If you have your heart set on getting a house extension that would blur the boundary between your residential building and your outdoor space, how can you achieve this stunning effect? Simple – by having some sliding or bi-fold doors fitted to the extension as it is built.
While either type of door would largely comprise glass allowing sunshine to stream abundantly into the extension’s interior, sliding and bi-fold doors differ significantly in how they are opened. A set of sliding doors would comprise multiple large glass panes which slide from side to side.
Meanwhile, bi-fold doors in a set would, as they are opened, fold back against themselves in a concertina fashion. As a result, you could open up an entire wall of your extension, though you would need enough space at one side to stack the panels.
Sliding and bi-fold doors are generally similar in cost unless the doors you need are particularly large. In this instance, you could find yourself having to pay a lot more for sliding doors than for bi-fold doors, as the former would utilise large glass panes each necessary to source at heavy cost.
Still, how much you would need to pay for a set of sliding or bi-fold doors will depend on various other factors, too – such as the materials, colours, sizes and other specifications you choose for the doors. uPVC doors are more cost-effective than their aluminium counterparts, while taking up particular thermal and acoustic options for the glass can also affect the bill.
As we have previously alluded to, you might not quite be able to open up a whole wall to your patio or garden if you opt for sliding doors. While some glass doors can slide into external walls, such “pocket doors” would lose your home some cavity wall insulation.
On the plus side, sliding doors are more versatile than bi-fold doors. With the former, you could open them just an inch to let some breeze through or two feet if you wanted to go outside. Often, opening bi-fold doors would entail folding back the entire set of panels.
Nonetheless, for a bi-fold system, you could still choose what is called a “traffic door” or access leaf – a single panel you could open and shut like a regular door, and independently of the other panels. The access leaf could be hinged from either the wall or the folding door stack.
This would, of course, be essentially a subjective judgement – though, if your objective is to let as much natural light as possible enter the extension, sliding doors are the obvious way to go. That’s because, when closed, these doors would have much less vertical frame visible.
However, with both sliding and bi-fold doors, you can choose from a wide range of colours for the frame. For example, aluminium frames are available in grey, black and white, while timber frames can be stained in specific hues to visually match wood used elsewhere in the extension.
All in all, if an uninterrupted view of the outside is what you want, sliding doors make more sense. However, if you are prioritising making your garden as accessible from the extension as possible and vice versa, bi-folds are a wiser choice for a London house extension.
It’s easy to get in touch with us to discuss your ideas for how you would like to develop a property with our expert assistance.
