Bifold Doors FAQs
We’re always asked the same great questions when it comes to our aluminium bifold doors and PVC bifold doors – take a look at some of our FAQs below, and they’ll hopefully answer your pressing questions too. If not, our friendly advisors are always on help to assist with any other queries you may have! Get in touch with our team now.
How Secure is a Bifold Door?
The one thing holding many people back from booking their installation is their outdated beliefs about the security of bifolds.
Many people are under the impression that bifold patio doors attract thieves, which is not true. Often thieves will target conservatories due to the general assumption that they are less secure or more poorly constructed than the remainder of the house, but this has nothing to do with the doors themselves – in fact, the security design of bifolds oftentimes makes them far more difficult to break into than other doors.
Most bifold doors come with a multi-point locking system, as well as a hidden, inline tracking system. This will make it impossible for an intruder to lift your doors out of their mechanism, as they will be attached to the gear concealed within the bottom track; to remove the doors they'd need to remove the gear too. They would also have to remove the steel lock pins to remove the doors, and these are often formed from specially hardened steel. This job would require specialist tools and would make a lot of noise, so it’s not one easily done on the sly.
Our standard bifold doors boast a 7-point locking system, and our Part Q compliant doors are PAS24 rated, meaning they’ve been thoroughly tested and assessed for their locking capabilities.
All of our bifold doors are supplied with toughened double glazing for added security.
What Bifold Door Sizes Do You Offer?
In our PVC bifolds range, we offer doors from a width of 1800mm to 3600mm, and 1800mm to 4800mm in our aluminium bifold doors range. All of these widths consist of a variety of left and right door combinations, so do be sure to check the specifications thoroughly.
In terms of height, all of our bifolds are designed to fit a brickwork opening of 2105mm height, with a frame size of 2090mm.
Are Bifolds Thermally Efficient?
Most bifold doors will feature double glazing at a minimum, which assists in increasing a home's thermal efficiency. The pocket between the two panes of glass creates a seal which reduces the transfer of heat, keeping your home cooler in the summer, and preventing heat escaping in the winter.
What Colours Do Bifolds Come In?
Our aluminium bifold doors are available in a sleek grey or classic white colour.
Our PVC bifolds are available in a classic white colour.
Will I Need Planning Permission?
You will only need to seek planning permission when:
- Making a major change to a property (such as an extension)
- Building something new
- Changing the primary use of the building (for example, changing a residential building to a commercial building)
Adding or replacing doors within your property is considered a 'Class A Permitted Development', which means you won't require planning permission. There may be certain restrictions in Conservation Areas or listed buildings, so ensure you complete thorough research before you invest.
Regardless of the need for planning permission or not, you should always submit a building notice to your local authority to satisfy building regulations.
Do They Add Value To the Property?
Bifold doors are well known for adding up to 5-10% to the resale valuation of a property. Although they can be an investment, they’ll more than recoup their cost in the value they can add to a home.
The eye-catching view for a vast set of bifold doors is sure to leave a lasting impression on potential buyers. Bifolds are also known to add value to a property due to the fact that:
- They are thermally efficient, helping keep bills down
- They can span more space than French and patio doors, which can make an opening look more vast and impressive
- They’re a contemporary and modern addition to a home
- They can help provide added security to your home thanks to their multi-point lock systems
What Glazing Is Used?
Our bifold doors all use toughened double glazing for added security and thermal efficiency.
Which Way Do They Open?
Our range of bifold doors can open to the left or right depending on the combination you choose. Please note that whichever way you choose is based on external opening (from the outside of the building looking in).
Is There a Guarantee?
We offer a 10 year warranty on all products supplied by us – we will resend and resupply any faulty parts if there is ever an issue. However, the responsibility of installation is down to your installer, and resends or refunds will not be given for products that have been tampered with.