Click a category below to jump to your preferred section of
Frequently Asked Questions
Bi-fold Doors
1How secure are bi-fold doors?
Bi-fold doors are extremely secure. All parts of the bi-fold door have been designed with security and safety in mind, this is right down to the hinges, locking barrel and multi-point locking systems on all of our bi-fold doors. You can be confident knowing that these doors are designed to withstand attacks from even the most determined intruder.
2How do bi-fold doors work?
Bi-fold doors work by having a number of hinged door panes that slide along a track folding neatly (we also call this stacking) to one or both sides, leaving you with a nice large open space to move freely between your property and the outside space. Our doors are designed to work effortlessly with a gentle push and can be operated easily.
3What is the biggest or smallest I can have a bi-fold door?
Each door pane can be as narrow as 400mm or as wide as 1 metre with a maximum number of 7 panes making the overall width, a maximum of 7 metres. In relation to the height, bi-fold doors can be as low as 1 metre or as tall as 2.5 metres. We can make doors larger than these but require additional information in order to do so. If you would like a door bigger than the ones available through our website, please contact us and a member of our team will be very happy to help.
4Is it possible to have a window next to a set of bi-fold doors?
This is usually no problem at all. There can be special requirements for the glass that would be installed in the window but this is usually just a very small added cost to a normal window.
5What configurations are available?
All of our doors are bespoke to your requirements and depending on the size of the door you need, these can open split at any point with the remaining doors sliding to their dedicated side. The number of panes available is dictated by the size of the opening you are having. Please talk to a member of our team if you have any further questions about what configurations options you have available to you or alternatively, enter your sizes into our quote tool and you will see all of the configurations for your size bi-fold doors.
6How quickly will my doors arrive?
Standard industry delivery times are between 6 and 8 weeks for bespoke bi-fold doors. We always try to get your products to you as soon as possible and in most cases we can get your bi-fold doors to you in under 3 weeks. There are certain exceptions to this where certain colour options and certain added extras aren’t possible to deliver to you in this time but this will be discussed with you at the point of ordering. In general though, 3 weeks is the maximum time we think you should wait!
7How can I get a quote?
Getting a quote could not be easier. Either call us on 0116 2665088, email us at sales@leicesterwindowsupplies, call into our showroom in Syston, Leicester or fill out the contact us from on the website.
8Can bi-fold doors open inwards?
Yes, bi-fold doors don’t have to open outwards. There are other things to take into account when thinking about having your bi-fold doors open inwards. The height of the inside ceiling and floor level need to be taken into account for the free opening and closing of the doors. In some cases a knock on must be added to reduce the height of the doors to stop them catching on the ceiling or the threshold may be raised to stop the doors catching on the floor. Neither of these are major issues and if you have any questions, a member of our team will be more than happy to discuss the best ways to overcome any issues.
9What size opening can doors be fitted into?
The smallest bi-fold door we do, can fit into a narrow gap of 1.4 metres with the largest reaching 7 metres wide. In terms of height, the lowest we are able to go is 1 metre with a maximum height of 2.5 metres.
10 What colour can I have my bi-fold door?
There are over 150 RAL colours available to choose from. Our standard colours are white, cream, black and anthracite grey (RAL 7016). All other colours take longer to produce and have a longer manufacturing time. If you would like something a little different from our standard colours take a look at the colour options page or talk to a member of our team who will advise you on your options and the current wait time.
11How do I clean my bi-folds?
Our aluminium and paint is very easy to clean and maintain. We recommend using warm soapy water and a soft cloth or sponge. As for the glass, this can be cleaned in the usual way with glass cleaner and a cloth. We recommend wiping away any excess glass cleaner that may have settled at the base of the door as it can dry the rubber gasket out leading to cracking.
12How do I install bi-fold doors?
Take a look in our advice centre and you will find the relevant guide to install your bi-fold doors. You should find the installation guide easy clear to understand and the whole process can be completed from start to finish in just a few hours. If you don’t feel confident in fitting them yourself, please either contact us and we can fit them for an added fee or contact your local builder or window fitter.
13Can I buy an ‘off the shelf’ bi-fold door?
We don’t have any readymade doors in set sizes as everything we sell is bespoke to your requirements. We do have a very quick turn around time on many of our bi-fold doors so if time is an issue, contact us directly and we will advise you of what products we can deliver to you in the shortest time frame.
Sliding Doors
1What is the biggest sliding door I can have?
Due to the limitations on the glass, the largest each pane of glass can be is 2.5sqm with a minimum height of 1.8m and a maximum height of 2.5m. In relation to its width, the smallest we can make a door is 1.8m wide and up to 3 metres. We can manufacture larger and wider doors than these but due to government regulations, there are strict conditions on the glass and has to be a much thicker and tougher than that of the smaller sliding doors. If you would like any further information regarding this, please contact us directly and a member of staff will be happy to discuss this with you.
2What colours can I choose from?
There is a huge selection of colours to choose from. We have the same colour options for our sliding doors as we do our bi-fold doors and aluminium windows. Our standard colours are white, cream, black and anthracite grey (RAL 7016). If you would like a colour that is different to this, we have over 150 different colours to choose from in our RAL chart. Any colour that is different to our standard does take longer to manufacture and as a result, increases the waiting time. please take a look at the colour options page for more details.
3How do I fit a sliding door?
An installation guide can be found in the advice section of our website. Our sliding doors are relatively simple to install but if for any reason you don’t feel confident in doing so, we can fit them for an added fee or, alternatively, contact your local builder or window fitter.
4Are sliding doors secure?
All of our products are designed with safety and security in mind. As a result, they are all extremely secure and durable. Each individual aspect of the design is tailored to be as strong and secure as possible without compromising the usability of the sliding door itself.
