You should post a picture of the backside of the gates so the construction method is clear. Is there any kind of diagonal bracing?

Also, that type of latch is not appropriate for your situation, and if your contractor doesn't know that, it's a competence problem. Any type of flapping can cause it to pop open...as you appear to have discovered. It doesn't matter where it is set...it won't work over the long term and should be replaced with a different design. (I have a latch like it on my gate, but the gate is only 3' wide and it closes on a post and not on another gate that is flapping around.) I also notice that the contractor used hardware that is not weatherproof and sloppily put two screws in one hole where a lag bolt should be...also not a good sign of workmanlike performance. The two stops going into the ground look like they drop into rather large pipes, so that allows additional flapping. If it were me, I'd put a small wooden wedge into each one to minimize flapping. Lastly, how are the fence posts holding the gates set in the ground? If they are not cemented in and pretty deep, you will keep getting sagging.

Thank you both for your input.

The contractor is a lazy, bleep-bleep-bleep in my opinion. I am a single female, which I am afraid to say has probably made the situation worse. He talks to me like I'm an idiot. I'm beginning to think I understand the mechanics of a fence gate better than he does. I'm not an expert, but I knew from the get go this was a crappy set up.

The first "redo" is when he replaced the pipes in the ground. The first pipes were smaller and held the poles tighter, which is probably why the gates completely took them out while whipping in the wind like sails!!! When he came and moved the latch over probably not more than 1/4", that is when he used the 2 screws in one hole. Before that one of the holes was not being utilized by anything. It is a pathetic "fix" on his part. I think he's just hoping I'll go away . . . and honestly I prefer that at this point. If he were going to make it right, he would've done so on one of his last 2 trips to my house.

I rarely use the gate except to mow in my alley . . . so the cross bar is probably a good bet. I don't have time to post more pics just yet, but I think the metal posts are the only positive part. They are cemented and seem to be very sturdy thus far. There is one 2x4 diagonal brace (I believe) on each backside.

If I added a brace bar, I would need to span past the hinges of the gates to keep it good and sturdy, right? So for instance, the gate is 11'4"ish so I need to go say 14'ish or more?

Sorry you're having problems. The contractor should have known what was going to happen with a gate that large. We have a very large double gate also (built with the fence by my hubs & dad almost 30 years ago). After so many years ours needed to be redone. My husband had a friend build a lightweight metal frame to which he screwed in the fence boards. One thing that's helped immensely are the heavy casters he attached at the bottom.

alouwomack-

I feel better now that I know you have cemented posts and diagonal braces. But the latch is still not adequate for your situation. Something like this will at least prevent the latch from disengaging when the wind blows: Stanley latch

In addition, you should screw a vertical board to one of the gate edges, like a 1 X 4, on the side where the braces are. Half of the width of this board would overhang the edge, and in that way the other gate would butt up against it. Then, if you replace the latch with the type I linked you to above, the gates will flap a lot less because hey are held against one another from both sides. Is that explanation clear?

As far as your question about adding a bar across the gates, that would be a good solution, and it would not have to be wider than the gates. If you do this, simply get a nice, straight 2 X 4 that is the width of the gates, and have four supports for it: two in the center, and two on each outer edge. As long as the fit of the bar into the supports is not too loose, this will prevent further problems. However, I still suggest replacing the latch as that type is just not the best choice for your gate situation (you will keep having alignment problems). On the other hand, the bar would work as a latch, so maybe you could get by with no latch, unless you wanted something you could lock.

And I'm sorry to hear how you are being treated. Some contractors do that when they get defensive and the customer -- male of female -- is raising reasonable, intelligent questions that challenge their competence. And, of course, some men think they can bamboozle women because they aren't supposed to understand this stuff.

Lumber comes in 8' or 12' standard length, so one of those would be dandy for the bar. 12' would extend a bit beyond the hinges on each end, which is not a problem. You could attach a pair of brackets for it to the vertical board covering the metal post on either side. A 12' board would just reach those on either side, I think. Then two more near where the gates meet. Actually though, a 12' 2x4 is going to be a lot to take off and put on! Maybe an 8-footer is better or even 6'. kudzu is right, it doesn't actually have to extend past the gates.

I bet you can find a friend or neighbor with a drill-driver to do this stuff or get one yourself! You already know more about gate engineering than whats-his-name so it's time to do the same with a drill driver. My sister once told me she did a project herself - very effectively - and I said, "How did you do that?" She said "I just pretended I was you. What would my brother do?" It turned out she knew how to do it herself, she just had to believe it. :-D Turns out that's what most of us do - fake it till we make it. We screw up a lot, like whats-his-name, but some of us are smart enough not to sell our services when we're not that good on the first try.

Thank you both again for all your help. It has been great to mind storm with you. I do think my questioning him on so many levels ticked him off a bit . . . coming from a male or female . . . he obviously did not like it. I was nice and professional despite his rudeness.

I do have all the tools I need in my storage building. I buy a power tool here and there :)> I love DIY projects but my back yard is so big I decided to invest the money on a contractor for a change ---> you see where that got me :(

I might not know what I'm doing half the time but I am stubborn enough to research and give things a try! Lol. Last Fall I built a privacy fence on the front of my property towards the street to separate myself from my not-so-favorite neighbors. I have just never built gates before.

I will most certainly replace the latch. (I am all about locks. My mom laughs at my house being similar to Ft. Knox!) I also plan to replace the ground pipes with something more fitted----plus cement them into the ground. I noticed when I took the 2nd round of pics that those pipes are already tracking like the first ones did. I have a leftover bag of cement just waiting to be used. I love the idea of adding the 1x4 to help "sandwich" the gates. I was hoping to hear I could use a 2x4 of shorter length for the cross bar because I agree 12' is a lot to deal with & I have a scrap 2x4 that I'm sure will do the job!

So far, I'll only be out the cost of a new latch it looks like. With that being said, thank you, thank you, thank you again. You guys are awesome!

You can also put a eye bolt in the 2X4 at the top corner closest to the post and one in the opposite bottom corner.Run a piece of #9 wire between the 2 with a turnbuckle in the middle. This will give you more bracing and some adjustment if the gate sags again.

When I build gates that large I always use 4X6 posts minimum.