Products

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How to get exactly what you want...

It is surprising how many customer s are unaware of their options when it comes to bifold doors, especially those who have been in the market for their doors for a while and still aren't aware they've been missing out on products which not only make the doors more practical but increases their security and makes them more economically efficient.

Okay, so first things first, you should know that bifold doors (ours at least) are not really an ‘off the rack’ type purchase.

Almost every element of the doors is customisable, from the vital aspects such as width, height and configuration, to smaller details like door furniture and colour.

Another quite important part of your doors that is changeable is the glass. A lot of people (from my experience anyway) seem to only base their expectations around standard double glazed units, which, to be honest are our most popular option.

A cut above the rest?

 BUT, for those looking for that extra something, we are able to offer a variety of glass options, from Celsius (thermally efficient – ideal for south facing properties) to integral blinds (blinds which operate from within the double glazed units).  

I think this is what separates us from the norm, our ability to offer above and beyond our customer’s expectations. 

There are several other considerations to make when choosing doors, such as their security and ease of use. Our doors are fitted as standard with an anti-bump lock, and are all complete with finger safe gaskets to avoid any trapping!

We try our best to always provide not only a product, but a service that goes that little bit extra for the customer.

Our doors are bespoke to each individual customer, and so is the service provided. We want to make sure you purchase exactly what you want, down to the last screw-cap!

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2012 has been a year of beating the odds...so far at least.

The window and door industry were expected to do fairly poorly, given the poor economical state of the country and the construction trade doing equally poorly.

So far however, this has not been the case – and as I, and many other observers have pointed out previously, this is not because are economy 'isn't that bad' it's because people are spending their limited funds on improving what they already own instead of purchasing anew.

I think this is the beginning of what will be an important factor in the modernisation of the fenestration industry. It will become less of a case of replacing windows with windows and doors with doors, and more about the gadgets and innovative design systems that accompany the new doors and windows.

That's not to say people won't still have a need for what the industry has traditionally sold...we will always need windows and doors – denying that is ridiculous!

We'll always need doors and windows....but..

But what I do think is that the market will be much more focused on the high-tech pieces of equipment, such as integral blinds, intelligent glass, electric window systems and energy saving structures, instead of simply the doors and windows themselves.

We are seeing a huge increase in customers that don't want your bog-standard door fitting anymore; they want bifolding or sliding, performance, energy-saving, economically engineered doors with integral blinds and electric window openers.

And, in the future, this list of 'high-tech' extras will become the norm, and the new list of extras will be the futuristic looking equipment that is still currently inaccessible for UK installers.

For example, intelligent window systems using products such as Smart Glass which promotes the idea that the possibilities of glass technology are endless.

With transparent glass monitors, and electronic touchscreen displays within the glass, it really is a product of science fiction!

But fairly soon (hopefully!), products like these will be a reality for the window and door salesmen of the UK and the industry will continue to modernise, evolve and sell products which people not only need, but want.

Want a piece of the action? Take a look at our bifold guide below, and enjoy the benefits of technology in your own home. 

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The in's and out's of bifold doors...

By definition, bifold doors are capable of being folded into two parts – but in reality this can be more like 5 or 6. The most popular configuration being 3 leaves, with a traffic door (allowing you to still use the door as a throughway when you aren't opening all leaves).

bi•fold
• [bahy-fohld] adjective
capable of being folded into two parts, as with leaves that are hinged together: a bifold door; bifold shutters.

Another common misconception is that the bifold mechanism is only available on shutters (see definition above...), wardrobe doors, or on internal doors.

This is outdated information, bifold doors are a great way to combine your indoor and outdoor living spaces – and they are fully equipped to provide security, protection from the elements, and energy efficiency for your home.

Visually pleasing AND practical..

Visually, they are a lot more interesting than bog-standard patio doors, but I think there's a bit more to it than just aesthetics. They add an element of fun to your home.

You can either open one door (your traffic door) and have it function as a main exit or entrance (ours are fitted as standard with anti-bump locking cylinders), OR, you can open your traffic door and then proceed to slide all of the hinged door leaves to one side, forming a concertina to one side of your door opening.

As each leaf is effectively a floor to ceiling glass window to the outdoors, bifold doors function as a brilliant way to make the most of your view.

With minimal sightlines (the hinge between each door leaf) you are able to create an almost seamless window on your outdoor space - even when the doors are shut. 

Buyer's Guide

We think bifold doors are great (as you might have gathered...) but we are bifold specialists, of course we do! We want you to feel the same way! But also to understand what bifold doors are, how they work and what their practical benefits are.

Please download our bifold buyer's guide below for our wealth of bifold knowledge! Or give us a call on 01454419310 for any other questions you have about bifold doors.

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Hello Autumn...

