Get the Railing System You Want Tomorrow…with Today’s Budget

Beautiful ambient lighting. Glass panels or cable railing for unmatched views. Color palette that continuously matches or complements the home. Many factors contribute to that perfect railing system for your custom outdoor living space. But when designing this component, there’s always one issue to balance. Budget. Luckily for you, there are ways to retrofit railing systems, ensuring you get a cost-effective solution today with the option of upgrading or changing those railings down the line.

Remember, You’re Married to Your Spouse, Not Your Railings: 3 Ways to Retrofit Your Railing System

A full custom outdoor living space is a sizable investment. (How much does a screened-in porch cost, anyway? Get some ballpark figures.) If you’re looking for ways to minimize cost today while leaving the door open for upgrades later, here are three ideas for your custom build.

1. Use a railing system that lets you add lighting later.

Lighting instantly makes a space safer, more beautiful, and more functional. (More light means you can use your space longer, both throughout the day and year.) It’s why adding lighting to your outdoor living space is consistently one of the top railing trends. 

Budget, though, always has to be considered. Like any upgrade, lighting is an additional line item on the project expense sheet.

The good news? Adding those lights in later doesn’t necessarily mean an expensive, time-consuming upgrade down the line. With the right railing system, it is possible to create a more basic, budget-friendly space initially that can then be upgraded over the years.

Regal Ideas, among other companies, has one such system on the market.

In these systems, all you have to do is remove the existing post caps, add transformers where necessary, and cut a small hole to accommodate wires and plugs.

It’s simple, minimally disruptive, and light on the wallet.

2. Switch out your pickets and other railing material.

Maybe you’re opting for another color. Perhaps you’re entirely switching from one railing system material to another. (Think aluminum pickets to glass panels.)

When you choose a system that allows you to seamlessly switch between these materials or options, you have more design flexibility.

Say, for example, your house offers stunning views. You want to do everything possible to maintain that feature of your home’s exterior. But glass panel railing isn’t in the initial budget. That doesn’t mean you have to hold off on the project altogether or take a massive financial hit to rip out all the existing railing and replace it later.

Certain railing solutions on the market come with locking systems that allow pickets to be installed (and uninstalled) quickly and easily. This means you can change out colors to match or to complement changes to the home’s aesthetic over time, or you could even leave the posts and replace out the railing material entirely.

In the past, changing out your railing system has been a heavy, expensive, time-consuming lift. But with the right structural railing foundation, that doesn’t have to be the case.

3. Talk to your custom design and build team.

One of the biggest benefits of working with a custom design and build team is that you get access to their experience, expertise, and local knowledge. If you’ve vetted your team properly, you’ll be getting decades of insight into ways to make your custom build work for you.

This includes innovative, creative solutions like adding stop points to a screen porch or other outdoor living space and recommending relevant products that lend themselves to building your dream space in logical stages.

If you’re coming up against your budget, keep an open dialogue with your design and build team. They can recommend the best, budget-friendly way to get you a space you love today, as well as options to upgrade that space over time.

Even if you don’t plan on building the entire dream space in the first phase, make sure your design and build team know that ideal end point. When they’re aware of the end goal (heaters, fans, high-end railings), you’re in the best position to minimize disruption and expense when those renovations and upgrades do happen.

Want More Ideas? Talk to Your Northern Virginia or Maryland Design and Build Team.

Wan to add an outdoor living space to your Northern Virginia or Maryland home? Want to work with a team that respects budgets and understands building in phases?

Reach out to Design Builders today to talk through all your options! We’ve been specializing in high-end custom outdoor living spaces for decades, and we’re always happy to answer your questions.