Questions we are asked about metalwork
Most grill and railing decisions in Kenya are made on pattern, when the things that matter are spacing, fixings and finish. These are the questions worth asking first. See also railing prices and window grill designs.
- What do railings cost in Kenya?
- Mild steel KES 3,000–5,000 per metre painted, 5,000–8,000 galvanised and powder coated. Stainless 4,000–9,000. Glass with stainless posts 8,000–15,000, premium systems to about 17,200. Gates KES 25,000–120,000 typical, 50,000–250,000 larger or automated. All installed.
- Why will you not quote grills or staircases per metre?
- Because no honest per-metre rate exists. Grills are priced per opening: design and bar spacing move the cost far more than area does. Staircases are priced per flight after measuring rise, going and headroom. A number quoted from a photograph gets revised, which helps nobody.
- Painted or galvanised?
- Galvanised for anything outdoors. Paint slows rust and does not stop it: water gets in at the welds and cut ends, and within two rainy seasons a painted external railing is bleeding down the wall. Hot-dip galvanising protects the steel even where the coating is later scratched.
- What bar spacing is actually secure?
- Around 100–125mm between solid square or round bars, welded at every intersection, with a framed perimeter so the grid cannot be deformed. Wide-spaced decorative flat bar looks substantial and spreads under a jack.
- How are grills fixed?
- Chemical anchors into the structural reveal. The most common defect we find is a well-made grill screwed into the plaster skim. It comes off with a crowbar in under a minute whatever the bar spacing. On stone reveals that means the right drill and patience.
- Can grills open from the inside?
- Yes, and at least one per floor should. An internally releasable escape grill, with the release reachable by an occupant and not through the grill from outside, is the difference between a secure house and a trap. We will not fit padlocked stair gates at all.
- What stainless grade should I ask for?
- 304 for general indoor and most Nairobi outdoor use; 316 near a swimming pool or on the coast. Grade 201 is widely sold here as stainless, is magnetic, costs less and stains within a year. If a supplier cannot tell you the grade, that is the answer.
- Toughened or laminated glass in a balustrade?
- Laminated where the balustrade is the only thing preventing a fall. Toughened that fails leaves an open edge with nothing in it; laminated stays in the opening. We will not substitute plain toughened to hit a price on a stair or a mezzanine.
- Why did our sliding gate stop running true?
- Usually the track foundation. On black cotton soil, common along the James Gichuru corridor, a track set in shallow concrete rides seasonal ground movement. Founded below the active zone it stays put; otherwise the gate is realigned every year.
- Is a spiral staircase a good main stair?
- No, and we say so often. Furniture cannot go up one, two people cannot pass, and the narrow inner tread end is where people misjudge footing. Spirals suit roof access, mezzanines and secondary stairs. At 1.6m diameter a compact dog-leg often fits the same footprint.
- Can old metalwork be restored?
- Frequently. Genuine wrought iron in the older Muthaiga and Lavington houses is better than anything made to a domestic budget today. Shot-blasted, repaired, re-galvanised and coated, it outlasts a replacement and suits the building.
- Which areas do you cover?
- Across Nairobi: Karen, Runda, Muthaiga, Gigiri, Kitisuru, Lavington, Kilimani, Kileleshwa, Westlands, Parklands, Lang'ata and the Kiambu Road corridor. Each area page sets out what actually differs about working there.
Send us the openings
Opening sizes, run lengths and a photo are enough. We will come back with a rate, and an honest view on whether your existing metalwork just needs refixing rather than replacing.
Galvanised before coating · fixed into structure, not plaster · escape release on every job