General News

alustrades, while being a vital aspect of a completed building from a decorative and safety point of view, are often taken for granted by the building’s day-to-day occupants. The concept of a balustrade dates further back than most forms of modern architecture and can be found in ancient structures around the globe. While the concept of a balustrade seems fairly straightforward to most, it is only once you examine the definition of a balustrade do you realise how important they are to a completed building. A balustrade is a row of balusters topped by a rail, serving as an open parapet, as along the edge of a balcony, terrace, bridge, staircase, or the eaves of a building. The origin of the term baluster comes from an unexpected source. The word baluster comes from the Italian word balaustra, which translates as the pomegranate flower. The traditional balaustra was shaped like a flower bud or partially opened flower. This shape was used in a variety of elements such as furniture and candlesticks, to name a few. Architecture, like so many other crafts, was influenced by the shape of the pomegranate flower and used it when designing railings and staircases.

The word baluster comes from the Italian word balaustra, which translates as the pomegranate flower

What makes balustrades such an interesting topic is the fact that they were used throughout the world for many centuries. Balustrades have been found in remote areas in India and Assyria. Assyria claims some of what are thought to be the oldest examples of balustrade designs. Balustrades were very popular in the Renaissance period and were commonly found in a form similar to what we consider a balustrade today. Ancient examples of famous buildings that include balustrades are the Medici palace in Italy and numerous buildings designed by Michelangelo and Bernini. Traditional balustrades were made from wood and clay. An explanation of this choice of material is due to the types of materials that were available at that time. As modern construction brought about new techniques and materials, modern balustrades are now commonly made from steel, glass, wood, stone and other robust materials. The purpose of balustrades is two fold, something that many individuals often fail to realise. Balustrades have a safety function and a decorative function by finishing off the building, staircase, bridge, terrace, balcony or eaves of a building. In South Africa balustrades are governed by the strict regulations set out by SANS that dictate a variety of aspects that the balustrades need to comply with. Many contractors fail to take these codes into consideration and often leave the occupants of the building at risk. If you’re unsure if your balustrade installation complies with the regulations set out by SANS, feel free to contact us at Steel Studio and we’ll happily assist you to ensuring that your balustrades comply to all the applicable codes.  

or many home or building owners, the rules and regulations regarding SANS are an utter nightmare to get a grasp of. Understanding all of the rules and regulations required for a SANS compliant building project is something that few construction professionals can boast and is simply too daunting a task for a non-construction professional that doesn’t deal with the codes on a daily basis. It is due to this mystery surrounding SANS and what is actually required to be compliant, that many unethical construction professionals are able to take shortcuts when manufacturing their client’s balustrade system.  This allows shady subcontractors to reduce their costs and the time required to complete the project, thus increasing their profits. In other cases, bakkie-brigade subcontractors who do not posses the required knowledge and skills to produce a compliant balustrade system, simply tell the client that the balustrade system is compliant when in reality it is not. The dangers of a non-compliant balustrade system are both financial and life threatening. If a non-compliant balustrade system is installed, the client will not receive an occupation certificate and they will have to have a whole new system installed. Often this will be at a greater cost than the initial installation as they will be required to repair the damage from the initial blotched installation. From a safety point of view, a non-compliant balustrade system is a tragedy waiting to happen. Along with a variety of other purposes, SANS serve to ensure that a building project can accommodate the amount of people that will be utilising the facility and the associated loads that they will exert on the structure.  A non-compliant balustrade system will be unable to cope with some of the potential loads it may face and in this case, the balustrade system is at risk of failing. This often results in the client being held responsible for the damages, injury or even death caused by their faulty balustrade system. At this stage you’re probably thinking, “how can I prevent myself from this kind of thing happening?” The answer is quite simple really; ensure your balustrade system is SANS compliant.

But how do you go about ensuring your balustrade system is SANS compliant?

You need to ensure that a building inspector issues an occupancy certificate. In order for a building inspector to issue an occupancy certificate, the building inspector needs a certificate from a professional engineer stating that the balustrades meet or exceed the minimum requirements of SANS.  By demanding this legally required, yet often neglected piece of documentation, you’ll protect yourself from any potential damages that could be caused by your balustrade system failing in the near or distant future.

