How does the order process work?

 

A lot goes on behind the scenes during an order process, all our in-house departments work together to ensure your order is fulfilled and prepared with diligence and expertise. But truth be told, the journey of your order truly begins as soon as you know you want a Glass Balustrade, Juliet Balcony or Curved Doors and ends only once your products are delivered to your door.

No two customers are the same, and neither are their order processes. The order process you receive can vary depending on what system you choose to have or what type of order package you would like to receive. Fear not, below we breakdown what to expect from our order processes.

 

What do I need to do before I place an order?

Before you pick up the phone and tell us all about your dream balcony, balustrade or curved doors, there are a few things you’ll need to do. First and foremost, you will need to research the different systems we offer here at Balconette and you can do this by using our website which is home to a host of information and interactive tools, or you could order a free brochure or even visit our showroom to help you gain a thorough understanding of the style and system best suited to you.

Secondly, you will need to gain basic measurements of the site you intend on installing your system to. These measurements do not need to be precise to the millimetre and they can be altered at a later stage (if you select standard or premium order package), but we will need these initial measurements to be able to generate a quote. Any photos or sketches provided alongside your measurements will be beneficial to give us a rough idea of the outcome you desire.  For guidance on how to measure, please click here.

 

Can I get an estimated cost ahead of placing an order?

If you are sitting there wondering how much our products are going to cost you, you’d be glad to know that you can get an honest indication of price by using one of our various online tools ahead of speaking to a Specialist Product Consultant. You can get emailed an immediate quote by using our online quote tool where you choose the model that best represents your balcony plan and enter in your measurements, colour and glass choice and you’ll be emailed a quote. Alternatively, the more technically-savvy users can use our 3D Online Designer Tool to draw and design their system which not only shows you a 3D model of the system but also conveniently displays a price that changes to reflect any alterations you make to the balustrade system. Both options give you a rough price guide you can be expected to pay for our systems, but they are also useful since you can share the quote with one of our Specialist Product Consultants to help progress your order forward quicker.

 

 

How do I place an order?

After you have compared our range of systems and styles and have a rudimentary idea of what you would like, it’s time to pick up the phone (or email) and express your interest to Balconette! A Specialist Product Consultant will be assigned to you and will arrange to phone you at a time that is convenient to talk through your ideas and help you bring your designs to life. Our knowledgeable Specialist Product Consultants will guide you through each element of your system in precise detail and will do all they can to help your plans become a reality.

Alternatively, if you are purchasing a Fast-Track size Juliet Balcony can do this using our online shop. In addition, if you are a trade customer or entirely confident with the accuracy of your measurements, you can design and purchase Glass Balustrades using our online 3D Designer Tool.

 

What are the different order package options?

So, you’re almost ready to place your order, but you’re questioning whether you can survey, measure, and design the balustrade yourself? Not to worry, during your evaluation session, our Specialist Product Consultant, will discuss your needs and explain our three order packages* for Glass Balustrades and their varying levels of service, and you will be able to determine which package will suit the assistance you require. The different order packages are outlined briefly below.
 

*The three-tier order packages only apply to Glass Balustrade orders. Curved Door order packages are available as Standard and Premium only.  Juliet Balconies come as a Standard order package regardless of whether they are ordered online or with a Specialist Product Consultant.

 

 

 

Basic Package – For the professional and technically proficient

The Basic Package is suitable for technically proficient individuals who can survey and measure accurately in addition to being experienced with design and technical drawings. This option requires a trained individual to use our interactive, online 3D Designer Tool to create their balustrades. By using our online design module, the customer would purchase their balustrade at a reduced rate, which might sound appealing at first, but it is important to consider that this option comes with increased responsibility. The customer is accountable for their dimensions and will need to independently approve their own drawings which are then sent directly to manufacture; therefore, this option is intended for the confident and technically capable customer. A full breakdown of what the Basic Package includes can be found here.

