Service area — New Westminster, BC

Custom metal fabrication in New Westminster

New Westminster's building stock runs from 1890s Queen Anne homes in Queens Park to waterfront condo towers in Quayside. That range asks for metalwork that can respect a heritage streetscape and perform on a modern high-rise — and our Burnaby shop is 10 minutes away.

Get a quote Talk to the team

The Royal City

Heritage character and new construction — New Westminster has both

BC's oldest city has a building mix that creates metalwork demand you won't find in the same concentration anywhere else in Metro Vancouver.

New Westminster was incorporated in 1860 — predating Vancouver by 26 years. That history shows up in the built environment. Queens Park alone has over 300 homes built before 1940, many with original ironwork that's either deteriorating or already gone. Brow of the Hill and Sapperton have similar vintage housing stock. When owners restore or renovate these properties, the metalwork needs to fit the era without compromising on modern code requirements.

That's a specific fabrication problem. A guardrail on an 1898 home needs to meet the same 1,070 mm height and 100 mm sphere test as one on a brand-new Queensborough townhouse — but it also needs to look like it belongs on the porch of a building that's 125 years old. Off-the-shelf aluminum railings from a big box store won't get you there. Custom steel fabrication will.

At the same time, New Westminster is adding density. The Downtown core around Columbia Street and the SkyTrain stations is seeing mid-rise and high-rise development. Queensborough has continued to build out with townhouse and low-rise condo projects. And the Royal Columbian Hospital redevelopment in Sapperton — a $1.49 billion project — is reshaping that entire neighbourhood with associated commercial and residential construction. All of that means commercial metalwork demand alongside the heritage residential work.

Local context

What drives metalwork demand in New Westminster

Heritage home restorations in Queens Park and Brow of the Hill — period-appropriate railings, gates, and fences that satisfy Heritage Conservation Area guidelines
Aging housing stock across Sapperton, Victory Heights, and the West End — homes from the 1940s–1970s cycling through staircase and railing replacements
Downtown New West densification — new mixed-use buildings along Columbia Street and near the SkyTrain stations requiring commercial railing and misc. metals packages
Royal Columbian Hospital redevelopment ($1.49B, Phase 2 under construction) — institutional structural steel and miscellaneous metals demand in Sapperton
Queensborough and Quayside waterfront developments — townhouse and condo projects needing standard residential and commercial metalwork
Strata railing replacement cycles on 1990s–2000s condo buildings along the waterfront and in Downtown

Residential metalwork

Staircases, railings, and gates for New Westminster homes

The residential metalwork we do in New Westminster splits roughly in half: heritage-sensitive work on older homes, and contemporary fabrication for newer builds and renovations.

Heritage metalwork

Period-appropriate railings and restoration

Queens Park and Brow of the Hill homes often had wrought iron porch railings, balustrades, and fence panels with ornamental profiles — scrollwork, rosettes, twisted pickets. We replicate those details in modern steel with forged elements that match the original character. Heritage-style railing fabrication typically runs $275–$400 per linear foot installed, depending on the complexity of the detailing and whether we're matching existing sections or fabricating a full replacement.

Staircases

From floating stairs to heritage stair rebuilds

Newer renovations in New Westminster — gut-and-rebuild projects on older lots, or new infill construction — often call for mono stringer or floating staircases. Those run $18,000–$35,000 depending on span, material, and finish. On heritage homes, we also handle stair railing replacements and stringer reinforcement where the original wood structure is staying but the metalwork is being updated to meet current BC Building Code.

Gates and fences

Custom gates that fit the streetscape

Driveway and pedestrian gates in New Westminster's heritage neighbourhoods need to match the visual language of the home. A contemporary horizontal-slat gate looks wrong in front of a 1910 Craftsman. We fabricate gates with period-appropriate detailing — arched top rails, forged pickets, decorative post caps — in steel with hot-dip galvanizing and powder coat for durability against New Westminster's wet winters. Custom gate projects typically start around $4,500 for a single pedestrian gate and $8,000–$15,000 for a paired driveway set.

Commercial and institutional

Commercial metalwork in a city that's building up

New Westminster's commercial construction activity is concentrated Downtown and in Sapperton — both areas with active mid-rise and institutional projects.

The commercial metalwork we handle in New Westminster follows the development pattern: railing packages for new residential towers and mixed-use buildings, structural steel for commercial fit-outs, and miscellaneous metals that finish out a building scope — stair nosings, bollards, custom brackets, and handrails.

Downtown New West has several active tower projects near the New Westminster and Columbia SkyTrain stations. These are transit-oriented developments that typically spec glass and stainless steel railing systems for common areas and balconies. The coordination on these jobs runs through the GC — shop drawings go through architect review, material submittals need sign-off, and installation scheduling has to work around other trades. We've been running that process on commercial builds across Metro Vancouver for years.

The Royal Columbian Hospital redevelopment is the largest single project driving institutional metalwork demand in Sapperton. But it's also catalysing adjacent commercial and residential construction in the neighbourhood — which means additional metalwork scopes on the buildings going up around the hospital campus.

