Balustrades or alternative

[AdamD]

We are looking to install something along the sleeper walls in the picture, predominantly for safety as we have a toddler and a newborn, but also we want it to look nice! Glass balustrades were an option but have just had a quote of £5k for the 8.5 metres which is well out of our budget so am Just looking for some more suggestions as to what we can do?

 

thanks in advance 

[Conor]

I'd just put up a low level timber fence for a couple of years, your kids will soon wanting to be jumping and playing off it!

[AdamD]

8 minutes ago, Conor said:

I'd just put up a low level timber fence for a couple of years, your kids will soon wanting to be jumping and playing off it!

How would you fix it in, posts coming up from the stones, screwed to the sleepers and run it off that? Don’t really want to concrete into the stone border 

[JohnMo]

1 minute ago, AdamD said:

How would you fix it in, posts coming up from the stones, screwed to the sleepers and run it off that? Don’t really want to concrete into the stone border 

Are the sleepers pinned to each other and to the ground, or it gravity holding them there?

[Moonshine]

I would fence posts with ground spikes in, then a slatted fence across. Height of fence would be 1.1m for building regs, but as it doesn't apply here really, as high as you want.

[JohnMo]

Just now, Moonshine said:

Height of fence would be 1.1m for building regs, but as it doesn't apply

Why wouldn't it apply the fall is there and is great enough that fall protection is required. Trouble is not doing it correctly, is just as likely to cause issues, same as not having there at all.

[Moonshine]

1 minute ago, JohnMo said:

Why wouldn't it apply the fall is there and is great enough that fall protection is required. Trouble is not doing it correctly, is just as likely to cause issues, same as not having there at all.

 

Because its not getting building regs sign off, this is as built at the moment it's not meeting current building regs as it stands. it's not notifiable works. Its just a guy wanting to protect his toddler from a fall (which is fair enough) and he can make it as high as they see fit and don't have to met building regs.

I had a similar drop on my build and the bco wanted it fenced / barrier to min 1100mm to meet current regs and sign off. We put in a low fence and all was good.

[JohnMo]

5 minutes ago, Moonshine said:

 

Because its not getting building regs sign off, this is as built at the moment it's not meeting current building regs as it stands. it's not notifiable works. Its just a guy wanting to protect his toddler from a fall (which is fair enough) and he can make it as high as they see fit and don't have to met building regs.

I had a similar drop on my build and the bco wanted it fenced / barrier to min 1100mm to meet current regs and sign off. We put in a low fence and all was good.

Sorry not agreeing - I will bow out and leave you to it.

[AdamD]

42 minutes ago, JohnMo said:

Are the sleepers pinned to each other and to the ground, or it gravity holding them there?

Posts behind the sleepers which they are screwed to, and then sleepers screwed to each other 

[AdamD]

Not sure why the convo has got into building regs etc! As moonshine said I’m just looking to do something to protect the toddler!!

[JohnMo]

2 minutes ago, AdamD said:

Not sure why the convo has got into building regs etc! As moonshine said I’m just looking to do something to protect the toddler!!

Glass ballastrade at decent prices and good delivery 

 

https://www.made2measure.co.uk/post-and-saddle-system/

 

Did a quick cost and it's about £1k for glass with posts

 

Because if the fall is more than 600mm it has to comply with building regs. First bullet point in the attached.

 

 

 

 

[Conor]

1 hour ago, JohnMo said:

Why wouldn't it apply the fall is there and is great enough that fall protection is required. Trouble is not doing it correctly, is just as likely to cause issues, same as not having there at all.

It doesn't (appear to) form part of an access route to / from the house so is considered landscaping and BC does not apply. 

[AdamD]

5 minutes ago, Conor said:

It doesn't (appear to) form part of an access route to / from the house so is considered landscaping and BC does not apply. 

Yeah it’s fully landscaping surely, it’s out in the garden!

[Conor]

2 hours ago, AdamD said:

How would you fix it in, posts coming up from the stones, screwed to the sleepers and run it off that? Don’t really want to concrete into the stone border 

I'd just be putting in a picket style fence using vertical 25x50mm battens fixed to the back of the sleepers. Put some nice climbers against them. Id view it more as a deterrent for the kids to climb... Pointy sticks and growth will do that well!

[AdamD]

1 minute ago, Conor said:

I'd just be putting in a picket style fence using vertical 25x50mm battens fixed to the back of the sleepers. Put some nice climbers against them. Id view it more as a deterrent for the kids to climb... Pointy sticks and growth will do that well!

Back of sleepers no accessible as is backfilled

[AdamD]

1 hour ago, JohnMo said:

Glass ballastrade at decent prices and good delivery 

 

https://www.made2measure.co.uk/post-and-saddle-system/

 

Did a quick cost and it's about £1k for glass with posts

 

Because if the fall is more than 600mm it has to comply with building regs. First bullet point in the attached.

 

 

 

 

That looks good. What length did you put in to get it to around 1k? Seems more than that for me

[joe90]

5 minutes ago, AdamD said:

Back of sleepers no accessible as is backfilled

If posts are driven down the back of the sleepers and fixed at the top this will resist any leverage. Just don’t put horizontal timbers that can be used as a ladder by the kids, vertical picket style much safer (and prettier IMO).

[JohnMo]

31 minutes ago, AdamD said:

That looks good. What length did you put in to get it to around 1k? Seems more than that for me

Two L shapes 1.5 x 3m.

[AdamD]

Ended up getting 4 quotes for this:

3.3k

3.5k

4.3k

5k

 

Quite a range and more than I anticipated. Need to re-think options - any more ideas as to what we could opt for instead of glass?

[Mr Punter]

Someone else on here suggested shock collars for their kids...

[BotusBuild]

On 15/06/2024 at 07:48, AdamD said:

How would you fix it in, posts coming up from the stones, screwed to the sleepers and run it off that?

I did that on our brick retaining wall when our kids were toddlers. Removed later as earlier stated by someone. Would re-used on several other projects over the years. Only recently took the last of that wood to the tip (26 years later)