If you are looking for metal railings in Dublin, Kildare, Meath or Wicklow, this page explains how The Home Upgrade Co. gets them made and fitted. We work with a local gate and railing maker who measures the wall, makes each panel in steel in his own workshop and fits it himself. Railings are as much his trade as gates are, and the two are usually made together so the whole front of the house matches.
What metal railings do you make?
Railings for the top of a front wall, low garden railings and full height boundary railings, all made to measure in steel with pedestrian and driveway gates to match.
- Wall top railings, made in panels to sit between brick or block piers on a capped wall
- Low garden railings, hoop top or finial top, along the front of a garden or around a green
- Boundary railings fixed on their own steel posts where there is no wall
- Matching gates, so the bar size, spacing, height and finials carry through from the railings to the pedestrian gate and the driveway gates
Are wrought iron railings still made?
The style is, the material is not. New wrought iron is no longer produced, so new railings are made in steel in the traditional pattern.
The Department's conservation guide to historic ironwork states that new wrought iron is no longer produced, with only a small amount of recycled iron available for restoration. When people ask for wrought iron railings in Dublin today, what is made is upright steel bar with finials, in the proportions of the old work. Finished properly, steel is the better choice for a new railing because it is consistent, it welds cleanly and it can be fully protected against rust.
Can railings be made to match my gates, or my neighbour's railings?
Yes. Everything is made to order, so bar size, spacing, height and finials can be matched to existing gates or to railings nearby.
On a terrace or a road where every house has the same railing, a new run that is slightly off in height or spacing stands out at once. Send a close photo of the bars and the finial, and a wider one of the whole front, and we will tell you how close the match can be. Where gates and railings are both being replaced, making them together is the simplest way to get one consistent front.
How are railings fixed to a wall?
Wall top railings are made as panels and fixed between the piers and into the wall capping. Without a wall, they are carried on steel posts set in concrete.
The wall decides a lot. A sound capped wall with solid piers takes panels fixed at each end and along the base. A wall with loose or cracked capping is put right first, because a railing is only as firm as what it is bolted to. Each panel is made to the measured gap between its own two piers, since those gaps are rarely identical along a wall.
Send us a photo of the wall and the rough length, and we will tell you what would suit it.
How much do metal railings cost per metre?
Every job is priced individually, because every wall is different. You get a rough guide from a photo and the length of the wall, and a firm written price after the measure.
Railings are priced by the metre, and the rate depends on the height, whether every bar carries a finial, and how the run is fixed. Straight panels between piers on a good wall are the simplest. Corners, returns, changes in level and a matching pedestrian gate are priced on top of the run.
This is premium steelwork made for one wall, and it is priced to that standard. If you are comparing it with fence panels from a DIY shop, we are honestly not the right fit.
How are the railings protected from rust?
Ask for the finish in writing before you compare prices. The longest lasting finish for outdoor steel is hot dip galvanising with powder coating on top.
Railings have more joints and more edges per metre than a gate, so the finish matters even more. Hot dip galvanising to EN ISO 1461 coats the steel in zinc inside and out after welding, and powder coating on top gives the colour. Ask any railing maker which finish their price includes before comparing quotes.
Do I need planning permission for railings?
Usually not at an ordinary house, up to 2 metres high. Protected structures and conservation areas are different, and front boundaries are commonly held to 1.2 metres.
Railings are named in Class 5 of Schedule 2 to the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, which exempts a gate, gateway, railing, wooden fence or wall within or bounding the curtilage of a house up to 2 metres high, with a 1.2 metre limit for a wall or fence in front of the house. Many councils apply the 1.2 metre figure to the whole front boundary, so check before ordering anything taller for the front.
On a period street the position is stricter. Where a house is a protected structure or sits in an architectural conservation area, the original railings are often part of what is protected, and removing or replacing them can need permission even when the new ones look the same. Ask the council's conservation officer first.
How long does it take to get railings made and fitted?
It depends on the size of the job and how busy the workshop is. You are told the expected timeframe with your written price, before you commit to anything.
- WhatsApp us a photo. Send the wall, the rough length and your area. We come back with what would suit and a rough guide on price.
- Measured on site. Our gate maker measures every gap between piers, checks the wall and the capping, and agrees the height and the pattern with you.
- A written price. One figure for making, finishing and fitting, with gates or wall repairs listed separately. No obligation.
- Made in the workshop. Each panel is welded to its own measured gap and then finished.
- Fitted. The panels are fixed, levelled along the run and checked against the gates.
Do you fit railings in Kildare, Meath and Wicklow as well as Dublin?
Yes. Railings are measured and fitted across Dublin, Kildare, Meath and Wicklow. Message us your area and we will confirm straight away.
Most railing jobs come with gates. See made to measure metal gates for driveway, side and pedestrian gates, including commercial work.
Frequently asked questions
Are wrought iron railings in style?
They have never really gone out. Upright bar railings with finials suit brick and period fronts, and low hoop top railings suit estate houses and open gardens.
Can you make railings for a business or an apartment block?
Yes. Our gate maker does commercial work as well as houses. Send us the length, the height needed and a photo of the site.
Can I get a price from a photo?
You can get a rough guide from a photo and the length of the wall. The firm price follows a measure on site, because the gaps between piers and the state of the wall change the job.
