Bifolds - Visifold or Origin

[tododo]

Hi all

Our builder has literally today just added the footings of the single storey extension we are having.

Hes going at a hell of a pace to be fair and he said it wont be long before ordering bifolds

He has down a price of I think it was £4.6k for spanning a width of ~3.6m possibly a bit more for a 4 leaf bi-fold option

Hes priced me in for some visifolds - which after looking online seem fine really - haven't found anything bad with them anyway

After doing a it of research about 6 months ago Origin bifolds were looking attractive to me but when I read the guarantee terms the 20 year guarantee would be cut to 10years as we are about 3KM away from the sea (at a guess) and they dont offer the full 20 year guarantee if within 5KM (on the normal bifolds) if I remember right - so its good to read the small print

The bifolds are in sheltered location at the back of house and I am more likely to get curry spice in the air rather than sea salt

So that put me right off Origin as maybe they wernt afterall worth the slight premium - Ive had an online quote only at Bristol Bifolds for Origin anyway supply and fit for 5.2K

Im after any thoughts all round really - I see the sightlines for visifolds are slightly better than origin too - so thats a small plus

Any experience or advice would be really appreciated

 

[Gazman16]

Where abouts are you?

That sounds pricey to me, Off the top of my head I'm sure I'm about to do a Visofold 4m, 4 pane, Doc Q security rated, Triple glazed with laminated external glass for quite a bit less than that.
I use Smart and have had no problems, Go for the DV176 threshold.

You will find in the small print of every make that the full low thresholds (anything without an internal rebate) is "not weather rated".

Haven't had a play with Origin bifolds in person but I have seen some cool stuff they make, There were some curved 6 pane patio doors at a recent job I was on.

Their windows didn't look as nice as Smart in my opinion and they were externally beaded.
Smart comes with marine grade powder coating as standard where as its an additional extra on Origin.

 

[tododo]

We are in Swansea - yeh I think its a bit pricey too - I have another quote off a guy down here months ago which I kept and that was ~£3.3K with fitting up to 3.6m width and that was with3 doors - so Id expect that to be a bit more for an extra door as well so possibly around 4K maybe???

Thats good to know - I may pop to the showroom next week in Cardiff just to take a look at them

- Argh - just looked at the quote again - that also include a pair of triangluar windows abovee the bifolds at the gable end - so I suppose that brings it to a more reasonable level

 

[Gazman16]

I was actually just working working on that last quote. I quoted £4200 supplied and fitted.
The doors are actually 4.5m 4 pane. 38mm triple glazed. Doc Q security, Laminated external glass. So possibly about £800 cheaper without those extra bits.
I would say though get the doors fitted by a bifold supplier with full guarantees including the fitting!

Builders fitting bifolds usually means trouble and no guarantees, Well maybe until they pull away from your drive

 

[crank39]

I was actually just working working on that last quote. I quoted £4200 supplied and fitted.
The doors are actually 4.5m 4 pane. 38mm triple glazed. Doc Q security, Laminated external glass. So possibly about £800 cheaper without those extra bits.
I would say though get the doors fitted by a bifold supplier with full guarantees including the fitting!

Builders fitting bifolds usually means trouble and no guarantees, Well maybe until they pull away from your drive

+1 for the above, bi-folds are so new and are a specialist subject, get someone who fits them week in week out, they know the pitfalls and the workarounds, a builder might be able to lay bricks or plaster a wall but probably won't know the difference between an espagnolette locking system and a battered sausage

 

[tododo]

Thanks guys - yeh I dont think the builder is fitting them afaik - hes gone to a local window installer who I have had windows off in the past so I think those boys will be installing just to give him less grief if anything goes wrong