Bifold door supplier

Mark M · 20 Feb 2019 at 15:49

Just trying to price a new kitchen up and toying with the idea of adding bifolds opening out onto the patio area. Is there a certain supplier that I should be looking at? Ideally Im looking for something secure (appreciate like anything you can just throw a brick through) with a good thermal value for the winter.

Distance is going to be about 3m so would like to get an idea of what they will cost plus fitting thanks.

thezappa · 20 Feb 2019 at 18:44

Best way would be to phone up suppliers.
Give them measurements and tell them the specs, most will have sales lines that can give info on toughened glass, u-values and frame finishes and when they send the price though they will often caveat with ‘subject to site survey’ as they will want to do their own measurements before settling on a price.
Presumably you want something mainstream like upvc or aluminium, check what colours they do as standard, most will do any RAL colour you want at a small addition but all will do a couple of standard colours.
Would be worth asking them about PAS24/part Q compliance for security and see what they say but some googling will shed light on that.

eviled · 20 Feb 2019 at 19:16

If the opening for the doors hasn't been made yet its much cheaper to buy ready made set of doors to standard sizes.

They weigh a lot so will need a steel RSJ to hang them off and the existing masonry will need to be suitable to take the weight.

mine are from vufold.co.uk , I got the 3.6m ultra and I'm still very pleased with them 2 yrs on

SimonR · 20 Feb 2019 at 22:32

Our aluminium BiFolds (3m wide) are not hung from an RSJ, they were fitted into an opening with a standard steel lintel.

PaDE · 21 Feb 2019 at 07:58

Our opening is around 2.4m and we gave around £3k for supply and fit (visited the factory beforehand to decide)

They are a set of 3 leafs, aluminium with integrated blinds controlled by magnets each side of the leaf. One to tilt the louvres and the other to raise them up or down.

They’ve been in for around 18months and we love them.

We decided aluminium over wood or PVC after reading issues other owners had.

the-evaluator · 21 Feb 2019 at 09:32

We went for aluminium too for our 3 door set which spans about 3.2m. One company we approached for a quote suggested PVC as aluminium doors are apparently likely to be difficult to open and close in hot weather. We had no problems at all during the crazy summer last year.

As for brands, we went with Origin. They were installed about 3 years ago and they've been perfect. No problems at all.

fish · 21 Feb 2019 at 10:33

We had aluminium doors fitted last year and we quoted £1k a metre as a rule of thumb. The builder that did the kitchen extension got ours. In the past when I have needed windows/doors I go the whoever the local supplier is, generally they have been pretty good.(3 different cities/towns)

Mark M · 26 Feb 2019 at 13:11

Thanks for the info and links above.

Another couple of quick questions for those that have done it:

1 - The wall measures 4.2m internally so what would the maximum size be that I could go for without doing anything fancy? Would 3.6m be suitable? That would leave 300mm at either side and then the depth of the breeze block and outer brick.

2 - How do you cut the opening in the brick? I suspect its beyond my skill set given that I may need a steel installed but just out of curiousity really. How do you get a neat striaght cut on the outer brick wall?

SimonR · 26 Feb 2019 at 20:15

You are going to need something to support whatever the wall is holding up. This will require a lintel or RSJ to span the gap, otherwise it will all collapse. I suggest that you employ a competent builder to undertake the work and a structural engineer to calculate what size RSJ / Lintel you will require, as whatever is above where you want this opening will need supporting whilst the work is undertaken.

Mark M · 26 Feb 2019 at 20:34

Thanks for the reply Simon. I’ve got a structural engineer coming out in 2 weeks to look at this and also what is needed to knock the garage through into the utility room and part of the garage.

Edit to add - there’s nothing about it as it’s a flat roof extension so I assume it won’t need a huge RSJ but the engineer will be able to confirm.

Im yet to speak to any builders but ideally I’d like to be as clued up as possible as it seems 95% of builders are cowboys who will either rip you off or just do whatever is easiest for them, hence the questions about the width and cutting the brickwork. If I left it to the builder I’d probably end up a tiny bifold door and crap brickwork!

kefkef · 26 Feb 2019 at 21:23

Ours are 3m. We paid £4.5k installed. We did add the option of internal blinds within the glazed units which added £300 per unit.

We got them from Express Bifolds.

SimonR · 26 Feb 2019 at 22:24

The brickwork can be cut with a Stijl Saw with a diamond cutting blade and a steady hand. The opening width maybe determined by the width of piers required either side of the door. The flat roof will still need some form of support spanning the opening.
Not all builders are cowboys, ours was absolutely brilliant.

Hedge · 26 Feb 2019 at 22:38

I've been getting quotes from foldingdoors2u. Prices seem reasonable compared to most.

Since our planned door is only 2.2m wide I'm thinking maybe aluminium french doors might be more logical though.

Mark M · 26 Feb 2019 at 22:52

SimonR said:
The brickwork can be cut with a Stijl Saw with a diamond cutting blade and a steady hand. The opening width maybe determined by the width of piers required either side of the door. The flat roof will still need some form of support spanning the opening.
Not all builders are cowboys, ours was absolutely brilliant.

Fortunately you had one in the 5%, hopefully I’ll find one myself or it will be a steep learning curve!

Mark M · 23 Jan 2020 at 14:09

Revisiting this thread as Ive now had the structural calcs done and the steel has been spec'd! I also think I have found a decent builder but Im still keeping them under a tight lease and getting everything in writing!

Ive spoken to a few people who have said that I shouldnt get bifold doors however as they constantly drop and need adjusting as they expand and contract? Is that true or does it depend on the quality?

the-evaluator · 23 Jan 2020 at 14:27

We had our 3 door set of aluminium doors that span about 3.2m installed almost 4 years ago and they've been perfect. Not a single problem with them expanding, contracting, being difficult to open or close.

I do occasionally clean the track out but that's just a case of opening the doors fully and getting the nozzle of the hoover down there.

Personally I think bifold doors are the way to go, it's fantastic in the summer to open up the entire back wall of the kithen. We like them so much we're planning a 4.5m span of them when we get a double story extension whacked on the side of the house.

fish · 23 Jan 2020 at 14:27

They do drop and you do have to adjust them, but the same is true of all doors to some extent. Wooden ones swell in the winter and aluminium ones in the summer. Plastic up can doors swell and move also. That shouldn’t put you off, we love ours since we have had them. In fact we wish we had put a second set in on a different side of the house

Gav_r26 · 23 Jan 2020 at 14:54

fish said:
We had aluminium doors fitted last year and we quoted £1k a metre as a rule of thumb.

Sounds about right. Our aluminium ones were £4k for a 4m, 4 door set in Slate Grey. No problems at all with them. Did get some silly quotes though including over £5k for uPVC.

PermaChanged · 4 Oct 2021 at 15:50

the-evaluator said:
As for brands, we went with Origin. They were installed about 3 years ago and they've been perfect. No problems at all.

Bit of a bump! Would you still not hesitate to recommend Origin bifolds? We've been offered Sunflex and Origin, but Origins can be fitted sooner.

the-evaluator · 4 Oct 2021 at 16:18

PermaChanged said:
Bit of a bump! Would you still not hesitate to recommend Origin bifolds? We've been offered Sunflex and Origin, but Origins can be fitted sooner.

Yep. Still had zero problems with them in the almost 5 years we've had them.