 

Standard Package – For the DIYers and tradesperson

Our Standard Package is for the confident DIYers or for customers who plan on hiring a local tradesperson to undertake the measurement stage, yet they will still need professional support and design services from our technical department. After a deposit has been paid, the order is progressed to the technical design specialists who will conduct a 1-2-1 comprehensive interview to discuss your balcony specifications in addition to collecting your accurate dimensions, measured to the nearest millimetre. The technical team may also require photos of the area you plan on installing your bespoke system as they are a great guide to assess the site. Once the design experts have gained a deeper understanding of your specific needs, they will produce technical drawings to be submitted for your review and approval. A full breakdown on what the Standard Package includes can be found here.

 

Premium Package – For complete peace of mind

Our Premium Package is our top-tier support package for those who desire full technical assistance from a site survey right up to supplying the fixings for installation. After a deposit has been paid, the order is passed to our technical design specialists who will arrange to visit your property and perform a detailed on-site survey gaining the exact measurements for your intended balustrade location, error-free. On return to the office, our design experts will produce balustrade drawings and since you have the Premium Package you can make unlimited revisions to the drawings. Since we have assiduously assessed the site and structure your balcony will be fitted to, we will also deliver the appropriate bolts and fixings that will secure the system to your structure for many years to come. A full breakdown of what the Premium Package includes can be found here.

 

When do I make payment?

The payment procedure alters slightly between the different systems and order packages, read our guide below which outlines when deposits and final payments need to be made.  

 

Glass Balustrade Standard & Premium Package

Once you have chosen your suitable order package and are happy that the Specialist Product Consultant has captured every aspect you desire, they will raise a quote and send along a proforma and an order confirmation form which will need to be signed. 30% deposit will then need to be paid before your order progresses to the technical department. The remaining 70% of the balance is required after the drawings have been approved. Your order is then progressed to manufacture.

Juliet Balcony Custom Size

 

Glass Balustrade Basic Package

After creating and approving the online 3D designer drawings, you will sign a digital order confirmation form and make full payment online.

 

Juliet Balcony Fast-Track Size

Whether you order your Juliet with a Specialist Product Consultant or online you will need to pay the full amount once ordered.

 

Curved Glass Doors

25% deposit will need to be paid once you place your order, before it is transferred to the technical dept. A further 25% of the balance will need to be paid after you have approved the drawings. The remaining 50% of the balance is required once the doors have been manufactured.

 

 

How long does it take to manufacture? What are the different lead times?

Congratulations, you’ve placed your order, approved the drawings, made payment and you’re now eagerly awaiting the arrival of your Balconette system, so when will it be delivered? You might have already guessed it, but each of our products have different lead times since some systems are more varied in their form and function and will have considerably intricate manufacturing requirements that involve extra time and virtuosity when building the systems.

Even though our manufacturing lead times vary across our range of products we have worked hard to provide an extremely efficient standard for items that are bespoke. Below we outline the manufacturing lead times - please be aware that lead times start only once the technical drawings have been approved by you and the remaining balance had been paid. 
 

Juliet Balcony Fast-track sizes	5 working days lead time
Juliet Balcony Custom sizes	30 calendar days lead time
Glass Balustrade Fast Track	20 calendar days lead time*   *Fast-Track is subject to availability
Glass Balustrade Standard	35 calendar days lead time

Please note: These lead times are subject to change and are likely to be affected by peak purchasing periods throughout the year; at point of order, you will be notified if your order is impacted by any delays.

 

What are the final steps before my delivery arrives?

It’s time for you to sit back and relax… All that is left in the order process is the manufacturing, packing and the delivery of your products!

The manufacturing department is where the magic happens, it’s where your ideas spring to life and materialise into bespoke, hand-crafted products. Combining their high-tech engineering skills with leading-edge technology and equipment, the manufacturing department produces products of exceptional quality in our Surrey Factory. No order is too vast, or too complicated for our manufacturing department, they have the expertise to manipulate and bend anodised aluminium into sleek curved handrail profiles, a perfect companion to any rounded balustrade. Not only that, but our manufacturing team are leading providers of glass bending technology in the UK and skilfully fabricate and bend all curved glass that is used on our balustrade systems.

Everything that is produced in our manufacture department is handled with care and crafted precisely to the dimensions specified in your order. We use materials that have undergone thorough product research and testing to ensure that we provide our customers with the highest standard of building materials. For example, we selected anodised aluminium instead of stainless steel to use as our handrail profiles because of its impressive durability and low-maintenance requirements. The electrochemical process that gives aluminium its characteristic metallic sheen also benefits the profile with properties that make it impervious to corrosion and daily wear. Unlike stainless steel, which is prone to tarnishing and watermarks, our profiles and posts would only need mild cleaning with lukewarm water and a microfibre towel to restore the anodised surface to its original showroom appearance.

