# Forum Home Renovation Fences & Screens  Glass balustrade is too short, advice needed

## rzkman

Hi all, 
I hope this is the right sub-forum.  
Looking to see what you guys think of my current situation I have.  
We engaged a building company to do an extension of our house. We have an existing pool in the backyard and part of the extension involved building a brand new balcony on the upper storey of the house that overlooks the pool.  
The balcony on the plan shows 1m high glass balustrades on two sides and a 1.7 privacy screen and external staircase on the third side. This plan has been approved by the building surveyor and my project is now 90% complete.  
In the process of applying for a building permit for a new pool fence, another builder surveyor has indicated that the 1m balustrades on my balcony need to be 1200mm high to comply. (I did try to engage the same building surveyor that did the extension to do the pool fence, but after many attempts with no response I gave up on them)  
So I am in a bind at the moment as I already have the 1000mm high glass installed. I have two options going forward  
1. Pay $600 for an additional handrail at 1200mm high ensuring all gaps are under 100mm in the final design. Second building surveyor has verbally told me this would be acceptable to them.
2. Pay $XXXX for new glass to be made and installed to achieve the 1200mm height.  
Do I have any recourse on the builder or building surveyor for the extension for them to pay and rectify this issue? The original signed plans do show a pool on the site plan so it should have been accounted for back at the design phase.  
Any suggestions on how I should proceed would be greatly appreciated.  
Ray.

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## johnc

If the original inspector has signed off then aren't you compliant? To even have a hope of getting a payment you have to go back to both the builder and original inspector. The builder followed the plans so it really comes down to the person drawing them up and the inspector. Any form of dispute you have to sort out who in wrong or right, contact the council building surveyor perhaps and get their view. I actually don't think 1. or 2. are really options as you haven't established if the rails are compliant or why they are non compliant.

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## lazydays

In QLD the balcony drop itself can form part of the barrier. Can't image it being much different in Vic as it's all based on the same Aust. Standards with a few variations between the states. Go to your Vic Pool safety website and you should be able to find the relevant diagrams.
I have attached the QLD regs for your perusal.

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## sol381

Bloody ridiculous.. so a child can climb over a metre high rail climb down 2 or 3 metres to the ground and then go in the pool. if any kid can do that im sure they can swim.1 meter should be enough on a verandah...way, way over regulated in this country. having said that if that approved then either the certifier or council need to be held accountable.

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## lazydays

No they can't....that is an "Acceptable Barrier"

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## havabeer

any chance of just knocking up a a length of handrail out of treated pine of something? do it as cheap as possible, get the surveyor in to pass it and just rip it out once he's gone?

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## r3nov8or

> any chance of just knocking up a a length of handrail out of treated pine of something? do it as cheap as possible, get the surveyor in to pass it and just rip it out once he's gone?

   For peace of mind you really need to know you are compliant. Someone drowns (horror of horrors), the coroner swarm...

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