When choosing your staircase for your new or refurbished home, there are a variety of elements that you need to consider. As a staircase plays a large role in the general appearance of your home or building, it is important to take your time and do your homework to ensure that you get the best possible final product. While your staircase has a large impact on the overall appearance of your house or building it also (and obviously) has a large functional role to play. It is due to this that consumers should take all these factors into consideration when selecting their staircase. Each staircase has its own impact on a building or home and while a staircase design can appear fitting in theory, an inexperienced individual can easily mismatch the style or materials and thus have a negative effect on the overall appearance of the building or house. Make sure you select a staircase manufacturer that has a dedicated and experienced team of designers that can custom build a final product that will not only fit in, but also compliment the overall appearance of your building or house. It is due to this reality that we strongly advise against pre-packaged or instant staircases, as they allow no room for customisation in accordance with the overall appearance of your property.

Selecting your materials

Staircases can be constructed from a variety of materials such as wood, steel, aluminium, glass, cement or even plastic. Some manufacturers combine a mixture of these materials to create the perfect staircase for your unique design requirements. Something that is simply not possible with kit options. While most materials have a variety of options in regards to finishes, wood offers the widest variety in regards to types and appearance. Wood staircase can be made from, but not limited to oak, poplar, ash, walnut, mahogany, maple and cherry. Your staircase manufacturer should be able to assist you in selecting the best type of material for your staircase’s unique requirement.

Deciding on your design

The overall design of your staircase has the biggest impact on the appearance of your staircase. While you may have preconceived ideas as to what style of staircase you want in your house or building, we strongly suggest that you involve a staircase professional when deciding on the design of your staircase as many ideas may seem great in theory, they often leave plenty to be desired in reality. Here are 3 of the most common types of staircase designs:

• Spiral staircases are a fairly common staircase design found in a variety of applications.
• Straight staircases are the most common style of staircase and can be used in most applications and with most material types.
• Circular staircases are less common but can be visually appealing when used correctly.

As mentioned above, we strongly suggest employing an experienced staircase professional as each design style and material has their pros and cons and work best in specific applications and conditions.

Make sure your subcontractor has a SANS complaint range of staircases and balustrades

While it is likely that you are unfamiliar with SANS, we strongly suggest, insist actually, that you choose a staircase subcontractor that complies with all the regulations set out by SANS and presents you with all the required certification once the project is completed. By doing so you will ensure the safety of all that utilise your staircase and avoid a potential disaster at a later stage. By following the above mentioned advice, you’ll do all that is in your power to ensure that you get the best staircase for your house or building.  

Find out more about our staircases

It’s an unfortunate part of the balustrade industry, but at Steel Studio, we’re regularly faced with the following situation: An enraged client contacts us in a flat panic. After commissioning who they felt was a reputable and ethical balustrade contractor to design, manufacture and install the balustrades for their building project, they’re left with a substandard, noncompliant and potentially dangerous balustrade system that is simply unfit for occupation. To make matters worse, the client has already invested a large amount of capital into the balustrade system that in most cases needs to be completely removed, redesigned, remanufactured and reinstalled from scratch. Often due to damages from the first installation, the repair job could potentially cost more than the initial project. Unfortunately due to the fact that (at this stage) there is no governing body enforcing current regulations relating to SANS and scaly subcontractors who have carefully crafted legal contracts that negate any responsibility once the job is completed. Most of these victims are simply left in the dark without a leg to stand on. These fly-by-night operations are experts at misleading naïve consumers who simply presume that the subcontractor has their best interests at heart and automatically comply with all the required legislation relating to balustrade installations. While at first glance, to an uneducated eye, the completed installation appears safe and secure, it only takes a few months until suspicion starts to arise. From here the usual red flags start to appear:

• The subcontractor is unavailable or has simply vanished.
• Emails and phone calls are passed around in circles, or simply ignored.
• The subcontractor highlights the signed contract that leaves all responsibility in the hands of the client.
• The client is then left with a hole in his or her pocket and new and potentially more expensive bills left to pay in order to rectify the initial, substandard, balustrade installation.

