Bifold aluminium patio doors or regular ones (insurance question)

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Because of a subsidence insurance claim I am getting a new set of back patio doors fitted.
I can get this done like for like on the insurance (see picture).



. . . . Or I can get a lump sum of money and get whatever the hell I like fitted.
However. . . bifold aluminium doors are going to cost between £1500 and £2000 extra.

In the plus side the bi-folds will probably look nicer and open out to reveal the whole of the room (fancy)
On the minus side, I'm not doing super amazing for money right now.
On the plus side again . . . . I would probably want bi-folds in the future and if I had bags of money would just go for it. So maybe I should just put the money down now. I'm only a little poorer than normal because I don't have a job, and if that continues then I have bigger more fundamental things to worry about.

So. Any other general pros and cons with aluminium bi-folds? Are they a nightmare? Are they amazing? What would you do?

 

[StoneRoad]

Whilst bi-folds would be the bee's knees I would be concerned in case there would be any further movement, which could "un-square" the opening / cause the doors to jam.

 

[story]

If the subsidence has been sorted go for the bifolds.

Things don’t get cheaper in the future so even if you get more money /have less money concerns in the future, the lay out will be bigger.

You never regret getting nice things because then you have nice things. Money is only really significant in the present and immediate future while the benefits of bifold doors will last a long as you do regardless of how rich or poor you are.

When I had them, the ongoing pleasure of opening and closing them was exponentially more than just having garden doors. and parties were better, hanging out in the summer felt more luxurious. Being indoors with the entire back wall open never stopped being amazing.

Future house buyers will like them and it will figure into their choice, even if it doesn’t add ££ value to the house.

Make sure you get a door that you can open and close and lock from the outside as well as the inside. For boring and stupid reasons, someone said they’d “save me ££” and did that by installing a door that couldn’t be opened/locked from the outside. It was a proper pain in the arse and definitely wasn’t worth the savings.

On the other hand, (being short of) money is a horrible worry and burden. If it’s going to leave you in a hole, don’t do it.



Me, I’d do it and fuck the consequences.
I once spent money I didn’t have on a weekend trip to NYC to see a band play at CBGBs just before it closed. I wanted to go to the venue one last time, and I also loved the band. It was a crazy weekend, had a blast, and I’ve remembered it in vivid detail all these years. Had I not gone, I would have paid the bills and not had the memories. The bills got paid anyway, somehow.

(I’ve also been so broke I couldn’t go to the pub. I wouldn’t go to NYC to see and band in those circumstances obvs.)

 

[MickiQ]

You never regret getting nice things because then you have nice things.

Can't argue with this

 

[Puddy_Tat]

A few thoughts at a bit of a tangent -

Photo in post 1 shows small windows above the doors. I've seen some french windows / balcony doors where the only way of getting any ventilation in to that room is to open a whole door, which on occasions might be a bit much.

would having fully open-able doors across the whole width mean you needed additional reinforcement to whatever's across the top of it? Having uprights that don't move may add to the structural integrity, and if you've already had subsidence, this may be an issue. (I'm no sort of expert here so seek advice from someone who knows what they are talking about.)

also, your insurers may have some specific standards for locks / security - don't know if bi-folds are any easier to break in to / have less secure locking arrangements.

 

[trashpony]

My sister got bifold doors and they have transformed the room. When the weather’s nice, it’s lovely

There’s no point in doing cheap now and then replacing later if you can get some money towards fitting them now.

 

[story]

A few thoughts at a bit of a tangent -

Photo in post 1 shows small windows above the doors. I've seen some french windows / balcony doors where the only way of getting any ventilation in to that room is to open a whole door, which on occasions might be a bit much.

would having fully open-able doors across the whole width mean you needed additional reinforcement to whatever's across the top of it? Having uprights that don't move may add to the structural integrity, and if you've already had subsidence, this may be an issue. (I'm no sort of expert here so seek advice from someone who knows what they are talking about.)

also, your insurers may have some specific standards for locks / security - don't know if bi-folds are any easier to break in to / have less secure locking arrangements.

