San Diego Custom Iron Works provides custom metal deck railing installation, balcony railing installation, and guardrail fabrication for apartment complexes, HOA communities, commercial properties, and private residences throughout San Diego County. We measure your property on site, custom-fabricate railings to its dimensions and the approved plans and specifications, and install them at your deck, balcony, or elevated walkway. Luis Lazalde Sr. and Luis Lazalde Jr. lead the work as a licensed C-23 railing contractor.
Elevated guardrails are life-safety components, so details matter. We fabricate posts, rails, and pickets to your project's dimensions and specifications, with direct family involvement from field measurement through installation.
Whether you need long uniform walkway guardrails for a garden-style apartment community or custom ornamental railings for a home remodel, we build to your project's layout and approved plans:
A guardrail is a critical life-safety barrier. We fabricate and install to your approved plans, specifications, and the governing California Building Code provisions. Requirements vary by jurisdiction, adopted code edition, and project, so confirm the specifics for your property with your building department or design professional.
In the City of San Diego, current guidance calls for 42-inch guards on elevated decks and balconies, including decks serving single-family homes and duplexes. See the City's deck information bulletin (IB 211). Guards are generally required where the walking surface is more than 30 inches above the floor or grade below. Any exceptions are determined by the governing code and your approved plans, and we build to the height those plans show.
Pickets, bars, and infill are generally spaced so a 4-inch sphere cannot pass through, with specific provisions set by the governing code and your plans.
Guards must meet the structural load requirements of the governing code. Required structural design and calculations are provided by the responsible design professional; we fabricate and install to those specifications.
Vertical pickets, horizontal bars, or custom ornamental patterns, as specified. Where the governing code or plans limit climbable elements, we build to them.
Base plate and anchor details follow the approved plans and specifications. If we find field conditions that need attention from the owner, design team, or a framing contractor, we flag them before installation.
We measure on site and custom-fabricate railings to your property's dimensions and applicable project requirements. Fabrication takes place at our El Cajon shop, which is equipped with metal benders, a hydraulic ironworker, and saws. Moisture is a common cause of corrosion on exterior steel, particularly near the coast, so finish and hardware selection matter. How long a finish lasts depends on exposure, the coating system, and maintenance.
Property managers, general contractors, and homeowners get a predictable workflow:
Send plans, sketches, or clear photos of your deck or balcony. Luis Sr. and Luis Jr. review the layout and can often provide a preliminary estimate.
We visit to laser-measure spans, review grade transitions, note the mounting conditions, and take field templates for curved or irregular runs.
You typically receive a comprehensive itemized proposal within 24–48 hours of the on-site visit, with materials, finish, and attachment details. Removal and haul-away of existing railings is itemized from the start.
Luis Sr. and Luis Jr. oversee fabrication at our El Cajon shop. Finishing, including galvanizing and powder coating, is completed by our finishing partners.
Our crew sets posts, secures anchors per the plans and specifications, and cleans the work area.
On occupied properties, we coordinate work with property management: advance notice (at least 24 hours), marked work zones, cord ramps across walkways, and a dedicated safety spotter on larger multi-family jobs. Luis calls with an end-of-day progress update, including when the crew will return. Before-and-after photographs document the project.
These Google reviews reflect our overall workmanship, reliability, and communication. They are not limited to balcony projects.
Clear answers about guardrail requirements, materials, and our installation process.
In the City of San Diego, current guidance calls for 42-inch guards on elevated decks and balconies, including decks serving single-family homes and duplexes. Guards are generally required where the walking surface is more than 30 inches above the floor or grade below. Requirements can vary by jurisdiction, adopted code edition, and project conditions, and any exceptions are determined by the governing building code and your approved plans. We fabricate and install to the height shown on your approved plans.
Building codes generally require that pickets, horizontal bars, or decorative infill be spaced so a 4-inch diameter sphere cannot pass through the guard's openings. The rule is meant to protect small children from falls and entrapment. Specific provisions and exceptions are set by the governing code and your approved plans.
Yes, where the framing is structurally sound and the attachment method is specified in the approved plans or by the responsible design professional. If the framing shows dry rot or structural damage, a framing contractor or carpenter must repair it before new metal guardrails can be secured.
No. San Diego Custom Iron Works is a licensed C-23 ornamental metal contractor, not an inspection agency or structural engineering firm. We do not perform state-mandated inspections, provide engineering calculations, or issue compliance certificates. We fabricate and install guardrails based on the plans, specifications, or findings provided by your licensed inspector, engineer, or architect.
For coastal projects, we send fabricated steel for ASTM A123 hot-dip galvanizing followed by powder coating, and we select compatible, corrosion-resistant hardware for each project. How long a finish lasts depends on exposure, the coating system, and maintenance.
Yes. Removal and off-site disposal of existing wood or metal railings is included in every itemized proposal.
Often, yes. Because we custom-fabricate to your property's dimensions, we can work to match existing tube profiles, picket spacing, cap rail styles, and powder coat colors where practical, so new guardrails fit with the rest of your property.
Send plans, sketches, or clear photos of your deck or balcony, and Luis can often provide a preliminary estimate. For a firm bid, Luis Sr. or Luis Jr. visits to take laser measurements, and you typically receive a comprehensive itemized written proposal within 24–48 hours of that visit.
From coastal apartment communities in Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, La Jolla, and Imperial Beach to hillside view decks in Del Mar, Poway, Rancho Peñasquitos, and El Cajon, we provide custom guardrail fabrication and installation countywide.
Luis Lazalde Sr. learned the trade in his father's shop at age 13, continuing five documented generations of Herrera metalworking. Today he works alongside his son, Luis Lazalde Jr. For property managers, general contractors, and homeowners, that means one accountable family team you can reach throughout the project.
