When someone visits your home, the first thing they see is something we may not often consider—your gate. An updated gate, whether stylish, practical, or both, can be a one-of-a-kind way to make your residence stand out. Luckily, Ahwatukee is home to Renovate Your Gate, a locally owned small business that can take gates of all shapes and sizes from drab to fab.
Local resident James Lewis founded Renovate Your Gate in 2000 when he had the opportunity to turn a long-time hobby into a full-time business.
“It started when my HOA asked me to clean up my gate, so I put new boards on it, added paint, and fixed it up,” Lewis says. “I really liked it because I enjoy working with my hands and loved transforming my old gate into something new that stood out. When neighbors saw the gate, they asked me to do their gates, and my business grew from those referrals.”
Today, Lewis, his wife Heather, and their teammate Jay Webb renovate gates across Ahwatukee, the East Valley, and beyond.
Webb says that there are many benefits to renovating a gate, including safety, security, and adding to your home’s curb appeal. “Whatever the customer’s vision is, we can likely make it come to life,” Webb says.
“If you are dinged by your HOA, they oftentimes do not offer gate renovation services or referrals,” Webb continues. “So, we are here to be that local service to help homeowners become compliant with their HOA requirements, but also add some personalization, too.”
Some examples of possible gates include ones that are decorative and ornamental, or more practical ones like an RV gate. They can even knock down block walls to widen spaces for gates and include technology aspects as well, such as electronic touchpads for gate entry. The Renovate Your Gate team has also renovated gates for side yards and dog runs. They can also create gates to help with privacy, especially for townhouses or smaller spaces, and they always make sure that the gates are code compliant.
Lewis has been an Ahwatukee resident for over a decade and his wife Heather was born and raised here—just like their 9-year-old daughter Brooklyn. He says the fact his business remains family-owned and operated is by design.
“We’re a small business, and demand is high, but we stay small on purpose, so we continue to emphasize quality gates and flawless customer service,” Lewis says. “It’s quality over quantity for us, and while we work with customers across the Valley, we’d love to renovate more gates here in Ahwatukee.”
“No job is too small, and we strive for excellence in every job that we do,” he adds.
When it comes to what makes Renovate Your Gate stand out, Webb says that their small team doesn’t take themselves too seriously and have a fun sense of humor—making the gate renovation process fun and painless.
“We had a wonderful experience with Renovate Your Gate and we love our new gate,” George Sant, a recent local customer, says in a review of the team’s work. “The company was responsive from the initial inquiry to completion. We got to pick our design and our color; they even recommended the keypad lock, which they installed.”
Looking toward the future, Lewis says that he hopes to continue to add more unique gates to Ahwatukee one home at a time.
“Ahwatukee is such a special place because of all the amazing people here who support their neighbors and friends,” Lewis says. “Many of my neighbors own their own small businesses and we all support each other. I love the vibe and the people here.”
To learn more about Renovate Your Gate, and see photos of past projects, visit Facebook.com/RenovateYourGate. You can also e-mail James@RenovateYourGate.com.