While the harsh reality is that most of the time the client has little or no ground to pursue legal avenues. The only way to avoid this situation is to do you homework before hand and simply avoid choosing the cheapest or easiest option available. To prevent this happening to you, we at Steel Studio have highlighted a few simple steps to take before selecting your balustrade subcontractor:

• Ask for recommendations from more than one previous client.
• Enquire about (and research) how long the subcontractor has been around.
• Research the company online for any sign of dodgy dealings and substandard work. Consumer reviews are a great way of catching fraudsters or consistent poor workmanship.
• Get at least three quotes to get a grasp of the industry’s standard rates.
• Most importantly, ensure that they are SANS compliant.

If you wish to learn about more things to look for when hiring a balustrade contractor, read the previous article we wrote here. By doing your homework beforehand you can do your best to ensure that you get the best balustrade installation possible for your building project, within your allocated budget.

This is the first in a series of informative news segments from us at Steel Studio in an attempt to demystify SANS, with particular reference to balustrades, and your responsibilities as a construction professional with regards to these codes. [Read more…] about Your responsibilities as a construction professional regarding SANS

While renovating a property is an exciting time for those involved, it is also when fraudulent subcontractors are most likely to prey on naïve home or building owners. As most non-construction professionals are unlikely to know how to spot a fraudulent subcontractor, we’ve highlighted the most obvious red flags to lookout for when hiring a subcontractor.

Don’t let yourself be forced into hiring someone.

If a subcontractor forcefully contacts you or harasses you about their service, they are most likely going to bully you throughout the construction process. Instead find a contractor via reputable sources such as industry related publications or Internet search engines such as Google. Fraudsters are smarter than you think and are experts at bulling consumers, faking their services and lying about credentials.

Ask a question that you already know the answer to.

If you know that your project only requires minor repairs but the contractor insists you require an overhaul, it is very likely that he is trying to scam you.

Take your time when making your decision.

A fraudulent subcontractor will try force you to commit to the job on the spot. Take your time and get second and third opinions regarding your project. An honest and legitimate subcontractor will allow you to take your time when making your decision as they know their quote is legitimate and good value for money.

Ask for at least three contactable references over different time periods.

Even the worst subcontractors can muster at least one good reference. This will also give you an indication of his consistency. If he hesitates, that’s a big red flag and a sign to run for the hills.

Ask for his business card.

It’s advisable to check if his telephone number and business location is legitimate. Sometimes fraudsters use fake locations or telephone numbers, so it is wise to call the number or even visit the location on the business card.

Do your research

about the contractor and see if you can find any negative or positive reviews to get some insight into his track record.

Ask if he is part of any associations

such as Master Builders South Africa or the South African Glass and Glazing Association and ask for proof of membership. These organisations don’t accept frauds and have strict criteria regarding their members.

Never sign a contract that you don’t understand or that has blank sections.

You never know what you could be getting yourself into. Another red flag is that the contractor insists that there is no contract in place. Contracts are there to protect all parties involved. Never enter into a work agreement without a contract in place or one that you don’t full understand. Subcontractors receive some of the highest amount of complaints and due to this you need to ensure that you are hiring the right organisation for your building project.

We’re not saying that every subcontractor is out to scam you, as that is far from the case, we just want to ensure that you get good value for money and a finished building project that is safe to utilise on a daily basis.

Just as your balustrades, staircases and pool enclosures need to comply with a variety of regulations and building codes, the glass that you use in your building projects or property developments need to comply with a variety of codes and regulations to ensure that the facility is safe for all that utilise it. Read more here

The new head office for the leading engineering and construction firm, Group Five is another prestigious project that we at Steel Studio are apart of. Standard bank finalised the R408 Million financing arrangement for leading commercial property investor and developer, Atterbury Property Group, to construct the office block. The head office will be situated at the Waterfall Business Estate development in northern Johannesburg. “Being able to add our touches to this remarkable building is real honour for us at Steel Studio. We are proud to have our name associated with the already impressive list of companies that are involved.“ The Waterfall Estate covers a large portion of northern Gauteng and spans both sides of the N1 highway, all the way from the Woodmead interchange right through to the Buccleuch Interchange and to the Allandale interchange. It will consist of a 1.8 million square meter mixed-use commercial development and will be gradually rolled out over the next 14 years. Once completed the estate will be worth well over R25 billion. To learn more about the Waterfall Estate property development visit their website here. The impressive Group Five Headquarters will comprise of approximately 23 139m2, distributed over 4 floors of offices space. The new headquarters will be home to all of Group Fives business units. The space will be divided over 5 wings that will be linked by a central street that will also house the main horizontal and vertical circulation space, public functions and staff restaurant. The main street will grant access to the main training rooms and a terrace that leads into a beautifully landscaped garden. Group Five was established in 1974. Today, the group is an integrated construction services, materials and infrastructure investment group operating in over 20 countries with more than 12 000 people in its employ. Have a look at their website here. The impressive building was registered for a 5 Star Green Star SA certificate in both the “design” and the “as-built” categories. The building is expected to be completed in early 2014 and is estimated to cost a total of R430 million. “The building and construction industry is moving towards a far more green conscious mind set and projects like the new Group Five Head quarters are leading the way in this regard.”