Good point.
Visited a house where there was condensation running down all the windows cos it had been hermetically sealed with top notch double glazing. It was a real problem.

Wasn’t an issue for me cos the whole downstairs had a ,or of open space and the air flow through the house was good.

But, if this is a consideration you can get bifolds with trickle vents.

 

[Elpenor]

Mate has them, think there was a problem post installation when one of them dropped a bit on one of the sides. Think it was resolved by removing and adding something underneath to maintain

He also had one of the panes shatter possibly due to heat. But guess that could happen anytime

With all that said they convert your patio to an extension of your lounge so worth doing if you’re going to get a chunk of cash towards them

 

[trashpony]

The span of my sister’s door is much bigger than yours and she hasn’t had any damp issues (but there are other windows in the room).

She’s in Herne Hill - I can ask her who she used if you want

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Whilst bi-folds would be the bee's knees I would be concerned in case there would be any further movement, which could "un-square" the opening / cause the doors to jam.

The property has been monitored for a year. Nothing has moved and the rest of the house has been done up. The reason I need new doors is because they have already been crushed shut and are jamned.
Supposedly everything is now sorted, hence the insurance company saying I can have new doors.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Photo in post 1 shows small windows above the doors. I've seen some french windows / balcony doors where the only way of getting any ventilation in to that room is to open a whole door, which on occasions might be a bit much.

That is a good point. We use them a lot at the moment, but maybe that's because we can't really open the main door.

would having fully open-able doors across the whole width mean you needed additional reinforcement to whatever's across the top of it?

Not really. A window frame and some glass isn't going to hold anything up.

Having uprights that don't move may add to the structural integrity, and if you've already had subsidence, this may be an issue.

I already got the insurers to (begrudgingly) get the lintel looked at just in case.

also, your insurers may have some specific standards for locks / security - don't know if bi-folds are any easier to break in to / have less secure locking arrangements.

I will check but I assume all modern doors have the current standard of modern locks.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

The span of my sister’s door is much bigger than yours and she hasn’t had any damp issues (but there are other windows in the room).

She’s in Herne Hill - I can ask her who she used if you want

No other windows in my room.
I think I should ask about ventilation to make sure.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

I believe this is what I have been shown.

Visofold 1000 - Smart Systems

www.smartsystems.co.uk

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Make sure you get a door that you can open and close and lock from the outside as well as the inside. For boring and stupid reasons, someone said they’d “save me ££” and did that by installing a door that couldn’t be opened/locked from the outside. It was a proper pain in the arse and definitely wasn’t worth the savings.

I don't know if it's just because I have not been able to open and close the back door for about five years but this isn't a major concern of mine.
I also have another back door in the kitchen. . . .
. . .
And my back gate is broken so we never leave out the back door . . . but I guess this is something that can an should really be fixed.
We should actually have access to the street behind my house from the back, but some neighbours have extended fences and added locked gates preventing that. Slight bummer as it would mean a five minute walk (pretty much as the crow flies) to the station (when the new entrance is built). As it is, due to the street layouts, I have to walk a roundabout route that takes ten minutes.

Look at that tangent!

 

[teuchter]

What's the overall width of the opening?

If you do bifolds you should give some thought to whether you want 3 or 4 panels. Fewer/wider panels mean a better ratio of frames to glass, but you don't want them to end up too wide.

You should think about how you want it to work when you just want one panel to work like a normal door and the others remain closed.

As others have said you should give some thought to ventilation. Trickle vents (which you'll probably have to have whether you want them or not) can help avoid condensation problems but what about when you want to get a good amount of fresh air into the room without opening the doors - for example, a summer day when it's raining. You might want to be able to have a window section you can open without rain coming in.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Looks like it's only three panels wide. I think my only option is the smart systems visifold 1000.
I have questions for my fitter, but it's proving quite difficult getting direct answers. The construction company that was dealing with my claim think the delay is because I am ummig and ahhing about the price (is actually because I am awaiting answers) do have already gone back to the insurance company to get more money on my behalf. Bit weird.