As most of Britain was busy complaining about our lack of summer we seem to have failed to realise that whilst it wasn't blue skies and sunshine everyday, it was at least mildly warm.

With the very sudden and noticeably colder appearance of autumn, I think it's safe to say we wish we had our damp July back.

As with any change of season, the colder weather brings forward new issues in the door and glazing industry.

As featured in my last post, external condensation becomes a more frequent occurrence, and the weather changes the priorities of our customers – the majority wanting (and needing) their projects to be completed before the real biting cold sets in.

A general guide...

Priorities of our customers are usually design, price, lead time, and energy-efficiency – maybe not always in that order.

But throughout the year, there are factors which alter the leading priority of clients. For example, at this time of the year – as I mentioned above – lead time is much more important than say the spring, when people are safe in the knowledge of a long hot (or not as we've found this year...) summer ahead of them.

The closer to Christmas we are, the more urgent order's become as everyone wants build projects completed and decorated by December 25th! Not just for impressing their festive guests, but to ensure that they are well sealed against the snow (or sleet for England) and not losing heat.

So really, as the nights draw in lead times and energy efficiency are the key factors our customers are concerned with.

Fortunately for us, we are able to dispel both worries instantly.

Firstly, with our standard colour aluminium bifold doors we are able to provide a 2 week turnaround time = big smiles on our customer's faces come November!

Secondly, we are able to provide performance glass – making their heat loss worries a thing of the past and in fact making their homes MORE thermally efficient.

Things to keep in mind...

1. Remember to keep your schedule on hand, and make sure your installer knows exactly when you need your doors.

2. Always ask about other glazing options, you'll be surprised at the choice available and benefit of having an alternative to standard double glazing.

3. Keep a price figure in mind when deciding on an installer, but be flexible – and remember that you get what you pay for – don't fall for false economy.

4. No matter what time of year, design is important. Make sure you are purchasing something suitable for you, and your home and that your installer is aware of what you want the finished outcome to look like.

5. Don't rush into a sale! Take your time, go through your options and make an informed decision – you'll thank yourself later!

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If you want to get your project started now, please feel free to give us a call (0117 992 3101) to arrange a home visit, or pop into our showroom and we'll show you our doors!

If you want to know a bit more about bifold doors first, or how we operate as a company have a roam around our website or download the bifold buyer's guide below this post.

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External condensation is commonly confused with internal condensation...

...which is a legitimate problem where droplets form between the double glazing.

The issue lies with trying to explain this clearly when making a sale – the VAST difference between internal and external condensation – as saying there is a chance of condensation in cold spells is often confusing and worrying to a potential customer.

As @glazingblogger points out, previous customers often call us around this time of year (or anytime of year where there is a noticeable change of temperature) saing that their units have failed as there is condensation clinging to the external part of their glass (ie. The bit that faces the elements).

What we then have to do is try and clarify that this is not a sign of glass failure, but actually a great sign that the glass is doing exactly what it's meant to.

Droplets on the OUTSIDE = glass performing well

The colder the weather outside (or the bigger the difference between the air inside, and the air outside) the harder the glass has to work to keep the heat inside.

This often results in the appearance of condensation, however, the fact that the condensation in this instance is forming on the outside of the glass (as opposed to the inside, between the glazing) is a sign that the glass is performing correctly and retaining it's heat.

Meaning that the only opportunity water beads are given form is located on the outside of both the glass, and the property.

Loft insulation analogy...

I've also read a great analogy written by the guys over at Lister Trade Frames  , comparing the situation to loft insulation...

On a snowy day, the customer of a loft insulation company may ring them querying why the snow has settled on their roof, when it's melted off all of their neighbour's roofs.

Simple answer – the reason it's melted from the neighbour's roofs is because all of the heat escaping through the loft from the central heating of the house has melted the snow – clearing the roof.

The only reason the snow has not cleared from this particular customer's house is because their loft is so well insulated that very little heat has escaped through the roof, meaning that the roof isn't warm enough to melt the snow.

This is the same reason condensation forms on the external part of a double glazed unit – the glass is doing it's job so well that the heat from inside isn't escaping at all.

Meaning that the only place condensation can form is the outside.

Stay warm this Winter!

So this Autumn, feel safe in the knowledge that those tiny droplets forming on the outside of your glass means that its WORKING!

And you can keep all of your heat where it should be, inside! 

I think this explains the situation pretty well - but of course, if you have any further questions about double glazing or any of our other glass options.. (Ie. Celsius performance glass) please call us on 01454419310 and we'll be happy to talk to you about this issue or any other bifold door queries. 

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We want your project to run as smoothly as possible...

...and whether you choose to purchase your doors through us or not – we've come up with a general list of do's and don'ts when buying bifold doors that we would DEFINITELY recommend having a browse through before committing to anything.

