How stable is your entrance?...
You may well think that a solid pier, of 2.5 bricks square, would be strong enough for your #entrance-gate-system, but you could be wrong. This new pier was not as strong as the dustcart that knocked into it.
A heavy solid pier like this, is only as strong as the mortar holding it together. This thin line of cement, binding each layer, may offer little resistance, when push becomes a huge shove.
All that hard work was so quickly undermined and could have easily been avoided. Installing a steel core using a suitable metal post, concreted into sound foundations and having the pier, carefully back filled would have been our recommendation.
This method may not always be enough though? If the foundations are to be set into unstable ground, more preparation, spreading the likely maximum load would be required.
Free standing structures like these piers, can move as their foundations settle, or are disturbed. This movement distorts the geomaratry of each gate leaf and can cause the #electric-gate system to fail. The gates can jam against each other, or swing out of line, kicking up into the air, or down into the driveway.
A link beam, concreted across the drive and attached securly to each, core support steel is and ideal way to keep posts, or piers aligned. As an across drive duct is often necessary, this additional item may be installed at a similar time and in a similar trench. All of which can be finished off with a complimentary feature, such as granite sets or similar.
#Automatic-gates are never cheap, if they are, they are not likely to last. So much detail with the parts that are unseen, holding the greater chance of long life, are often overlooked.
For good design that lasts and is safer find an approved DHF & Gate safe installer that follows the TS011 DHF & NSI .DHF TS 011 code of practice for powered gates & barriers - version 3 2018 and has a long-term track record for customer support.
The whole Lifetime ownership costs, are too often not considered, by first time buyers.