Comparison
Jeff & Simon Ironworks vs Avangard Steel
Jeff & Simon Ironworks and Avangard Steel are two of the most keyword-visible custom metalwork fabricators in Metro Vancouver for stairs and railings. Both are CWB certified. Both build mono stringer and floating staircases, custom railing systems, and structural steel. This page compares them directly, services, credentials, and where each shop fits.
Side-by-side comparison
| Factor | Jeff & Simon Ironworks | Avangard Steel |
|---|---|---|
| Years in operation | Since 2007 (18+ years) | Not publicly stated |
| Shop location | Burnaby, BC (Douglas Rd) | North Vancouver, BC (Columbia St) |
| CWB certification | Yes, CSA W47.1 | Yes, CWB certified |
| WorkSafeBC compliance | Yes | Yes, listed on website |
| VRCA membership/award | Yes, VRCA 2021 Awards of Excellence (Silver) | Not listed |
| Custom metal stairs | Yes, mono stringer, floating, spiral, double stringer, exterior galvanized, commercial egress | Yes, floating, mono stringer, modern, see-through/waterfall, commercial |
| Custom railings | Yes, glass, cable, steel picket, stainless, exterior deck, strata/commercial | Yes, railings and handrails (materials not fully detailed online) |
| Driveway and pedestrian gates | Yes, swing, cantilever slide, V-track, automated | Not listed as a service |
| Steel canopy structures | Yes, entry canopies, porte-cochères, parkade trellises | Yes, canopies and trellises |
| Steel structure / structural steel | Yes, residential beams, commercial frames, seismic connections | Yes, steel structure fabrication/installation |
| Prefab housing / modular steel structures | No | Yes, custom prefab houses |
| Steel-framed glass doors | Not a listed service | Yes |
| Bollards | Not a listed service | Yes |
| In-house installation | Yes | Yes |
| Shop drawings on every project | Yes, documented process | Not explicitly stated online |
| Residential and commercial | Both | Both (plus industrial) |
| Pricing | Quote-based | Quote-based, free consultations and quotes offered |
Where Jeff & Simon Ironworks has an edge
Jeff & Simon Ironworks has been operating since 2007, an 18-year track record in Metro Vancouver with verifiable project history including institutional clients (BCIT, Surrey Memorial Hospital, Simon Fraser University, Guildford Town Centre) and a VRCA 2021 Awards of Excellence Silver Award for construction quality. Avangard Steel does not list their founding year publicly and does not list a VRCA award.
Jeff & Simon includes driveway and pedestrian gates, swing, cantilever slide, V-track, and automated systems, as a core service. Avangard Steel does not list gate fabrication on their website. For a single-contractor scope that includes a custom stair, railing system, and automated driveway gate, Jeff & Simon covers all three without subcontracting.
Jeff & Simon's process is documented in detail for each service category, stair engineering, shop drawings process, BC Building Code railing requirements, which gives architects, GCs, and homeowners a clear picture of how projects are run before committing to a quote.
Where Avangard Steel has an edge
Avangard Steel's service scope includes prefab steel housing structures, steel-framed glass doors, and bollards, categories Jeff & Simon does not cover. For developers or builders working on mixed steel and glazing scopes, or on modular prefab steel projects, Avangard can handle elements Jeff & Simon cannot.
Avangard explicitly lists waterfall-style and see-through staircases as named products, targeting a specific design segment of the Vancouver market. Their online presence is SEO-optimized for those specific stair terms, which may mean a faster quote process for clients who arrive through those exact search paths.
Avangard is based in North Vancouver (Columbia Street), which positions them well for projects on the North Shore, North Vancouver, West Vancouver, and Sea-to-Sky corridor sites where a Burnaby-based shop like Jeff & Simon is equally capable but may be a less familiar vendor relationship.
