Glass Balustrades in Albany

New builds and townhouses

Albany has changed enormously over the last decade — where there were fields there are now subdivisions, townhouses and apartment complexes. Most of the balustrade work we do here is on new builds, which means we're fitting into fresh structures rather than retrofitting. That's actually the easier job: the deck edge is square, the fixing points are where the plans say they are, and we can spec a clean frameless system from the start.

The townhouses are a slightly different brief. The balconies are smaller and the bathrooms are compact, so the balustrade and the shower screen both need to make the space feel bigger than it is. Frameless glass does both well — a channel balustrade on the balcony and a hinged or sliding frameless shower screen inside.

Specifying for a newer area

Albany is far enough inland that the coastal exposure is mild, but I still won't fit cheap fixings — the cost saving isn't worth the call-back. We use quality stainless spigots and channel trims, and we powder-coat any aluminium to match the joinery the builder has already specified. On a new build, matching the balustrade finish to the rest of the house is what makes it look like one job rather than two.

• Frameless channel systems for new-build decks
• Compact balcony balustrades for townhouse developments
• Frameless shower screens for tight townhouse bathrooms
• Powder-coated aluminium matched to existing joinery

Pool fencing and shower screens

The larger Albany sections still have room for a pool, and we fit frameless glass barriers that meet F9 and keep the pool area open. But the bulk of our Albany work is shower screens — there are a lot of townhouse bathrooms being finished out here, and a frameless glass screen is the standard finish for a modern, compact bathroom.