‘We love our Balconette balustrade; we are the envy of all our neighbours!’
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Proving you are never too old for DIY in your seventies, proud owner Mr Hazard installed this beautiful 14-metre-long Balconette balustrade on the back of a new kitchen extension with a little help from his wife.
“Everything fitted perfectly. It took a week to install by myself – partly due to the weather – and with a little assistance from my wife. Not bad for a first-time fitter of 70+,” he says.
The householder’s internet research led them to the Balconette website and the couple chose the company’s Aerofoil Glass Balustrade System with its distinctive wing-shaped handrail and base track in a Silver anodised finish to protect the 22-inch drop from the new decking area.
Mrs Hazard comments: “We liked the product and our son, who is in the building trade, approved.”
The reason for their Balconette balustrade choice over other products was because Mr H preferred ‘the fact that each pane of glass did not need a separate post fixing and posts were not required at the corners’.
“We wanted as seamless a balcony as possible and the Aerofoil balustrade certainly achieves that,” he continues having always been a keen DIY-er, taking time to carefully think each job through before starting.
He found the installation was ‘relatively simple’, following the instructions at each step and emphasises how Balconette’s technical advice and drawings regarding fitting the fixing posts were ‘key’ to success.
“Balconette assisted by supplying detailed drawings of where each post plate needed to be fitted after we sent a detailed measurement plan to their engineer. Every measurement was absolutely perfect, and fitting was trouble-free.”
Although the cost was ‘a little more expensive’ than they first budgeted for, the couple say on examining the product and viewing the completed installation, ‘it was worth it’. The balustrade worked out as half the total cost of the build.
Visitors are ‘extremely impressed’ with the balustrade, says Mrs Hazard, adding: “We love our Balconette balustrade, which hopefully will provide some shelter from the westerly winds. Over last winter we have had lovely patterns on the glass and pretty reflections from the outdoor lights.
“We are the envy of all our neighbours. We now have a fully accessible outdoor space with minimum steps to our large garden…just the place to enjoy a coffee and evening meal in the summer. We certainly recommend Balconette!”