The full list is featured on our website (here) but I've pulled out a few of (what I think are) the most important points to remember and gone into just a little more detail on why we think these precautions are so important.

So lets start with a few 'Do's' – things you really, really, really should consider (we think) before making any decisions regarding your doors.

View the actual door you intend to buy.

• Sounds pretty obvious right? But the last thing you want is something turning up on the day of installation that is completely different to what you envisioned. A good company should have a showroom, where they will be able to give you a working demonstration of the doors and talk you through all of the moving parts. (Fancy coming to see our showroom? Give us a call and book an appointment as we tend to get quite busy..).

Get an insurance backed guarantee.

• I cannot stress this enough. It doesn't matter how reputable a company is, if they don't have insurance backed guarantee's covering their installations then you are putting your finances in danger should anything happen to the doors or worse - the company. It won't cost you any extra, and it should come as standard with your contract for a door set. We're backed by DGCOS, BM TRADA and also use IPWFI insurance backed guarantees to ensure complete peace of mind for our customers.

 These are just two of a fairly long list of things to check before using an installer (see the full list HERE) but they are crucial to choosing bifold fitters.

 Okay, now for the negative stuff...here's what not to do...

Avoid bifold doors with an external track.

• Don't know what this means? Let me explain...an external track is one that is bolted on to the bottom frame of the door – instead of being an integral part of the frame. When the track has been bolted on to the front of the frame (or on top of the frame) it's unlikely that the doors are purpose made, bifold doors. All of our running gear (the bits that make the bifold move) is enclosed within the frame and bottom track, making the doors much more secure - especially as an external track could possibly be levered from the frame.

You get what you pay for - don't base your decision on price!

• An age old saying but especially relevant to the bifold door industry. There are plenty of cheap systems and plenty of expensive systems, but to ensure you receive the best quality doors – do not base your decision purely on price.

Avoid 'floating mullions'.

• Basically, a floating mullion is an extra piece of material that is fitted between each door leaf. Pointless, unattractive and will make no difference to the operation of your doors – it may even hinder them as these extra pieces can cause the doors to drop.

Don't pay the balance until you're installation is complete.

• ...and you are satisfied with your doors. A lot of companies (including Bristol Bifold) don't ask for the final balance until the doors have been installed – I think this is common practice for any installation company that is sure of their fitters and confident in their product. If you have paid full balance in advance (which some installers do also ask for) then you have less chance of a fast and efficient solution to any remedial work that needs doing after the doors have been fitted – ie. Any adjustment to the doors.

Again – please read our list in full as there are several equally important issues that I haven't been able to cover in this post and would hate for you not to see these do's and don'ts before you go ahead with a purchase!

If you are thinking of getting some bifold doors installed at your property – whether it's with us or not – you should have a look at our buyers guide (the download is in the link below this post..) which will answer any questions you have before you buy. If there's anything we've missed – give us a call at the office on 0117 992 3101and we'll be happy to talk to you.

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What are seals, gaskets and D-handles?

To start with, let me direct you over to our glossary pages in the website help centre, as I'm sure if I start discussing seals, gaskets and D-handles it might leave some of you a little confused. Head over to the glossary for a detailed description of what each bifold component is, and how they affect the doors. 

 What is a RAL colour?

Next– I'll move on to what may sound like a less exciting topic – RAL colours. Think again, the colour of your doors is an important decision, a decision that impacts the colour of the door furniture such as handles and hinges and also the colour of the surrounding seals. With all of Origin easifold doors, you are able to choose any RAL colour for your doors –and then co-ordinate this with the furniture. In fact, it's such an exciting topic that the App Store has created RAL iColours! This is an app that allows you to re-colour any of your photos with your desired RAL colours, making it even easier to see how a certain colour door would fit in with your colour-scheme.

What are the possible configurations for my doors?

This is a common question asked by our prospective customers. It's a very important part of the decision making process – most door systems will have a lead door, you will then need to choose the directions of the rest of the door panels. This can make a huge impact on the effect of the doors in your living space, in fact simply choosing whether the doors open inwards or outwards can make a big difference to the look of your property. The lead door will be the door with the lever handle on, and the door that with most configurations, you'll be able to open separately – without disturbing the rest of the panels.

There are lots of different options for configuration – and only a few that aren't possible, meaning that you can pretty much have any formation you like! But to save me a lot of time and effort trying to explain each configuration (it would probably take at least 3 blog posts...) we have come up with a 3D configuration generator. It's amazing. You can even have a play with different colours, drag your mouse across the doors to open and close them and spin them around (if you feel like it). On a serious note, it is well worth tapping in your specifications to this 3D design tool, it really helps our customers get a feel for the many different things you can achieve with the doors.

What happens once I've placed an order? 

