Aluminum & Glass Railings in Vancouver, BC

Supplied and installed by our own crew – from East Vancouver to Kitsilano and Kerrisdale

Railing Experts installs maintenance-free aluminum railings, glass railings, privacy screens, gates and handrails for homeowners, strata buildings and builders throughout Vancouver. Since 2020 our crew has installed railings on 50+ Vancouver properties. We're based in Surrey, a short drive from most Vancouver neighbourhoods, and we stock railings, glass and parts at our own warehouse so Vancouver jobs don't wait on another supplier.

We work across the city: East Vancouver and Hastings-Sunrise, Grandview-Woodland and Commercial Drive, Mount Pleasant, Riley Park and Main Street, Kitsilano, Point Grey and Dunbar, Kerrisdale and South Granville, South Cambie, Marpole, and the west-side character streets in between. If you have a house, Vancouver Special, laneway home, townhouse or condo balcony that needs a new railing, we can measure it and install it.

Railings we install in Vancouver

• Aluminum picket railings – black, white and custom colours for front stairs, porches, decks and the upper balconies common on Vancouver Specials. Powder-coated, so no painting, staining or rot in the city's rain.
• Glass railings – tempered glass panels in aluminum frames, top-rail or frameless-look, to keep the view off a west-side deck, a rear yard in Mount Pleasant, or a condo balcony.
• Aluminum privacy screens – horizontal-slat panels that block a neighbour's sightline on a tight Vancouver lot without building a wall – useful on infill homes and narrow side yards.
• Stair railings and handrails – exterior stairs on Vancouver Specials and character homes, front-entry steps, and interior staircases.
• Gates – deck gates, side-yard gates and matching pool or yard gates.

Vancouver homes we typically work on

Many Vancouver houses that need new railings are Vancouver Specials – the two-storey boxes with a front stair, a small upper deck or balcony, and often an original wood railing that has started to rot. Those jobs are a good fit for powder-coated aluminum pickets or glass, because the new railing can be built to current BC Building Code heights and openings, and it will not need restaining every few years in the rain.

Character and heritage-style homes in Kitsilano, Mount Pleasant, Grandview and on the west side often need a replacement that looks clean beside older siding and trim. Aluminum pickets in black or a custom colour, or a slim glass panel on a rear deck, keep the house looking like itself while meeting today's guard rules. Where a property is on the City of Vancouver's heritage register, exterior changes can need an extra review – we don't treat every older house as heritage, and we don't quote bylaw numbers, but we will help you put together the railing details your permit or planner asks for.

Condos, townhouses and laneway homes are a different kind of job. Balcony and patio railings on a strata building almost always need strata approval before anything is installed, and the council may have rules about colour, glass versus pickets, or how the railing is mounted. We work with that process and can provide drawings or product sheets when the strata asks for them. Laneway houses and new infill often need a compact stair railing, a small deck guard, or a privacy screen facing the principal dwelling.

Installed prices start at $55 per foot for aluminum picket railing and $65 per foot for glass railing with aluminum posts, as shown on our price calculator. Stair sections, side-mount posts and frameless glass cost more. Prices include supply and installation; GST is extra, and the minimum job is $550.

Permits and strata in Vancouver

Replacing an existing railing on a house usually does not need a permit, but a new deck, a raised addition, or a change that alters the structure often does. The City of Vancouver handles building permits for the city, and requirements depend on the work, not on a single rule we can list here. For strata properties, the city's permit (when one is needed) is separate from the strata's approval – you generally need both before we install. We're happy to help with the railing measurements, heights and product information your application needs; we don't file permits on your behalf unless we've agreed to that in writing.

Recent Vancouver projects

Why homeowners and builders use Railing Experts

• Our own installers. The crew that measures your job is the crew that installs it – no subcontractors.
• Railings built to BC Building Code. Our aluminum railing systems are tested by Intertek, and every railing is installed to the height and opening rules in the BC Building Code.
• Supply, fabrication and install from one company. We stock railings, glass and parts through our Surrey warehouse, so we're not waiting on another supplier to finish your job.
• Over 10 years in the Lower Mainland, working for homeowners, deck builders, general contractors and strata buildings.

Vancouver railing FAQs

How high does my deck railing need to be?
Under the BC Building Code, guards on a house generally need to be at least 36" (900 mm) high where the deck is 5'11" (1.8 m) or less above the ground, and 42" (1070 mm) when it's higher. Openings must be small enough that a 4" (100 mm) sphere can't pass through. We build to these rules and confirm any local requirements with the municipality for your property.

Do I need a permit to replace my railing in Vancouver?
Replacing an existing railing on a house usually doesn't need a permit, but a new deck or a structural change often does. Check with the City of Vancouver for your property – we're happy to help with the railing details your permit needs. On a condo or townhouse, you will also need strata approval before installation.

Can you install railings on a condo balcony or townhouse?
Yes. Most balcony and patio railings on strata buildings need written strata approval, and some buildings specify the colour or style. Send us photos and any strata guidelines you have, and we'll quote a railing that fits those rules and the BC Building Code.

Glass or pickets for a Vancouver Special or a view deck?
Glass keeps the view and suits rear decks and west-side outlooks. Pickets cost less, hide less dirt, and are a practical choice for front stairs and the small upper decks on many Vancouver Specials. A lot of clients combine them – glass on the main deck, pickets on the stairs – and add a privacy screen on the side facing a neighbour.

How long does installation take?
Once materials are ready, most homes are installed in one or two days.