
FAQs
Since we offer a wide range of designs, providing blanket pricing information without understanding your project in advance is difficult. The best way to get accurate pricing for your project is to submit a pricing request, here. Don’t worry, we don’t bite, don’t track you in any way, or pester you with follow up emails.
- Sketches, plans, drawings. These can be as simple as a photo of a plan with approximate dimensions drawn on a napkin, but the more detail the better.
- Photos of the area where you want to install railings
- Your choice of style for:
- Level Sections (Horizontal, Vertical, Vertical with top panel, or other)
- Sloped or Stair sections (if applicable, Horizontal, Vertical, Vertical with top panel, or other)
- How you want to attach them (Deck mount, Fascia mount, or other)
- Post (Flat bar, Square tube, Rectangular tube, or Round tube), and desired dimensions
- Infill (Flat bar, Square tube, Rectangular tube, or Round tube), and desired dimensions
- Toprail (Wood, Stainless, Aluminum, or Source your own) and desired dimensions of the toprail.
- What material you’d like your railings to made from (Galvanized Steel, Cold Galvanized Steel, Stainless for exterior applications, Stainless for interior applications, or Steel).
- What sort of finish you’d like (PVDF, Powder coat, Unfinished stainless, or Unfinished galvanized)
Or of course you can just call us and we can walk through the entire process over the phone.
Our standard railing designs meet or exceed code requirements in nearly every US jurisdiction, and since they’re custom, can easily be modified to satisfy any idiosyncratic requirements in your local code. Our railings are designed in accordance with the requirements set forth in the latest adopted editions of the IRC (International Residential Code) or IBC (International Building Code).
That said, local codes may vary and you should always check to ensure that the railings we design and produce for you will comply with local codes. Responsibility for ensuring that the railing design you approve and we produce satisfies code rests with you.
If you have questions, feel free to call or email, we’re here to help.
Check out our measuring instructions here.
If you mean myself, as in one person working alone: In nearly all circumstances, one person can definitely install our railings, but it’s a heck of a lot easier if you have two, at least for a few parts of the process. If you can enlist a helper for only part of the time, ask that they help with 1) unpacking and moving the panels into position for mounting, and 2) when holding them in place while you’re marking hole positions.If you’re flying solo, expect to use clamps extensively to hold panels and handrails in position, and let us know; we’ve done this a few times and have seen all kinds of creative solutions that may be helpful.
It’s simple – the process is largely the same. Either a) have your contractor / designer / architect complete a Quote Request, and we’ll work with him/her directly, or b) complete the request for a quote yourself, and include your contractor / designer / architect’s email in the comments field, and we’ll cc: them on any future correspondence.
TL;DR General rules of thumb:
Residential guardrail: >=36″ except CA, which requires >=42″
Commercial guardrail: >=42″
Stair Guardrail: >=34-38″ above the noseline
Railing height requirements for residential projects differ from state to state, and municipality to municipality, so the only way to know for sure is to check with your local building department. That said, most municipalities adopt some form of the International Residential Code (IRC) which requires guardrails for residential projects to be at least 36″ in height, measured from the deck surface to the top of the rail. A notable exception is California, which generally requires a guardrail height of at least 42″ for residential projects.For stairs, most municipalities require a guardrail that is at least 34″ high measured from the line that connects the nose of each stair, and a handrail at a height between 34 and 38″ above the noseline. Note that handrail requirements may vary depending on the design of the stairs.
Commercial projects
Commercial projects (which are often governed by the International Building Code (IBC) rather than the IRC), almost universally require a height of at least 42″.
For stairs, required guardrail height is generally 36″ measured from the line that connects the nose of each stair, and a handrail at a height between 34 and 38″ above the noseline. Note that handrail requirements may vary depending on the design of the stairs.
Have Questions? Don’t be afraid to ask us. We’ll do everything possible to help you understand what your code requires, and ensure that your railings will meet or exceed code and pass inspection, but keep in mind that responsibility for ensuring that your railing design is compliant with applicable code rests with you.
Not finding the answer to your question here?
Get in touch! We’re here to help.
Email: support@agilearchitectural.com
Phone: 415.827.8200
(call or text)