Structural steel

Structural steel for heritage retrofits and new construction

Structural steel work in New Westminster often has a heritage dimension that you don't see as much in other cities. Older homes built on post-and-beam foundations sometimes need steel beam reinforcement when owners add a second storey or convert a basement. The structural engineer will spec steel members that tie into the existing wood frame — and the fabrication tolerances on those connections are tight because the existing structure is rarely plumb or level after 80+ years.

A residential structural steel package on a New Westminster heritage retrofit might run $10,000–$25,000 depending on member sizes, number of connections, and access conditions. Sapperton and Brow of the Hill homes on steep lots are particularly common — getting steel beams into a basement with limited crane access adds complexity.

On the commercial side, new mid-rise construction in Downtown New West uses structural steel for moment frames, canopy structures, and connection packages. BC's seismic requirements mean all structural connections account for earthquake loading — bolt specs, weld details, and member sizing all reflect that. Our C.W.B. certification to CSA W47.1 covers the structural welding that engineers specify on their drawings.

Why our shop

10 minutes from New Westminster, C.W.B. certified, and familiar with heritage work

Proximity and experience with older building stock make a difference on New Westminster projects.

Our Douglas Road shop in Burnaby is a short drive from every New Westminster neighbourhood — 10 minutes to Downtown, 12 minutes to Queens Park, 15 minutes to Queensborough. That makes site visits practical at short notice, which matters when you're measuring for railings on a heritage home where nothing is square or when a contractor needs a field dimension confirmed before we cut steel.

Heritage metalwork fabrication is a different skill set than standard residential or commercial work. It requires understanding of historical profiles, the ability to forge ornamental elements, and familiarity with the municipal guidelines that govern what can go on a character home. Not every metal shop does this work — and not every shop that claims to can actually produce detailing that looks right next to original period ironwork.

Our C.W.B. certification to CSA W47.1 covers both structural and architectural welding. That means the same quality standards apply whether we're fabricating a decorative heritage gate or a load-bearing beam for a basement retrofit — which matters on renovation projects where the line between structural and decorative metalwork gets blurry.

New Westminster neighbourhoods we serve

Queens Park
Sapperton
Downtown
Quayside
Queensborough
Brow of the Hill
Connaught Heights
Victory Heights
West End

Adjacent service areas

FAQs

Common questions about metalwork in New Westminster

Answers to the questions we hear most from New Westminster homeowners, contractors, and heritage property owners.

Does heritage designation in New Westminster affect what metalwork I can install?

It can. Properties inside New Westminster's Heritage Conservation Area — which covers most of Queens Park and parts of the Downtown — are subject to design guidelines that affect exterior alterations, including railings, gates, and fences. The city reviews exterior changes for compatibility with the building's heritage character. In practice, this means a modern cable railing on a 1912 Queens Park home would likely face pushback, while a steel picket railing with period-appropriate detailing would not. Jeff and Simon can fabricate metalwork that satisfies both the heritage guidelines and current BC Building Code guard requirements — we've done it on several Queens Park properties.

How far is the Jeff and Simon shop from New Westminster?

Our fabrication shop is at 2544 Douglas Rd #106, Burnaby, BC V5C 5W7 — about a 10–15 minute drive from most New Westminster neighbourhoods via Kingsway or Canada Way. That proximity keeps mobilization costs low and makes it practical to visit a job site for measurements or walkthroughs without turning it into a half-day affair.

What does a railing replacement cost on an older New Westminster home?

It depends on the scope and material. A straightforward steel picket railing replacement on a front porch or interior staircase typically runs $150–$250 per linear foot installed, including powder coating. Heritage-style railings with custom detailing — scrollwork, cast elements, or profiles that match the original — push toward $275–$400 per linear foot. Cable railing systems are $150–$275 per linear foot. These ranges assume standard conditions; if the existing structure needs reinforcement or the mounting substrate is deteriorated, that adds to the scope.

Can you match the style of original ironwork on a heritage home?

Yes. A lot of the pre-war homes in Queens Park and Brow of the Hill had wrought iron or cast iron railings, balustrades, and fence panels with ornamental detailing. We can replicate those profiles in modern steel — forged scrollwork, rosettes, twisted pickets, finial caps — and apply finishes that look period-correct while meeting current structural and corrosion-protection standards. We work from photos of the original where it still exists, or from archival references when it doesn't.

Do I need a building permit for new railings or a staircase in New Westminster?

In most cases, yes. The City of New Westminster requires building permits for new staircase construction, structural modifications, and guardrail replacements involving load-bearing changes. Properties in the Heritage Conservation Area may also need a Heritage Alteration Permit for exterior metalwork changes. Jeff and Simon can prepare shop drawings and engineering documentation for your permit application — and we're familiar with the city's review process.

Get in touch

Need metalwork fabrication in New Westminster?

Send the project details — drawings, dimensions, photos, or a description of the scope. Heritage projects benefit from photos of existing metalwork so we can assess what's there. We'll review and follow up with a quote or next steps.

Request a quote +1 (604) 294 0409