Our Balconette balustrade keeps the children safe in the garden

Keeping their young children safe was the main reason why a Guildford couple chose elegant frameless glass balustrading to protect the drop from a new patio in their remodelled back garden.

Seventeen metres of Balconette’s SG12 Fully Frameless System provides a clear and seamless barrier on top of a retaining wall spanning the width of the garden. A further 3.5 metres of Balconette’s Orbit System Glass Balustrade with a round handrail in the Silver anodised finish follows the steps leading to the upper part of the garden.

“The glass balustrading has brought mainly safety for my two children who are one and three,” says homeowner Dani Denney. “It’s definitely safe for the children. I do like it; I don’t know what other solution there would be.”

Completed in mid-June 2023, the aim of the project was to create a level terrace, lawn and play area at the bottom of the garden close to the house. “Our garden is on a hill and before, it was quite a steep slope. So, to create a level area we needed a retaining wall and due to its height, we needed a secure barrier,” explains Dani.

“As the house is at the bottom of a long slope, we couldn’t really have bars or railings because as we look up, it would feel like we’re in jail. So, the glass works well as we can see through it.”

The build part of the project took about eight weeks, then the balustrading element from order to completion was another ten weeks. Dani chose Balconette after looking at online reviews and their more competitive price compared to a local supplier appealed too.

However, the project threw up challenges for installer Paul Frampton of Timbertech Southern Ltd, a Balconette Registered Partner, who had to undertake some remedial work on the retaining wall with his colleague Paul before they could install the frameless system. “They wanted a frameless system from the word go, but when we got there, we discovered that the hollow breeze blocks needed attention so that they could support the balustrade,” explains Paul.

This posed the question: “Do we go for Balconette’s Aerofoil System with posts and then get a good fix where the posts go, or do we take all the tiles off the top and fill up with concrete all the way along. It was the latter option.”

Paul continues: “It worked out the same sort of cost to take all the tiles off rather than taking 75% of them off; it was just easier. So, we took all tiles off, put concrete in where it needed it, filled up the hollow blocks and then re-tiled the tops.

“Dani didn’t want to see posts out there. The remedial work was the same cost whether they had the Aerofoil System or Fully Frameless. The frameless system worked well, it went in nicely and looks lovely. It’s made it look like a showhouse.”

Reflecting on the project, Dani thinks that it’s important not to rush and that ‘you have to go into it with your eyes open. It was a big job with a lot of decision-making, and you need to be on top of it’.

“I’m pleased with the overall effect, but if there’s a next time, I would design the garden differently without the need for a secure barrier. The glass balustrade is an investment, and it does what it needs to do because of the way we designed the garden.

“It’s safe which is our primary aim. And it’s the best-looking option that we had really, it does look really smart, and our garden looks nice. The two Pauls were also very reliable, trustworthy and nice to have around the house.”

Dani would recommend Balconette to others, adding: “I like the balustrade for what it is, for what we wanted it for.”