At Steel Studio, we’re proud to announce our collaboration with Eestairs in Holland to bring the the Cells® Staircase and Balustrade Design to South Africa. We’re proud to be associated with Eestairs as they are leaders in their respective markets and like we do, they view compliance and quality design above all else. The collaboration between the innovative design team at Eestairs Holland who design the Cells® Staircase and Balustrade systems and the first world technology used by Steel Studio to manufacture and install these truly exceptional staircases makes this unique relationship possible. The ability to manufacture and install the Cells® staircase and balustrade systems is showing the world how two companies can cross boundaries on design and technology and still deliver a product that complies with the local and international building standards. These two companies will rise to the challenge because of their design skill, innovation, technology and their recipe to produce products that are not only functional but also a labour of fine craftsmanship that results in a real masterpiece. Eestairs’s passion for design, appetite for innovation and their new ideas combined with Steel Studio’s ability to manufacture and install these products in buildings of all kinds, proves that no task is impossible or job too difficult. The Cells® design spells out the creativity & innovation of Eestairs. The organic shapes are the central feature of the staircase and balustrades. The design’s artistic, modern and stylish appeal will suit any building from classic to ultra-modern. These Cells® structures are based on Voronoi diagrams. The use of steel means that any colour finish is achievable for the Cells® design. Cells® can be installed either straight of curved. The design provides a flexible and unique balustrade or staircase solution for any building. “Our partnership with Eestairs is just another way to ensure that we provide the world’s best balustrades and staircases to our clients. Jaw dropping designs mixed with compliant specficiations and materials means that any product produced by Eestairs and Steel Studio is a true work of art”

We’re proud to announce our involvement in the new Alexander Forbes Head Office building. The completed and occupied building is a true marvel and has been in the pipeline since February 2010. The R840 million property development is located on 115 West Street, Sandton, which is between Katherine Street and Rivonia Road, directly east of the Sandton Gautrain station. Alexander Forbes is a leading provider of financial and risk services across the globe. To learn more about the company, visit their website here. The 80-story office block has a footprint of 36 950m2 and boasts a myriad of impressive facilities. The building includes plant-filled outdoor areas, a crèche, a gym, 6 parking levels, smoking rooms, Muslim and Interdenominational prayer rooms, a beauty parlour, health studio with a physio-therapist, 200 seated auditorium, state of the art AV meeting rooms, staff training rooms, a fully integrated caterers kitchen and canteen, coffee shop, bar and a wine cellar. “It is an honour to be able to announce that we manufactured and installed all of the glass and stainless steel balustrades in the building. “ The impressive building was awarded the top spot “overall winner” at the SAPOA Innovative Excellence in Property Development Awards 2013 and the top award in the Corporate Office Developments Category. It also won a 4 star Green Star design V1 rating. This award was due to the impressive architectural design. Sustainable design elements included, recycling of grey and rainwater, passive heating and cooling in the atria, Xeriscaping, double-glazing and monitoring of lighting. Other work style elements that influenced the project included: the efficiency of floor plates and a flexible work environment, which allows for ‘churning’ (the ability of a space to adapt to flexible sizes and working conditions). The truly iconic Green Star building was developed by the Zenprop group and is also owned by the Zenprop group.  The new building was designed to meet the needs for new office accommodation for financial services company, Alexander Forbes. The contractors for the building were W B H O Construction (Pty) Ltd and the architect for the project was Paragon Group (Pty) Ltd. “It is clear that the South African construction sector is striving to become a far greener industry and property developments like the new Alexander Forbes Head Office are setting the bar for all of the property developments to come.”