Genuine pros and cons, both sides
Jeff & Simon Ironworks
Strengths
- CWB certified (CSA W47.1)
- VRCA 2021 Awards of Excellence Silver Award, construction industry peer recognition
- Documented 18+ year track record in Metro Vancouver
- Institutional project experience (hospitals, universities, retail centres)
- Full gate scope, swing, slide, automated, that Avangard does not offer
- Comprehensive online documentation of process, engineering, and code requirements
- Architect and GC coordination process documented and practised
Limitations
- No prefab housing or modular steel-frame scope
- No steel-framed glass doors as a listed product
- Burnaby base, slightly less convenient for North Shore projects than a North Van shop
Avangard Steel
Strengths
- CWB certified, WorkSafeBC member
- North Vancouver base, well-positioned for North Shore projects
- Wider absolute service scope including prefab housing, glazed steel doors, bollards
- Free consultations and quotes, explicit conversion offer
- "Made in Canada" materials certification
- Strong online visibility for specific stair types (waterfall, see-through, mono stringer)
Limitations
- No driveway or pedestrian gate fabrication listed
- Founding year not publicly stated, track record less verifiable
- No VRCA award listed
- Less detailed online documentation of the fabrication and installation process
Use-case guidance
- Choose Jeff & Simon if: your project combines stairs, railings, and a driveway gate under one contract; if institutional or commercial project experience and VRCA credentials matter; if you need detailed process documentation before committing; or if your project is in Burnaby, East Vancouver, Tri-Cities, South Surrey, or the Fraser Valley.
- Choose Avangard Steel if: your project includes prefab steel housing elements, steel-framed glass doors, or bollards; if your project is specifically on the North Shore and you prefer a local shop relationship; or if their explicit waterfall/see-through stair language matches your design intent.
- Request quotes from both if: your project is a residential or commercial mono stringer stair or railing system, both shops compete directly for this work and you will learn more from comparing proposals than from comparing websites.
About Jeff & Simon Ironworks
Jeff & Simon Ironworks Ltd. is a C.W.B. certified fabrication shop at 2544 Douglas Rd #106, Burnaby, BC. Founded in 2007, the shop fabricates and installs custom metal stairs, railings, driveway and pedestrian gates, structural steel, canopy structures, and miscellaneous steel for residential, commercial, and institutional clients across Metro Vancouver. Contact us to discuss your project.
Request a quote or call (604) 294-0409.
FAQs
Do both Jeff & Simon and Avangard Steel build mono stringer staircases?
Yes, both fabricate mono stringer staircases. Jeff & Simon Ironworks has dedicated documentation on mono stringer engineering, design, installation, and cost, see <a href="/metal-stair-fabrication/mono-stringer-stairs/">the mono stringer overview</a> and related guides. Avangard Steel lists mono stringer stairs by name on their website. For this stair type specifically, both are credible options and requesting quotes from both is the right move.
Which shop covers a wider service scope?
Avangard Steel covers a wider absolute service scope, they include prefab housing, steel-framed glass doors, and bollards, which Jeff & Simon does not offer. Jeff & Simon covers driveway and pedestrian gates, which Avangard does not list. For a typical residential or commercial metalwork project involving stairs, railings, and gates, Jeff & Simon covers that complete scope. For a project that includes prefab steel structures or steel-framed glazed doors, Avangard has scope Jeff & Simon lacks.
Does Avangard Steel have industry certifications comparable to Jeff & Simon?
Avangard Steel lists CWB certification and WorkSafeBC membership, both are legitimate credentials. Jeff & Simon Ironworks holds the same CWB certification (CSA W47.1) and adds a VRCA 2021 Awards of Excellence Silver Award, which is an industry peer-review recognition that Avangard does not list. For institutional or commercial projects where VRCA membership and awards are part of the qualification criteria, Jeff & Simon's VRCA credential is the distinguishing factor.
Avangard is in North Vancouver, is that a problem for my project?
Not operationally. Both shops serve the full Metro Vancouver area, and the difference in shop location (Burnaby vs North Vancouver) has minimal impact on project delivery. What matters more is which shop has better communication and shorter lead time for your project schedule. For projects specifically on the North Shore, Avangard's base location may give them a slight familiarity advantage with North Shore site conditions.
Which shop is better for an architect or general contractor?
Jeff & Simon Ironworks has a documented process for working with architects and GCs, including RFI cycles, submittal coordination, and scheduling, outlined in the <a href="/custom-metal-fabrication/architect-contractor-guide/">architect and contractor guide</a>. Avangard Steel does not publish equivalent process documentation. For professional clients who need a fabricator that understands the GC coordination workflow, Jeff & Simon's documentation signals a shop that has worked in that context regularly.
Which shop should I choose for a stair and railing project?
For a residential or commercial project combining a custom stair and railing system in Metro Vancouver, both shops are capable. The practical approach is to request quotes from both, lead time, proposal detail, and communication quality will be the real differentiators. If your project also includes a driveway gate, Jeff & Simon handles all three scopes. If your project includes prefab steel construction elements or steel glazed doors, Avangard covers those and Jeff & Simon does not.
Related comparisons
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Request a quote from Jeff and Simon Ironworks and compare it against any other Metro Vancouver fabricator, we welcome the comparison.