As a business, we are always thinking about how to improve our customers' experiences when they begin thinking about improving their enjoyment of their backyards or the curb appeal of their front porches. The good news is, we are working on some very useful blog posts with tips to help our customers make decisions regarding options that are out there.
In this very first blog, we will talk about how to decide between an aluminum picket railing system versus a glass railing system. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- When looking at your future railing system some of the elements you may consider are the aesthetics of the railing system, views from the deck or porch, maintenance of the railing system, practicality and usability as well as economics. When you consider these elements you also have to determine which of these elements takes precedence. Let’s take a look at these considerations: Aesthetics As they say: “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”. Take in the big picture. What is the look that you feel will enhance your deck or front porch? Will the glass railing system enhance the view better or will the simple picket railing system suffice? Whichever choice you make, what colour of system compliments and enhances the look of your home or cottage? Views Views are two ways. What view do you want to have from your porch or deck? If you have a beautiful view into the nature we would always suggest going with as little disruption as possible ie the glass system. We offer 3 different types of the glass railing systems which can help enhance your view in the most seamless manner. If the view isn't the most important consideration, then the simple to install picket railing system would work great! Some other considerations on this point are what view do you want people to have that are looking towards you? Do want an open view both ways? Do you want some privacy? There are ways in which we can make things work for you. Maintenance The picket systems are virtually maintenance free, while the glass systems tend to require some cleaning, depending on how particular you are. Things to consider are the environment around you (dusty?), if you have pets, wildlife around you and hand prints. These can be mitigated by purchasing a self-cleaning glass for your railing system if glass is your choice. In general though, the glass system needs maintenance as often as the windows in your homes. Practicality There are also some practical considerations for choosing between the two systems although our systems do work seamlessly together. We have installed many glass railing systems that go around the perimeter of the deck, and end with our picket system at the stairs, as there is more grip for the elderly and small children as they step up or down. We have also had customers who had glass railings installed in their front porch to stop the wind from picking up their porch furniture. Economics This is often a major consideration for most. The Picket Railing Systems are the most economical railing systems. If installing a picket system does not enhance your views, then the most economical glass system would be our Framed Glass System with 6 mm tempered glass. We also offer a Topless Glass System with 10 mm tempered glass which doesn’t have the top and bottom horizontal rails but still has posts as the intermediate price option and finally the Frameless Glass System with 12 mm tempered, heat soaked glass as the most seamless and least economical option. Once you've thought about some of these factors and you're ready to move forward with your project, come on into our showroom with your deck sketch, measurements and photos and we can help you look at the options that will allow you to maximize your priority for your railing system in the most economical way. You are also most welcome to email us your dimensions and sketch to [email protected] or call us at 226.984.1081 to speak to one of our estimators. Looking forward to seeing you. Written by Jack (and Grace)
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We forget sometimes how our business is so dependent on the weather. Every trade that's working on the outdoors has been quite affected by the wet months of April - June. The situation exacerbates for us at Ontario Deck Railing as we are the very last trade that rocks in to beautify landscapes and homes. The wait time has been challenging, but thankfully that means we have the time to do planning and business structuring.
Matt has also been busy building shelves and creating better workspaces for us in our warehouse. We look more legit (haha!) now and with the recent purchase of our very own (first!) vehicle, we certainly feel like we're wearing big boy pants now. Talk about adulting. Otherwise, there are many opportunities coming our way and it looks like it will be a very busy summer. We are so grateful for our clients who are trusting us with their projects even though we are new kids on the block, and can't wait to work on them once the weather shifts! If you have a project that you are planning and need some input, feel free to drop by during our office open hours. If the only times that work for you are Tuesday or Thursday, give us a call and we can come in to meet you. We are just working from home those days. On behalf of the team, Grace The season is changing and yet again, it is time for us to be sun-kissed after the Vitamin D deprivation. How quickly time flies when you are working hard and having a good time. We have done 2 local winter/spring shows this year. Both have given us very good experiences, and we hope to return to more and perhaps expand our territory in the future.
Matt and I returned from my home country, Malaysia, a little more than a month ago and that was a very needed break after a long time away. We are back, recharged and reconnected with friends and family, roaring to go. As a team, we agreed that there are many things we will be working on this year and next, to improve on delivering a better service to our clients. After being in business for a year, we have clarified some of our priorities, and will continue sharpening our business model as we learn and grow. We realised when we went away a few weeks ago for a Business Retreat that our goal is ,"Beautifying Backyards and Safeguarding Families". We know what it is like to have a peace of mind, especially when it comes to making sure that our families are safe to the best of our abilities. That is something we will work hard at giving families through our railing systems. This is why, as some of you have encountered before, that we will only install our system when the elements that make a railing system as strong as it can be are all in place to achieve that goal. As you think about beautifying your backyards this year, be sure to work with contractors and suppliers who will ensure that your family's safety is their top priority. Give us a call at 226.984.1081 or fill in the Request An Estimate form if you need help getting a quote. Signing off, Grace The blog has been dormant. My apologies. Suffice to say, we have been busy this summer. We have been pleasantly surprised at how busy our first summer as a business has been, but grateful that we are not completely slammed either.
Amongst some things that have kept us very occupied is that we have been working tirelessly with the City of London to make sure that all the products we sell here are up to their requirements. This has not been easy, but we are glad to say we are moving forward, albeit slowly. We are hoping to be fully operational in London next year, so, our fingers are crossed. Matt and I moved in to our own home in early July, and we are juggling settling in and running this business with Jack and Alice. In the mean time, we are still receiving phone calls and requests for estimates and we are kept busy with installations all the way to September. A few weeks ago, we were also able to go away as a business to reflect and take time to consider who we are as a business and how we want to build our foundations. A strong foundation is vital for longevity and that is what we want to build the business upon. So, busy as we were (and are!), we took time to stop and listen to the heartbeat of the business. We left with more thoughts, and have continued developing some key ideas and thoughts for our business. We are pondering on our written mission, and are developing our business values as we speak. Every business should take time to ponder these things. We are more than just money making machines. Our business should affect the world we live in positively in every way we can comprehend. It takes courage, and a lot of hard work but we hope to get there. So, here's to the rest of the summer. Thank you for being a part of our lives. On behalf of the team, Grace Many things have happened in the last few months while we have been 'silent'. We completed our very successful first Home Show in London, received our very first shipment from Calgary, shipped out our first out of province order, installed our very first project and moved in to our very first warehouse! So many firsts! I guess those are the things that make life exciting when you start a business despite all the challenges that come your way.
Matt and I cannot wait to get to Ontario as he finishes school in the next 11 days. Eeeek!! Where did 3 years of schooling go? We will first work on some small renovations in our apartment, pack up and then drive out to London. We will take a 2 week-ish drive which we will be recording on Instagram (so make sure you follow us at @ontariodeckrailingltd to follow our journey), stopping by places that we have never seen, exploring the beauty of Canada, and visiting some friends and families along the way as we make our way out East. Meanwhile, Mom and Dad (Jack and Alice) are kept very busy with the business back in London, and we cannot wait to get there to dive into it as well. They have just completed the installation of some beautiful white glass railings for our very first clients at Wasaga Beach near Collingwood, Ontario (photo shown). We are so proud and thankful for all the hard work they have put in while we are finishing up our time in Vancouver, BC. Thank you for reading and joining us on the journey of our very first year in business! Cheers! Grace Writing from Vancouver, BC. P/S: Our warehouse in London is not quite ready for drop-ins yet, but if you would like to make a visit, please contact us to make an appointment. |
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August 2022
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