Glass Balustrades in Belmont

Established homes on gentle slopes

Belmont is a settled kind of suburb — established homes, mature trees, gentle slopes down toward the water. The decks we work on here tend to be on homes being renovated rather than brand new, so a lot of the work is retrofitting a modern balustrade onto an existing deck. Side-fixed spigots are my usual recommendation — we can fix to the existing edge without rebuilding the structure, which keeps the job efficient.

The homes here are a mix of mid-century places and more recent renovations, and the balustrade has to suit the architecture. On a mid-century home, a powder-coated aluminium frame in a colour matched to the joinery often sits well. On a sharper renovation, a frameless channel system is the cleaner call. I'll always come and look before recommending one over the other.

Moderate harbour exposure

Belmont takes a moderate dose of salt air off the harbour — less than an open-coast site, but enough that I won't fit cheap fixings. We use marine-grade 316 stainless on every fixing and powder-coat any aluminium to a coastal spec. The point is to fit something once and have it age well, not to fit something the homeowner has to think about again in three years.

• Side-fixed spigots for retrofitting existing decks
• Powder-coated aluminium frames for mid-century homes
• Frameless channel systems for modern renovations
• Marine-grade 316 stainless on all fixings

Pool fencing and shower screens

A few Belmont homes have pools, and we fit frameless glass barriers that meet F9 and keep the pool visible from the house. Shower screens round out the work — the renovated bathrooms in these homes suit a frameless glass screen that's easy to keep clean and makes the room feel bigger than its footprint.