5How do I get a quote?
Please use our online quote tool or alternatively contact us directly and a member of staff will be more than happy to assist you. This can be done by either telephone or email.
6How do I clean my new sliding doors?
It is recommended that you use warm soapy water and a soft cloth or sponge to clean the frames of your doors when needed. You can clean the glass in exactly the same way as you would any other using glass cleaner or any other products recommended for glass.
Roof Lanterns
1How can I get a quote for a roof lantern?
We have a contact sheet on our website that you can fill in and a member of our team will contact you to discuss pricing and options. Alternatively, contact our office by either telephone or email and you will receive the same dedicated service as you would for any of our other products.
2Who will install the roof lantern?
As far as the preparation work is concerned below the roof lantern, this can be done by any competent builder. It is necessary to create an upstand for the roof lantern to sit on, lining the opening as appropriate and making sure that the roof surface material is carried up the outside of the upstand correctly. The actual installation of the lantern can be done by a builder or window fitter. Having said this we do offer an installation service for those that prefer it. This may be especially applicable for larger roof lanterns and there is an added fee for this service.
3What is the biggest roof lantern I can have?
This is dependent on many factors. There has to be a certain amount of space available around the entire roof lantern, we recommend at least 300mm, for general maintenance purposes. There are also limitations on the size that each pane of glass can be and this the design of the roof lantern that you have chosen. A member of staff will advise you throughout the quoting process to ensure that the roof lantern stays within the recommended guidelines.
4What dimensions should the roof lantern supporting upstand be?
The measurements for the roof lantern are taken at the external face of the supporting timber upstand. This allows us to construct the lantern cill with the correct overhang for weathering purposes. The actual thickness of the support timber upstand only needs to be 50mm for a small to medium sized lantern; for larger roof lanterns, ideally this should be increased 100mm thick. Ideally the top of the upstand (bottom of the roof lantern cill) should be at least a minimum of 150mm above the finished roof surface.
5How do I maintain the roof lantern?
The roof lanterns are made from the very best materials and will last for many years, but an annual check-up will ensure they continue to look great and extends their lifetime. We recommend once a year it is advisable to check the exterior and clean away any debris that may have collected. All of our roof lanterns come with self cleaning glass as standard so you won't have to keep getting up onto your roof to clean away any unsightly marks on the glass itself.
Integral Blinds
1Can I install integral blinds into my existing doors and windows?
In many cases this is possible and has to be done by replacing the complete glass unit within the frame itself. Depending on the age of your doors and windows, it may not be possible. The only way that we can be certain that we can do this would be to come out and take a look. If you have any other questions relating to this, we may be able to offer advise over the telephone so please don’t hesitate to contact us.
2Can I have these installed into my bi-fold or sliding doors?
These work brilliantly in both sliding doors and bi-fold doors and give you the option of having blinds where you perhaps wouldn’t be able to without them getting in the way of the opening. They then offer the option of privacy and shade where it may not have been possible before.
3How do I clean them?
Due to them being completely encased in the glass, and the glass is sealed and is airtight, they won’t ever collect dust and won’t ever need cleaning! This is a huge advantage to having them intergrated into the glass opposed to the conventional systems, you don’t ever have to worry about little hands or animals ruining them either and they can still be styled with curtains if you wish and won’t ever get tangled up.
4Can I have electric blinds?
We have recently started to sell electric integral blinds and they are a fantastic product to compliment any home. These are controlled either individually or all together so you can open and close them with a simple click of a button. They are not yet available to purchase through our quote tool but can be bought by contacting us directly. If you would like to add them to your online order, simply add a note and one of our team will contact you to add it on manually.
5What colours can I choose for my integral blinds?
We have a wide selection of colours to suit all requirements. Please come in to the showroom or call to speak to one of colleagues who can help guide you on your colour selection.
6How long do I need to wait for my integral blinds?
We always aim to get them to you as soon as possible. To avoid disappointment we always advise a lead time of 4 – 6 weeks however this is dependent on how busy we are and whether there are any national holidays at the time.
7Am I able to see your integral blinds in person and try them out?
We have all of our products in our showroom and you are always more than welcome to come and pay us a visit, try out and see the quality of anything you would like to see.
8Are your integral blinds still filled with Argon gas?
Yes, our glass still achieves the same U value as it would without the blinds integrated into them so you don’t have to worry about compromising on the thermal efficiency.
Aluminium Doors
1Are Aluminium doors and windows as strong as normal doors and windows?
Yes, although most doors are designed to withstand attacks from intruders, due to the nature of the material, Aluminium doors and windows tend to be stronger, more durable and much more secure. This is one of the reasons that you will find them on a lot of commercial buildings and shops. More and more people are now using them on their homes for exactly the same reasons.
2Can I choose what colour and style I would like my Aluminium doors and windows?
Depending on what products you choose, depends on the options available. Some of our products use the same RAL colour chart as our bi-fold doors giving you a huge choice in colour but have little choice in style whilst others give you more choice in style but limit the colours available. Contact our team and somebody will be happy to help you and advise you of your choices available.
3Can Aluminium doors be used for residential use?
Many people are now using aluminium doors on their homes as they are much more durable and longer lasting than conventional PVC doors. Many people also prefer the contemporary look of the aluminium doors over the more traditional styles.
4Are Aluminium doors and windows easy to install?
Aluminium doors and windows are installed in a very similar way to conventional doors. If you feel confident and have fitted windows and doors before, you will find aluminium doors and windows just as easy to install. If you don’t feel confident in fitting windows and doors yourself then we can fit them for you for an added fee, or contact your local window and door fitter who can fit them for you.