If you are planning on updating your home and maybe adding a new set of BiFolds here are a few things to consider:

Replacement Doors

If you are considering replacing your existing French or patio doors where the height and width will remain the same you must ensure that the lintel in the opening is adequate. We would recommend you ask a competent builder to look at the opening, they will advice you of any changes that need to be made.

If you are planning on increasing the size of the opening, thereby accommodating bigger doors you may need to comply with building regulations first. You also may need the service of a structural engineer.

When you are replacing any doors for BiFolds, whether it be like for like or by making your opening bigger, its important to consider your finished floor levels. It is not ideal to sit the BiFolds at the same level as your existing floor. We would suggest altering your external brickwork to suit the depth of the track to try and keep it as flush as possible to your internal floor height. Please take a look at our diagram to help explain this.

General Points

Bi-folding doors can either open inwards or outwards. The popular choice with our customers is to have them opening out so they don’t impede on your internal space, but the decision is yours.

It is also worth considering whether you want a traffic door. By this we mean a door that opens independently from the rest of bifold. For some, their bifold may be there only access into the back garden. But for others if the bifold is not their main access point then this is less of a deciding factor. Traffic doors are present on all odd number door combinations so, 3,5,7. For combinations where there are 4,6 or 8 doors this option is available but would mean having one door opening one way the rest stacking on the opposite side.

You may want one large bifold running the full width of your property. For this a large supporting beam would need installing, these can be costly and in some cases unsightly. An alternative to consider would be to have to 2 smaller sets of BiFolds. Please see some examples of work we have completed like this.

Midland Bifolds do offer a low level threshold alternative for customers who are looking to match their internal and external floor levels. If you choice this option it is essential you install and aco drain. This low-level threshold in Queniborough has an aco drain fitted. In this instance we would also recommend that the external floor slopes away from the doors and property.

We have 3 brands of bifold on offer, SMARTS, ORIGIN and SCHUCO. Please see our comparison chart here to give you a better understanding of their differences.

We are open 8.00 – 4.30pm Monday to Friday and 9.00 – 1.00pm on a Saturday so feel free to call into our showroom or give us a call on 0116 2665088. Alternatively, there is a contact us form here.