louisefinch77

bifold or not?

louloudesign
7 years ago
we had planned bifold doors for our extension but some friends who have then have said they wish they would have had either 2 opening doors of sliding doors. Any thoughts? The opening is 3m

Comments (49)

  • PRO
    Darkin Architects
    7 years ago

    Bifolds can be fantastic for opening a space to the outdoors, but are also quite expensive at about £1k per metre run. If they're from a reputable window/door company then you shouldn't have any maintenance issues, so it depends on what your priorities are.

  • PRO
    Tulip
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    From what we've seen, bifolds work best when you are trying to connect the outside with the home. If you are are able to achieve that seamless run when the doors are fully open then we always like to see the bifold installed. If you can't achieve this, then perhaps the cheaper option is the better option.

    Regards,

    SA Designs

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  • Lauren
    7 years ago
    Love the look of bifold a but struggle with the idea of how often you really want a whole wall open to the elements in this country!
  • Andrew Larvin
    7 years ago
    We had same problem. Decided this route suited the room and budget better.
  • PRO
    louloudesign
    Original Author
    7 years ago
    Thanks everyone for your thoughts and pictures too! Anthony, could you give me an indication of the difference in price? And also, as a builder, have we left it too late to change our mind based on the fact that they have almost finished the brickwork now? thanks
  • PRO
    Wood Window Alliance
    7 years ago

    Bi-fold's the rage at the moment, but I went with sliding. Here's an example of the very sexy Velfac bi-parting door.

  • PRO
    One Sterling Carpentry & Building Services
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    I think its never too late to have your work done the way you want it. as long as you have it the way you want it and have no regrets. in my mind there is nothing worse then finishing the project and wishing you had done it a different way. would changing your mind be a massive inconvenience to your builder YES however you pay him so its your view which is what counts, In regards to sliding doors as apposed to bi-fold doors there really isnt much money difference if you were thinking of doing them in aluminium. if you were thinking of having pvc bi-fold doors then the price for the aluminium sliding doors would be a couple of grand more i would think. i would not suggest having pvc sliding doors

    hope this helps

    Anthony

  • drpepe101
    7 years ago
    We've just had 3m sliding doors installed. They worked better for us as they don't impinge on either in or outside furniture when open. Also The 1.5m opening is entirely sufficient if you consider how often you'd actually open the full span of bifolds.
  • Cakelady
    7 years ago
    We've just had New Wave aluminium bifold doors fitted and I love them. They give more flexibility than standard bifold doors so might be worth considering. http://www.newwavedoors.co.uk/
  • PRO
    louloudesign
    Original Author
    7 years ago
    Thanks Emma they do look lovely, but I think pricey for us!!
  • charlie_bill
    7 years ago

    drpepe - out of interest (sorry OP) which system did you go for - we are just looking at either 2 or 3 door sliders.

  • Kerry McGreavy
    7 years ago
    We went for sliding doors for a number of reasons. We didn't like the way bi-fold take up room when opening/open, and sliding worked out cheaper. We went direct to a local manufacturing firm near us, and for the powder coated aluminium window and door pictured we paid £2700. I do love bi-fold too, but think they work best in a warmer climate than ours!
  • charlie_bill
    7 years ago

    oooh. How wide is that window Kerry? We've got a 3.6m span for the doors and two other window openings, one which will need to be 2.17m approx

  • Becky O
    7 years ago
    We recently had bifold installed opening onto the deck. To be honest, I'm having second thoughts on them and perhaps wish that we had sliders. I don't like how they are bulky at one end and the panels of glass are much smaller than sliders. Its great having the extra light in now and I like the fact I can look all the way down the garden from my kitchen and keep an eye on the children. It's not the end world though as this isn't our forever home and plan to move sometime in the next couple of years, fingers crossed.
  • deesthomas
    7 years ago

    We have just installed a kitchen in a room previously used as an office by previous owner that had 3 Windows, and went through the same dilemma. We decided to convert the windows to outward opening French doors to give us the indoor/outdoor feel and light but still a bit of interest and privacy too

  • Julie H
    7 years ago
    Take a look at VuFold. They're very reasonable, supply only. We have a 3m run and love them. Their customer service is great.
  • drpepe101
    7 years ago
    Charlie_bill we have smart systems sliding doors put together by a local company & installed by our builder. The 3m span was nearly 3 thousand.

    We're happy with them. We would need at least 3 bifold sections which would obviously have less glass area and more frame to block the views of the garden. Plus we have garden & room furniture close to the doors - not possible with bifolds.
  • emmsy1604
    7 years ago
    We've just completed our extension and went for French doors. This was purely personal but it was because I felt they kept in keeping with the age of the house (built 1950's) I can't stand an open window when it's dark outside (I need blinds/curtains!) and I'm always cold so it was unlikely (unless we have a heatwave) that they'd be fully open much & they would have taken up too much unit wall pace! Go with your gut though - good luck with the rest of the build.
  • charlie_bill
    7 years ago

    interesting drpepe - our quote (which is similar) is also Smart system. How are you finding them?