The logistical part of the product delivery is coordinated towards the end of the manufacturing lead time since our products are made-to-order and can only be delivered after they are produced. A member of our in-house logistics team will be in contact to discuss possible delivery dates and book one that is convenient for you. The size of the vehicle and the access required by that vehicle will be communicated to you ahead of your delivery date. Depending on the size of the vehicle you may need to ensure that there are no vehicle or parking restrictions and that there is sufficient turning space.

The last stage before delivery is product quality control and packaging. Each item encounters a rigorous quality check monitoring whether the products are free of blemishes and imperfections in addition to ensuring all the system’s items are present and accounted for. Once checked, our cut to size aluminium handrail profiles are packaged in durable, reinforced carton boxes ready to be loaded onto a delivery vehicle. The toughened glass panels are handled and wrapped meticulously prior to being strapped onto rigid wooden stillages or boxed and laid on an oversized pallet ready for delivery. All that remains left to do to complete your Balconette order is for these packaged products to be loaded safely onto a delivery vehicle and shipped securely to your door. Et voila, you are now a proud owner of a stylish Glass Balustrade, Juliet Balcony or Curved Glass Doors!

 

Do you supply installation services?

The final task standing between you and al fresco dining on your balcony is the installation of your system. Balconette’s systems have been designed with the intention of making them straightforward to install. We do not offer an installation service here at Balconette, instead, you have three options to consider for installation:

1) Self-installation

2) Get a local, trusted tradesperson to fit and install

3) Use a Balconette Registered Partner, selected from our national network of registered installers and partners

For those who choose to self-install or entrust a local builder to fit their balustrade systems, it will be comforting to know that once your balustrade technical drawings have been finalised and agreed, you will be able to access measurements and elevation drawings of your designs within your personalised My Account page on our website. Within the ‘Order’ section of your account, if you select ‘View Order Drawings’ you will be able to view the approved 2D drawings and dimensions of the system, including useful links to the system’s technical details and detailed installation instructions. An interactive 3D model of your balustrade designs will also be available within ‘View Order Drawings’ section. Having early access to these drawings is invaluable giving yourself and/or your builder time to prepare and plan the installation. Kindly note that these illustrations might struggle to reflect accurately any designs that have stairs, gates, custom or privacy glass included in the system, in these instances, please refer to the final set of drawings and dimensions that have been supplied to you by the technical department.

To assist in early install preparations, it is also possible to get your primary posts delivered to site ahead of the rest of your balustrade system. These galvanised steel posts can be installed under the finished floor level which achieves a great structural fix from the outset before being enveloped by anodised aluminium cover posts and the remaining system can be fitted from above the finished floor level, creating a seamless appearance.

There are many factors you will want to contemplate before you select an installation method, but one prevailing factor might be financial. If this is the case for you, an article that guides you on how to calculate the cost of your installation can be found here.

 

Balconette Customer Care Service

At Balconette, we believe that the quality of our products is only as good as the quality of our customer service, which is why we have established a dedicated in-house Customer Care team whose singular focus is to ensure that customers get the service they require and deserve.

From your very first interaction with us, you will have your own personal Customer Care representative who will always be on hand to support you during your Balconette experience.

Our Customer Care team, organisationally, sit directly under the office of the Managing Director and are directly linked to every Balconette department. They collaborate closely with each department manager to provide you with meaningful solutions to any of your questions, requests or concerns, whatever these may be.

This is our way of ensuring that you always have a point of contact and that you enjoy the process if ordering your Juliet Balcony, Glass Balustrade or Curved door project with us.

 

Create your own space…

Our purpose here at Balconette is to help you create your own space because we know the importance of having somewhere you can reset and relax. Our team takes great care in learning and understanding your project ambitions and will guide you through our range of innovative designs that create additional space that will truly transform not only your home but your lifestyle too. If you’re seeking ways to expand your home’s potential – contact us here for space-creating solutions.