There is no dedicated balustrade specialist in Blenheim, so the best balustrade installers in Blenheim are the glaziers and metal fabricators who hold the dealerships and do the work. Between them they cover frameless glass, stainless wire, wrought iron and powder coated aluminium, on decks, stairs, balconies and pool surrounds. All three below are Blenheim businesses with a local landline and a street address you can visit.
1Marlborough Glass
Marlborough Glass is a family owned Blenheim glazier founded in 2013 by Josh and Michelle Cody, working from a factory at 44 Main Street. Three years after starting they took on the HomePlus franchise, which added balustrades, screens and awnings to the glazing side of the business. They cover the top of the South Island, from the Marlborough Sounds through to Arthur’s Pass, and run a round the clock glass replacement service alongside the installation work.
Services
- Frameless glass balustrades made to your design and specification
- Internal, external and pool fence balustrade installations
- Glass stair installations, balcony and deck railings
- Balustrade hardware, including channel extrusions, handrail cappings and stainless clamps
- Retrofit double glazing, reglazing, frameless showers and splashbacks
Highlights
- Named as the Blenheim installer by balustrade manufacturer Juralco
- Balustrades sit first in their glass services menu and have their own dedicated page
- Member of Master Glaziers
- Channel can be side or base fixed to timber, concrete or steel, with panels adjustable for realignment if the deck structure moves
- Founded in 2013, with the HomePlus franchise added in 2016
Location & Contact
Name: Marlborough Glass
Address: 44 Main Street, Blenheim
Phone: 03 578 5374
Website: marlboroughglass.co.nz
2Classic Gates
Classic Gates Engineering was established in 1986 and manufactures custom metalwork from its premises on Nelson Street in Blenheim. In 1995 it set up two subsidiaries on the same site, Marlborough Powdercoating and Riverlands Sandblasting, so fabrication and finishing both happen in house. Its range covers gates, fencing, railings, balustrades, structural steelwork and furniture, and it is the local source if you want wire or wrought iron rather than glass.
Services
- Custom balustrades and railings for indoors and out
- Wrought iron, stainless steel, glass and wire infill options
- Wrought iron gates, fencing and pool fencing
- Bridge railing and structural steelwork
- In house powdercoating and sandblasting
Highlights
- Established in 1986 and has been making balustrades and railings for over thirty years
- Owns its own powdercoating plant and sandblasting branch on the same property
- Stocks every Colorsteel roofing and aluminium joinery powdercoat colour
- Works in four balustrade materials rather than a single proprietary system
Location & Contact
Name: Classic Gates
Address: 6 Nelson Street, Blenheim 7201
Phone: 03 578 0374
Website: classicgates.co.nz
3Viridian Glass Blenheim
Viridian is a national glass manufacturer and glazier with a staffed branch on Grove Road in Blenheim serving the Marlborough region. Balustrades are supplied through its Euroglass systems range, which runs to seven named systems rather than one generic product, so the fixing method can be matched to the structure. The branch also handles emergency glass repairs at any hour.
Services
- Glass balustrades across the Euroglass systems range
- Glass pool fences and frameless showers
- Windbreaks and glass canopies
- Splashbacks, office partitions and facades
Highlights
- Issues PS1 producer statements for balustrades and pool barriers, which matters for council sign off
- Seven named proprietary balustrade systems rather than a single product
- Glass manufactured and processed in house
Location & Contact
Name: Viridian Glass Blenheim
Address: 47 Grove Road, Mayfield, Blenheim 7241
Phone: 03 578 0850
Website: viridianglass.co.nz
How to Choose the Right Balustrade Installer in Blenheim
- Decide on the material first, because it narrows the field immediately. Frameless glass keeps a view, stainless wire suits a deck on a budget, and wrought iron or powder coated steel suits an older house.
- Ask whether the installer can supply a PS1 producer statement. Balustrades and pool barriers are safety structures, and a council may want one before signing the work off.
- Check what the balustrade is fixing to. Timber, concrete and steel all need different channel or spigot fixings, and a deck that may move over time needs a system with adjustable panels.
- Find out whether fabrication and finishing happen in house or get sent away, since that decides the lead time and who you deal with if something needs adjusting.
- Confirm the glass specification if you are going frameless. Thickness and toughening are not optional extras on a balustrade, and the quote should state both.
Frequently Asked Questions About Blenheim Balustrades
Does a balustrade need a building consent?
Often yes. A balustrade is a safety barrier, and replacing or installing one on a deck, stairway or balcony above a certain height is usually building work rather than maintenance. Pool barriers have their own separate requirements. Check with the Marlborough District Council before you commit, and see the general guidance at building.govt.nz.
What is a PS1 and do I need one?
A PS1 is a producer statement from a supplier or engineer confirming the design meets the building code. Councils commonly ask for one on balustrades and pool barriers. Two of the installers here issue them directly for their systems, so it is worth asking at quoting stage rather than after the job is done.
How high does a balustrade have to be?
It depends on the drop below it and whether the area is domestic or public, and pool barriers are governed separately again. Your installer should set the height from the code rather than from preference, so ask them to state it on the quote. If in doubt the council is the authority, not the contractor.
Glass, wire or steel?
Glass keeps a view and is the usual choice on a balcony or a deck looking over something worth seeing, but it costs more and shows marks. Stainless wire is cheaper, lets light through and suits a rural or coastal deck. Powder coated steel or wrought iron is the most robust and the easiest to match to an older house. All three are available in Blenheim.
Can a balustrade be retrofitted to an existing deck?
Usually yes, though the existing structure has to be sound enough to take the load, which is the first thing an installer will check. Systems that fix to the side of a joist and systems that fix to the top surface behave differently, and one may suit your deck where the other does not. Expect a site visit before a firm price.
How long does an installation take?
The install itself is often a day or two, but the lead time on the materials is the part that varies. Glass is toughened to size and cannot be cut afterwards, so it has to be measured, ordered and made. A fabricator doing its own powdercoating on site will generally turn work around faster than one sending it away.
Will it survive the coastal air?
Marlborough has a lot of coastline and salt is hard on fixings. Grade 316 stainless is the usual specification near the sea rather than the cheaper 304, and powder coating needs to be a marine grade. Tell the installer how close you are to the water and ask what grade they are quoting.
Who do I call for a pool fence?
Any of the businesses here do glass pool fencing, and it is closely related work, but pool barriers carry their own compliance rules separate from deck balustrades. Say up front that it is a pool barrier so the quote is built to the right standard from the start.