  • PRO
    User
    7 years ago
    Hi Charlie, would you be interested in recieiving a quotation from us?
  • Bella Tanner
    7 years ago
    I got bifold doors from quick slide. Half the price of anything I saw and made to measure. Just measure and re measure and get a local tradesman for for them. I love love love mine!
  • Rob Walters
    7 years ago

    If you go for bi-fold doors then go for metal or plastic as I have had alot of swelling problems with wooden ones that were fully treated to begin with and I re treat them every year to no avail.

  • Warren Bevis
    7 years ago
    Bi-fold doors are great if you live in a hot country. My sister had them installed and hardly uses them as they are too cold. We opted for sliding patio doors that in my opinion save on space plus are better suited to the weather conditions in the UK.
  • catkins007
    7 years ago

    We have bi-fold doors in our kitchen opening on to a small walled garden and we love them, especially (obviously!) in summer. No regrets whatsoever. The kitchen just seemlessly flows out into the garden which is perfect for entertaining.

  • iolosdad
    7 years ago
    Why is the UK too cold for bifold ??? You don't have to open every panel every time you open the door just open as much as you need ! We love ours but wish we'd bought steel framed instead of oak .... We live and learn
  • clairebolla
    7 years ago

    Love my grey aluminium sliders. They go back for 2/3 of the aperture. Better view out and so easy to use. So glad I didn't get bifolds.

  • Nikki Turner
    7 years ago
    We had bi-fold doors and a window in our rear extension. Had them in powder coated aluminium and love them. Today we have the window wide open whilst hubby is working in the garden. Planning on building a little bar area on the outside of the window for the summer evenings and weekends.
  • Fiona Tamplin
    7 years ago
    We've had two sets fitted, best thing we've had and we wouldn't change them, they look fantastic. They've been open today ....April !!! Ours are from Vufold, best price I found and they can be configured on their website so you can try different widths. The builders we're really impressed with them and said they're really good quality. One panel can be opened just as a door so they're very practical.
  • Natalie Jol
    7 years ago
    We had our extension last year and thought we wanted bifolds until we "realised" we have a small garden and do not live on the riviera! We have got French doors with panels and small windows either side. It means we can open 1 or 2 doors and 2 small windows. We believe long term this is the best option and of course it was cheaper. It's approx £1k per linear metre for bifolds but our doors and window to the right of pic cost £2100 so a fair bit less and we are extremely happy.
  • PRO
    Visuals by design
    7 years ago
    I think bifolds are a great idea, both a stunning look and practical but I guess it's worth investing in time and possibly money to find ones that have good recommendations to work and serve you for a long time. Happy choosing!!!
  • gd11
    7 years ago

    Don't forget with folding doors that you have them sticking out on the garden side, that's the only drawback for me. With sliding doors you don't get that problem. You maybe able to install your sliding doors so you get the maximum opening using the walls on either side?

  • Kerry McGreavy
    7 years ago
    Charlie_bill sorry, got the price wrong, they were actually £2200, not £2700. Definitely worth negotiating direct with the manufacturer! Though we did fit ourselves. The door is 2.4m wide and the window 1.5m squared.
  • Charlotte Poran
    7 years ago
    Hi, have a look at slide and swing doors. Give greater flexibility than a bifold but can be fully opened too.
  • katrina19
    7 years ago

    Hi - I agree with the person who noted the seamless inside-outside effect - we have bifold 2.7m and they open onto a deck which is level with the inside timber flooring - we love them and actually use them a lot surprisingly! especially good when we have people over as the bifold opens from the dining area.

  • Amanda Good
    7 years ago
    Charlie Luxton came to our village to give a talk a few weeks ago. He talked about bi-fold doors and totally berated them down to the fact they don't work efficiently, this country is far too windy to ever have them open fully and they break without any effort at all! He recommended patio doors, but done without symmetry or a glass door within a glass panel, again with the top glass panel at an angle.
  • catkins007
    7 years ago

    Our bi-fold doors work perfectly and have never broken (I guess it depends on the craftmenship of the installers). Also, far too windy?? Maybe if you might live on the coast or up a mountain. Otherwise... ??

  • PRO
    Sanctuary Carpentry
    7 years ago

    After much discussion n this subject we have opted for sliding doors you get maximum view when closed and a more than adequate opening for moving in and out. Look at a tilt and slide option to allow a better ventilation option as well.

