Glass Balustrades in Torbay

Room for a proper deck

Torbay sections tend to be a bit more generous than the suburbs closer to the city, which means there's room for a proper deck — and a proper deck deserves a proper balustrade. I fit a lot of frameless channel systems out here because the decks are big enough that a clean glass barrier really opens up the space. On a 6-metre deck run, the difference between a timber balustrade and frameless glass is night and day.

The homes are a mix of established family places — often being renovated as the kids get older — and newer infill builds on subdivided sections. The established homes usually want a balustrade that freshens up an old deck; the new builds need one from scratch. Both end up with glass because it's the material that ages best in this setting.

Coastal exposure, managed properly

Torbay is far enough north that the coastal exposure is steady but not extreme — you're not taking the full force the way a cliff-edge deck might. Even so, I won't fit anything but marine-grade fixings here. The cost difference is small and the lifespan difference is large. We powder-coat any aluminium to a coastal spec and seal every fixing properly so there's no path for salt to get in.

• Frameless channel systems for larger Torbay decks
• Marine-grade fixings standard, even on sheltered sites
• Powder-coated aluminium rated for coastal exposure
• Toughened safety glass certified to NZS 4223

Pool fencing and shower screens

The bigger sections in Torbay mean more pools, and we fit a lot of frameless glass pool fencing here. The aim is always to keep the barrier legal under F9 while letting you see across the pool and garden from the house. Shower screens round out the work — the renovated family bathrooms in these homes suit a frameless glass screen that's easy to keep clean and makes the room feel bigger.