What a Railing Quotation Should Include
Buying Guide · · By Prince Railing
Two railing quotes are only comparable when both name the steel grade, the glass specification, the finish, the fittings and who supplies the fixings. Most large price gaps come from one quote quietly omitting something the other included, and grade is the usual culprit.
When one quotation comes in far below another, the difference is rarely generosity. It is almost always scope. Here is what a quote has to state before the numbers mean anything.
The checklist
| Line item | What it should say | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Steel grade | SS 304 or SS 316, with certification available | SS 202 sold as 304 is the most common cause of a low quote |
| Glass specification | Thickness, toughened or laminated, edge finish | 12 mm toughened and 17.5 mm laminated are very different costs |
| System | Which system, named | Continuous, bracket and spigot differ materially per metre |
| Finish | Mirror, matt, anodized or powder-coated with RAL | Colour matching is a cost, not a free choice |
| Fittings | End caps, bends, jointers, wall fittings | A stair that turns needs jointers, and they are often omitted |
| Fixings | Anchor type, and who supplies them | Chemical anchors near a slab edge cost more than expansion bolts |
| Installation | Included or excluded, and to what point | The single biggest scope variable |
| Site conditions | Access, height work, core drilling | Priced or not priced, but it should be stated |
| Lead time and validity | Weeks, and how long the price holds | Steel and glass prices move |
Get the grade in writing
"Stainless steel railing" covers everything from SS 202 to SS 316 and a wide price range. Name the grade on the purchase order and ask for the mill test certificate. A supplier who cannot produce one is telling you something useful.
Glass is a specification, not a word
Ask for thickness, whether it is toughened, laminated or laminated-toughened, and the edge finish. An elevated balustrade should be laminated so it retains its fragments — the reasoning is in toughened vs laminated, and thickness against supported height is in the thickness chart.
Where the scope usually hides
- Installation. Supply-only against supply-and-fix is frequently the whole difference between two numbers.
- Fittings on stairs. Bends and 90 or 180 degree jointers, which a flat run does not need.
- Fixings. Whether anchors are included, and whether they suit the substrate.
- Site work. Core drilling, height access, making good.
- Delivery. To site or ex-works, and who unloads.
- Glass breakage during installation — whose risk it is.
Buying direct
Buying hardware from the manufacturer and having a local fabricator install removes a margin layer, which is usually where the saving is on a straightforward run. It only works if the quote is complete enough for the fabricator to work from — which is what the checklist above is for. Indicative market rates by system are in our price per running foot guide.
Send your requirement and the quotation will name the grade, the glass, the finish and the fittings line by line.
Frequently Asked Questions
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