This is where things get slightly more exciting! After you have had a site survey, signed an order form (which will be filled out with you, usually with our surveyor at point of survey) and paid your deposit, your doors will be ordered. We will then contact you as soon as we have a delivery date to us for the doors, depending on the specifications of the doors this can be as soon as a week since the survey. Once we have a delivery date we will then arrange an installation or a delivery date that is convenient for you. In the mean time, you will be sent a full schedule of works via email, you can also ring the office at any time if you require more info or simply want to chat to someone about your project. 

More questions....

Of course there are still a millions questions left to answer, but I aim to do 'Q&A' post once a month, so please tweet me @BristolBifold so that I can answer you personally! Alternatively, give me a call at the office on 0117 992 3101. Or why not download our bifold buyers guide below if you want to learn in your own time. 

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Origin electric roller blinds are worth thinking about...

One (rather important) reason would be the economic worth of the blinds and how they add to the overall cost-effective value of the bifold doors. The blinds help control the temperature of the room in which they are installed; in the summer they prevent heat build up – known as solar gain – to reduce the room temperature in hot weather and lessen the need for air conditioning. Even in winter, the blinds are able to further enhance the thermal performance of your doors by once again controlling the temperature of the room.

Basically – the blinds help you stay comfortable all year round, and (helpfully!) they can be valuable in the reduction of your household energy bills.

The choice is yours. 

Not only in the style of the blind but in the fabric, colour and furniture. You are able to decide whether the blinds need to be blackout blinds, look into the different scallop, braid and pull options, you can even have water-resistant blinds for the bathroom…the list goes on! 

In my opinion, the blinds add another aspect of interior design to a room, for example, when decorating or planning the colour-scheme for a room they make an attractive accompaniment to a set of bifold doors whilst co-ordinating with the rest of the room. They become another piece of furniture which not only adds to the look of the room, but is functional and economically advantageous.

As I've already mentioned, we have some of the roller blinds in our show room – please feel free to give us a ring (our number is 0117 992 3101) and come and see them for yourselves. Alternatively – if you would like me to send you out an informative pack about bifold doors including information from Origin blinds – email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Don't forget to download our free buyers guide below, which will explain in detail all you need to know when deciding on the specification of your doors.

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Although only highlighted by the BBC in February 2012...

Lock snapping has been possible in standard locks for a while – hence the introduction of the uprated cylinder lock which many companies are now offering instead of the original locks – however which are only being supplied as standard with a few door fabrication companies.

In the interest of public safety and general home security the UAP+ Anti Snap Cylinder is the first choice for many customers looking to replace the original locking system within their doors. The uprated lock protects against the most commonly recognised methods of burglary – lock snapping or lock bumping.

Another comfort for customers is that the lock is approved by British standards – and is Kitemarked to assure customers of this recognised quality specification.

We chose to start buying in our own UAP locks to replace the standard locks in our doors and adding this to every order free of charge. It is surprising what a difference something so small can make such a positive difference to our customers' peace of mind. They provide added home security, whilst allowing customers to enjoy the convenience and aesthetic benefits of their new bifold doors.

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Whether you are entertaining and creating extra space, breaking the divide between outdoors and indoors or revelling in being outside whilst still sitting at your dining room table, being able to open up your home on a brilliant summers day is fantastic, full stop.

Everyone likes being able to bask in the sun outside– but it's also nice to bring your guests back into the coolness of your home when the heat becomes too much. In this instance it would be disappointing to come back inside and realise your doors and windows had trapped all of the heat from outside in your house making it stuffy, unpleasant and ruining your BBQ!

Glass That Will Make Your Summer Even Better

To combat this common problem we offer performance glass with our Bifold Doors and windows:

• Celsius Elite, and
• Celsius Clear

Celsius glazing does exactly as you would presume – controls the temperature of your indoor spaces – 'keeping you cooler in summer and warmer in winter'.

Glass That Doesn't Heat Up Your Summer Home

Both Celsius Elite and Clear are ideal glass choices in both conservatories and Bifold doors – particularly on south facing properties - meaning the dazzling rays you soak up are not being trapped inside your home.

Living in England we are well aware that the majority of our customers will not experience dazzling sunshine from May to September. There may be times where you wish to keep your doors closed and view the weather from afar. Whilst normally this would take the 'sunny' feel from your BBQ, windows and doors that protect from the elements whilst still allowing maximum light into your home are able to transform a typically grey British BBQ into something light, bright and most importantly, stress free!

And in Winter, the Glass Keeps the Heat In

This protection from heat loss means even in winter you can relax knowing that whilst being able to look out upon a snowy landscape – there is no possibility of all the heat generated by your cosy log fire being lost through your glass.

Have you ever had any BBQ disasters due to the unhelpful British weather – or have your Bifold's saved the day already? If you have any questions or stories for us, please leave a comment below.