Glass Balustrades in Devonport

Working within heritage controls

Devonport is one of Auckland's oldest suburbs and the heritage controls here are real — you can't just put anything on the front of a character villa. So when we fit a balustrade on a Devonport home, we're thinking about how it reads against the original facade. A discreet frameless channel system, kept low and simple, usually works. Where a handrail is needed, a slim powder-coated aluminium rail in a colour matched to the existing joinery sits as if it belongs.

I always walk the site and, where it matters, talk through what the heritage rules will and won't allow. The last thing I want is to fit something that looks right but creates a problem with council. Better to spec it properly the first time.

Waterfront and ferry-side exposure

Devonport sits on a peninsula with water on three sides, so the salt exposure is constant — the ferry terminal and naval base mean there's plenty of marine activity in the air. Every fixing we install here is 316 marine-grade stainless, and any aluminium is powder-coated to a coastal spec. The character of the suburb means the finish has to be impeccable, so we take our time on the detailing.

• Discreet channel systems that respect heritage facades
• Colour-matched powder-coated aluminium where a rail is needed
• 316 marine-grade stainless on all fixings
• Heritage-compliant specifications where required

Pool fencing and shower screens

A few Devonport properties have pools in the back garden, and we fit frameless glass barriers that meet F9 without disrupting the character of the section. Inside, the villas here often have small original bathrooms that have been opened up in renovation — a frameless shower screen is the right finish for those spaces, keeping them feeling as generous as possible.