

Aluminum is what Mulholland builds, so it is fair to say where the others still make sense.

Wrought iron has a long history and a heavy, solid feel some owners love. The trade-off is maintenance. Iron needs sanding and repainting to stay ahead of rust, and near the coast that cycle gets short. It is also heavy, which puts load on hinges, posts and the gate motor.

Wood is warm and suits some ranch and craftsman homes. It also needs staining or sealing, and it can warp, rot or draw termites over time.

Powder-coated aluminum weighs a fraction of iron at the same span, so hinges and operators work less hard. It does not rust or rot. Mulholland states its finish lasts 30+ years in the Southern California sun. If you like the look of timber, woodgrain powder-coat finishes give you that look without the sanding and staining, and customers regularly say they cannot tell it is not wood.

If you want a detailed side-by-side, Mulholland has a longer piece on how aluminum compares to iron.

What makes a driveway gate "custom"?

A lot of companies sell gates from a catalogue and cut them to fit. A custom gate starts from your opening, your slope and your house.

At Mulholland that means:

Sliding versus swing is often decided by the driveway itself. A sloped drive or a short apron can rule out a swing gate. Mulholland covers this in sliding gate or swing gate: which is best. You can see the full range on the driveway gates page.

How do automatic gates with keypads work in Irvine?

In Irvine, many buyers want the gate automatic from day one. The gate itself is only half the job. The other half is the operator and how people get in.

Mulholland motorizes the gates it builds. That includes the gate motor or opener, safety sensors so the gate stops for a car or a person, and exit loops so the gate opens on its own as you drive out.

For access, the common choices are:

On phone access, Mulholland builds the gate ready for an intercom. If you want to open it from your phone, say so at the consultation so the gate is set up for the entry system you choose.

Light gates matter here too. Because aluminum is so much lighter than iron, the motor has less weight to move every time the gate cycles. That is easier on the operator over years of daily use.

How does a Mulholland gate project run?

The process is the same in Irvine as it is in San Clemente.

  1. In-home consultation. Mulholland comes to your property. You do not have to visit a showroom.
  2. Site measurement. The crew measures the opening, the grade and the exact dimensions.
  3. Design and quote. You get a clear, itemized price in writing.
  4. Fabrication. The gate is built to spec in the Canoga Park factory. No off-the-shelf sizing and no outsourcing.
  5. Installation. Mulholland's own crew installs it and walks you through how it works.

Financing is available. Ask about it at the consultation.

If you want to see how the gates are made, you can tour the factory in Canoga Park by appointment.

What should you ask any gate company before you hire them?

These questions work for any company you are comparing.

Do you build the gate yourself? Many gate companies buy panels from a supplier and install them. A company that fabricates in-house controls the welds, the finish and the fit.

Who is on my site? Ask whether the installers are employees or subcontractors. With an in-house crew, the people who install the gate answer to the company that built it.

Is the price itemized and in writing? A single number hides what you are paying for. An itemized quote shows the gate, the operator, the access controls and the installation separately.

What is your license number? Check it with the Contractors State License Board. Mulholland's is CSLB #1061373.

How long have you been doing this? Gates and operators are a long-term purchase. A company that has been around since 1994 has seen how its work holds up.

FAQ

Does Mulholland Brand install driveway gates in Irvine?

Yes. Mulholland serves all of Orange County, including Irvine. Gates are built in the Canoga Park factory and installed by Mulholland's own crew.

Can my gate match my HOA's approved colour?

Yes. The powder coat can be matched to an approved association colour, and the profile can be chosen to fit within the existing community scheme.

Will an aluminum gate rust near the coast?

No. Aluminum does not rust. The powder-coat finish also means you do not have to repaint it.

Can I add a keypad or smart lock to an automatic gate?

Yes. Keypads, smart locks, fingerprint locks and car-integrated openers are all options. Gates can also be prepared for an intercom.

Can the gate match my fence and garage door?

Yes. Walk gates and fencing can be built in the same design series, and Mulholland can build a replacement garage door to match.

If you are planning a custom aluminum driveway gate anywhere in Orange County, Mulholland Brand can come out, measure and give you a written quote. Book a consultation or call (800) 562-5770.