Much of the metalwork on these buildings was made locally rather than bought: grilles, gates, railings, window frames. That work is often genuinely solid, and where it has failed the question is whether to repair the original or replace it with something manufactured. The answer differs by item, and it is worth being specific.
Fabricated grilles and gates, usually worth repairing
A site-made grille or gate is generally heavier than anything sold ready-made, and the steel in it is often still good.
What fails is the joint — rust starts inside where two sections meet and works outward, so paint hides it until it is advanced.
Cutting out the failed section, welding in new and repainting the whole run keeps something substantial for a fraction of a replacement. We check joints by hand rather than by eye, and on these buildings most runs are worth saving.
Fabricated window frames, usually not
A window frame made up on site is a different matter, because a window has to seal and move, and those are the things a fabricated frame does worst.
There is generally no drainage path, no designed gasket seating and no proper hardware provision.
So where a site-made window has failed, replacing it with a manufactured aluminium or uPVC unit sized to the opening is usually the right answer. We say that plainly, and equally plainly the opposite about grilles, because the two get lumped together.
Repainting so it lasts more than two seasons
Fabricated metalwork is often painted once, on site, without preparation, and that lasts two or three seasons before rust comes back at the welds.
Doing it properly — taking it back, treating the welds, priming and finishing — lasts several times longer.
It costs more than another coat, and another coat is money spent twice. We quote both and say which we would do, and in an atmosphere like this one the difference is larger than it would be elsewhere.
How the job works
- Tell us about the jobSend a few photos, rough sizes and what you need. Use WhatsApp or the form. For a repair, a short video of the door moving helps a lot.
- We call you back in about 2 minutesWe confirm what you need and a time to visit. Where we can, we give you a rough price on the call.
- We come and measureWe measure the opening and check the walls, floor and ceiling around it. Anything made to size is made to these measurements, so they must be right.
- You get a written priceIt lists each item, with GST as its own line. If anything about the job changes, we tell you before we go ahead.
- We fit itYou approve the price and pay the advance. Our own team fits the work, checks that every door and window opens and closes properly, and clears up. Most jobs are done in 3 to 4 days.