    I will be posting photos once installed in a few weeks time.

    David

  • Sandra McEntee
    7 years ago
    We've just put in 2 x3 meter bi-fold doors and we live be them. I'll open them even on a sunny spring day. Looking forward to summer. Think they will be open every chance I get :-)
  • mudmover
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    My first ever comment on Houzz. Bifolds are great, but then, so are sliding doors. Our bifolds were from Express Bifolding Doors (as recommended by George Clarke - CH4 etc.) and we're very happy with them. We have two runs, one of 6m+ and one of 3m+, we chose the XPView range of doors, as they can be built to be wider per panel than normal.

    There are some issues with bifolds, some of which have already been covered, like the way they protrude out when open (they can be designed to open inwards, but this is uncommon). It all comes down to personal choice.

    For us, I designed our extension to have an overhang, so the doors remain covered by the roof, even when open. Several advantages to this, but the main one being that they never get wet, so hardly ever need cleaning, and the track remains free of debris (leaves etc.) - Of course this would apply to sliding doors too. It also creates an almost automatically 'clear' space - it simply doesn't feel right to leave things on the patio underneath the overhang - this means that the doors are always free to open.

    Careful thought needs applying whether sliding or bifolds are used, each have their benefits. How you are going to transition from inside to outside is probably more important - are the two floor levels going to be level with each other? - should you rebate the track to provide a seamless transition? Or are you going to have to step over a raised threshold every time? It's all in the final detail.

    ps For those decrying any sort of opening door, citing the weather in England, I should point out that we're in Northumberland, and through the Summer months (yes we do get a Summer up here!) we have both sets of doors open. The trick is to be shielded from the prevailing wind, our doors face North & East so the wind doesn't blow in.

    pps I should also point out that, for us, easy access to the patio area was a must; we considered, but rejected, sliding doors on these grounds alone, as opening a sliding door to get to either the bins, or the BBQ (we do a lot of outdoor cooking) was going to be more hassle than simply opening a single door. (Top Tip, if installing bi-folds, always make sure you have an odd number of doors in a run, then the last door can always be opened independently - an even number of doors requires a minimum of 2 doors to be opened at a time!)

  • charlie_bill
    7 years ago

    Thanks for the updated price Kerry. Looking forward to seeing your sliding doors David. Have you chosen a particular system or supplier?

  • PRO
    louloudesign
    Original Author
    7 years ago
    Thanks again everyone, really given us some food for thought. mudmover thank you for such detailed points. We would like they're too be a flow from inside to out, but budget wise this will have to wait. Besides, have far more to consider now as the building inspector is disagreeing with the architect and our builder is caught up in the middle. Plus we have just discovered the roof battens are all rotten...looking costly!!
  • charlie_bill
    7 years ago

    oh no loulou - that's tough. i hope it all works out. I'll be interested to hear what your final decision is -bifolds or sliding!

  • memphis42
    7 years ago
    Hi David I had the same issue but glass both sides of the room so I am convinced now to go for sliding doors with 4 panels and centre opening on both sides to keep same symmetry and view throughout.
    We have pvc Windows not that this would sway me but I don't know whether to get pvc or aluminium? What are you going for
    Nicola
  • 5682miles
    7 years ago
    I saw the swing and slide doors being demonstrated at the homebuilding and renovation show yesterday. Great idea and from what I was told, in terms of cost, not that different to bifolds. The only negative I could see (and it's not exactly a major deal breaker) is the amount of time it takes to fully expose the opening - having to slide and swing each door independently as opposed to opening one door and pushing the whole lot open.
  • Michele O'Briain
    7 years ago

    I have had bi-folds for ten hassle free years and use the final door to go in and out to the garden all the time but in those ten years I would have had all doors open and pushed back less than ten times - that's Irish weather for you but I keep hoping that I'll get to use them more.

  • Ali Dolphin
    5 years ago

    Might be an old post, but we recently installed bi fold doors. I agree with some of the comments where sliding doors would have been more appropriate. However bifolds operate on a d-hinge therefore the second door can be flat against the third giving you a more open space.

    One thing you have to get right is if you want 'the seamless' look and feel install a lower threshold set of bifolds. This way you can create a seamless transition between inside and outside by not having to step down when walking outside. We will be eventually decking the patio to go above the door line.


  • Ivana Lee
    2 years ago

    We have just installed a kitchen in a room previously used as an office by previous owner that had 3 Double Glazed Windows Sydney, and went through the same dilemma. We decided to convert the windows to outward opening French doors to give us the indoor/outdoor feel and light but still a bit of interest and privacy too

  • Becky O
    2 years ago

    I have 4.5m bifolds, if I had the choice again I would get concertina doors. I hate the bulky end when they are open and need adjustments

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