Ever dreamed of enjoying a morning cup of coffee looking out into your garden instead of at a solid wall? It’s not as difficult or as expensive as you may think to replace your wall with bi-fold doors, and the transformation of your space to a lighter, brighter room can be quite dramatic. We have put together a handy guide to help you make the leap to a new way of living.
Why choose bi-fold doors?
Bi-fold doors are increasingly popular as the installation cost has decreased and the value they can add to your home, financially and in lifestyle terms, can increase significantly. Bi-fold doors can be installed either as part of a wider renovation of your living space or as a simple replacement of an existing wall. Their versatility to fit almost any room makes them an ideal solution to create light and space even for the trickiest of areas. Here is our five easy-step guide to installing bi-fold doors in your home.
Five steps to getting bi-fold doors
Step 1: Speak to the professionals. Depending on whether you are renovating your whole space or just want to replace a wall, it’s worth talking to an architect, designer, or double glazing specialist for some specialist advice. They will consider your space and what you want to achieve by installing bi-fold doors and advise you on the best way forward. They will measure, survey, and review your room and recommend which type of bi-fold doors will best suit your space and style, the sizing of your new doors, and how they will fit.
Step 2: Talk to your local planning authority. While most renovations such as this are unlikely to need planning permission, there are some exceptions. These depend on: the type and scale of change you are making to your house overall; whether your home is listed or not; or whether you live in a protected area such as a conservation area. It is worth getting some advice before proceeding so that you don’t find yourself having to seek retrospective permission and risking having to undo what you’ve done. The Government planning portal tells you all you need to know about planning permission and how to apply should you need it.
Step 3: Decide what type of bi-fold doors you want. There is a huge selection out there! But fear not, we can help you narrow that down so that it feels exciting rather than daunting. The dimensions of your space will, to a large extent, dictate the size of bi-fold doors that you can install – e.g. 2, 3, or 5 door sets, inward vs outward folding, and where a lead door can be positioned (this is the main door that will contain your locking mechanism). From there, you can consider and select the number of panels on each door, the colour, handles, and all the little details that make your new bi-fold doors bespoke to your home and taste.
Step 4: Plan your deliveries. The first thing to consider is how long it will take for your new bi-fold doors to be created. The time it takes will depend on size, materials, colours, and finishes. Once you know this, you can book your installation team to come in and get started. You want to minimise any time between preparatory work and delivery of the new doors so that there is as small a gap as possible – typically this can range from a few days, to timing it so that they are delivered on the day the team is ready to install. The installation team is skilled and experienced at securing your home and making sure that your roof is supported once the wall has been removed and before the new doors are installed, as well as boarding up the space until they can be installed, so you need not worry if there are a few days between delivery and installation.
Step 5: Preparation. You’ve spoken to the specialists, you’ve made your style selections, and you’ve booked the builders to do the job. There are a couple of things you can do to prepare your home before it all kicks off. Clear out as much space as possible for the installation team to do their work. They will take up lots of space and it’ll be easier for them to work if they have the room they need to lay out their equipment and the doors to be fitted. Remove any objects, particularly breakable ones, from your room and external spaces just in case! Consider parking for your installers – do you need to reserve a space close by or ensure you have parking permits handy? Bring out the dust sheets; while your installers will have some, and they will always clean up after themselves, it’s worth having some spares for anything that can’t be easily moved or that is particularly special to you.
Talk to the experts
For advice or just an exploratory chat about installing bi-fold doors in your home get in touch with the team at 1st Scenic. We offer a free consultation to discuss your requirements and we will help you find the bi-doors that are best suited to your home and taste. Find out more by emailing info@1stscenic.co.uk or calling us on 01689 829 600.
