Replacing balcony railings with your VvE: a practical guide for Amsterdam

The buildings where this comes up

Amsterdam has plenty of apartment buildings where every balcony reaches the end of its life at about the same time. Walk-up blocks (portiekflats) in West, Nieuw-West and Oost have a stack of balconies above each shared stairwell. Post-war deck-access blocks (galerijflats) have railings along the access walkways as well as on the balconies. And the Amsterdam School estates in Zuid and West, with their sculpted brick facades, need railings that respect the architecture.

The trigger is usually the same: rust, loose fixings or railings that feel too low. Patching them up rarely lasts. We can repair existing railings, even ones another company made, but repair often costs more than new. For a whole building, replacing everything in one go tends to make most sense.

Approach

One quote for the whole building

Measuring

Per balcony, with drawing

Height

Min. 100 cm

Lead time

6-8 weeks (Jul-Sep 8-10)

Fitting

By stairwell, own installers

One point of contact, one quote

It works best when the VvE appoints one contact person, perhaps a board member or someone from a building committee. That person requests one quote covering every balcony. You compare like with like, and individual owners do not each need to chase suppliers.

Quotes are free and without obligation. We start with an indicative quote based on rough figures: how many balconies of each type, a few photos of the facade and the dimensions of a typical balcony. We aim to respond within one or two working days. The price depends on the number and length of the balconies, height, model, finish, fixing method, access and whether we install.

One look for the whole facade

A facade where every balcony has a different railing looks messy. For a VvE project you choose one model and one colour for the whole building. That might be a clean bar design from our A01 to A07 range, an S01 flat-bar railing, or S02 with slats if residents want more privacy. Glass with steel or stainless steel posts is also possible. See the options on our balcony railings Amsterdam page.

Everything is made in our own workshops in Urk and Emmeloord, then galvanised and powder coated in any RAL colour. For an Amsterdam School building, our own canal green could be a fitting choice, as explained in our article on canal green. For a wider look at the steel models, see the balustrades range at hekwerkwebshop.nl.

Every balcony measured individually

Balconies in one building look alike, but after sixty or ninety years they are rarely identical. Floors settle and earlier repairs leave their mark. That is why we measure every balcony separately. We only measure on site when we also install. Each balcony gets its own production drawing, and the VvE receives those drawings.

While measuring we also decide how to fix the railing: into the floor, onto the edge or against the wall. That depends on the condition of the concrete and brickwork. Our railings are at least 100 cm high, rising to 120 cm where the drop is 13 metres or more. We never make them lower. On the top floors of a five-storey block you can reach that 13-metre mark, so the drawings will show the difference.

Scheduling stairwell by stairwell

Standard lead time is 6 to 8 weeks from approval to installation, or 8 to 10 weeks from July to September. On a larger building we plan the fitting by stairwell or by walkway. Residents know when it is their turn, and the whole building is not disrupted at once.

Our own drivers and installers handle delivery and fitting. We work in Amsterdam every day and know the realities: narrow streets, loading rules, carrying material up the stairs or lifting it over the balcony. Our article on delivering in the city centre explains more. Asking residents to clear their balconies beforehand saves time on the day.

Decisions and regulations

In many Dutch buildings the balcony railings count as shared property, so the VvE decides. How that decision is made is set out in your building’s deed of division and regulations. We do not give legal advice on that. What does help is having the quote and a drawing or photo of the chosen model ready for the members’ meeting, so everyone discusses the same thing.

If the building is listed or in a protected cityscape area, it is wise to check with the City of Amsterdam what applies. We do not advise on permits, but our drawings are useful when you ask. Once the VvE is ready, request a quote for your building, call or WhatsApp 036 84 54 240, or email offerte@hekwerkwebshop.nl.

Frequently asked questions