Costs & Guides

Bifold doors have been increasingly popular in recent years!
Bifold instals are the ideal approach to customise your home if you’re looking for a fresh way to do it!
We’ll go through the costs of bifold door installation, as well as supplies, labour, and other expenses.

How Much Does It Cost to Install Bifold Doors?

We’ll also go over how long bifold doors take to install, the different varieties, the advantages of having them installed, and how long they take to remove from your home.

So, if you’re interested in learning more about bifold doors, including their pricing, this is the place to come!

A bifold door opens from the centre, giving you a full view and access to whatever’s behind it in a single motion. Not only that, but the sheer mass of the sturdy doors minimises the’shuddering’ that can occur with sliding doors.

Bifold doors are available in a variety of sizes ranging from 1.8m to 4.8m, with frames made of PVCu plastic, aluminium, and wood. You can also mix and match materials, such as weatherproof aluminium on the outside and traditional oak on the inside.

Bifold doors can be utilised both within and outside the home, as a gateway to your garden or conservatory, or to split a larger room without sacrificing its sense of size. In terms of adaptability, there isn’t a better option! But how much do they set you back?

Three elements influence the price of bifold doors: the material, the location, and the size. Certain materials are more protective than others, but they also cost more.

Whether you install bifold doors on the outside or inside, they will have a variety of requirements. The size of a bifold door, of course, has an impact on cost related to production.

Depending on the material used and the number of doors fitted, bifold door installation costs range from £1950 to £7200.

For example, timber bifold doors cost £2,000 – £2,500 for a three-door system and £4,200 – £4,300 for a five-door system, whereas uPVC bifold doors cost £1,900 – £2,000 for three doors and £3,000 – £3,500 for five doors.

Another common option is aluminium bifold doors. They are slightly more expensive, with three doors costing between £3,000 and £3,500 and a five-door system costing between £7,200 and £7,500.

The final cost may be influenced by the location of the home, as craftsmen in London and the south of England may charge more than those in the north.

The price of bifold doors is determined by the quality of the doors; we chose mid-range products for the samples on this page, but the sky is the limit when it comes to bifold door prices.

Bifold Door Prices

The costs of installing bifold doors are broken down in the table below:

Job	Cost
Timber three-door system	£2,000 – £2,500
Timber five-door system	£4,200 – £4,300
uPVC three-door system	£1,900 – £2,000
uPVC five-door system	£3,000 – £3,500
Aluminium three-door system	£3,000 – £3,500
Aluminium five-door system	£7,200 – £7,500

What are the Supply Costs of a Bifold Door Installation?

If you want to do your own bifold door installation or buy your materials to save money, we’ll go through all the materials and supplies you’ll need here.

Aluminium, wood, composite, and uPVC are the four materials available for external bifold doors. The price is determined by the type of material utilised.

Aluminium used to be one of the most expensive materials, but it has recently come down in price to compete with even the cheapest bifold doors. Bifold hardwood doors are quite popular due to their good quality/aesthetic and affordable cost.

Composite offers the best of both worlds, combining aluminium and wood to deliver good thermal performance and low maintenance. Once upon a time, UPVC was regarded to be one of the most cost-effective bifold door materials. On the other hand, the average price of uPVC has climbed.

Aluminium bifold doors typically range in price from £1,800 to £5,700, depending on the size and number of panels required. Wooden bifold doors range in price from £1,400 to £3,500.

Composite bifold doors range in price from £2,800 to £6,400, whereas UPVC bifold doors cost between £2,200 and £3,200.

A normal pine interior bifold door, on the other hand, costs between £75 and £120. The costs of bifold doors are broken down in the table below:

Supply	Cost
Aluminium bifold doors	£1,800 – £5,700
Wooden bifold doors	£1,400 – £3,500
Composite bifold doors	£2,800 – £6,400
UPVC bifold doors	£2,200 – £3,200
Pine internal bifold doors	£75 – £120

You’ll need equipment to fit a bifold door while you’re installing it. As a result, we have a list of the tools required as well as the associated prices.

A tape measure will run you back £2 – £14 and a drill will set you back £30 – £75; however, you may enquire about your neighbourhood to see if any companies lend out tools.

You’ll also need an electric screwdriver, which will set you back £12 to £25, and a mallet, which will set you back £5 to £10.

You may need a step ladder, which will cost £20 – £80 depending on where your door is, a doorknob, which will cost £14 – £42 depending on the sort of door handle you want, and safety goggles, which will cost £1 – £5.

The tools you’ll need and their pricing are listed in the table below:

Tools	Cost
Tape measure	£2 – £14
A drill	£30 – £75
Electric screwdriver	£12 – £25
Mallet	£5 – £10
Step ladder	£20 – £80
Doorknob	£14 – £42
Safety goggles	£1 – £5

What are the Additional Costs of Installing Bifold Doors?

When having bifold doors put, there are sometimes hidden charges that can add up quickly. As a result, we’ll go over the many additional costs of installing bifold doors here, so you’ll know what to expect when the topic comes up.

Triple Glazing

You might elect to have triple glazing windows in your home while having your bifold doors fitted to give your home a brand-new vibe. What are the costs of triple glazing, on the other hand?

Installing seven triple glazed windows in a semi-detached house costs £3,050 to £3,310, or £4100 to £4,400 if the house has nine worlds.

A two-bedroom home with four windows would cost between £1,850 and £2,100, while a five-bedroom terraced house would cost between £2,230 and £2,280.

In a detached house, installing 12 triple glazed windows will cost between £5,250 and £5,850, while installing 15 triple glazed windows will cost between £6,800 and £7,200.

The kind and size of the window, the number of artisans working on the project, ease of access, and your home’s location are all factors that influence the price.

Window installers charge extra in London and the southeast in general. On the other hand, Northern England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland have cheaper labour costs.

Installing triple glazed windows might take anything from a single day to five days. It may take twice as long if only one window fitter is working on the project.

For a semi-detached house with seven windows, triple glazing should take about two days. Cleaning nine windows would take two to three days.

It will take 1-2 days to install four triple glazed windows in a two-bedroom flat, and 1-2 days to install five triple glazed windows in a terraced house.

Double Glazing

If triple glazing is too much for you, double glazing may be a better option. Secondary glazing for a five-window house will cost between £1,680 and £1,920.

Secondary glazing will cost £2,330 – £2,650 for a seven-window terraced house, and £3,100 – £3,380 for a nine-window terraced house.

If you live in a semi-detached house, the total cost for seven windows will be roughly £2,440 – £2,710, or £3,530 – £3,810 for ten.

Finally, secondary glazing for a 14-window detached house will cost between £4,800 and £5,500.

Secondary glazing costs vary depending on the size of the window, the number of window installers on the project, accessibility, and where you live.

The size of the house and windows, the quantity of windows, ease of access, the number of craftsmen on the job, and whether any additional work is required before or after the installation determine the amount of time it takes to install secondary glazing.

A fee will be charged if you want to remove or replace double-glazed windows. A replacement window with double glazing will cost between £250 and £500, while a triple glazed window will cost between £380 and £490. Converting an old window into uPVC French doors might cost between £1,400 and £1,600.

New Front Door

You might elect to acquire a new front door to match the rest of your home’s style while having bifold doors installed. Installing a new uPVC front door might cost anything from £300 and £570.

A composite door ranges in price from £550 to £2,620, an oak door from £350 to £1,920, and a mahogany door from £350 to £1,570.

A pine front door can range in price from £170 to £1,220, while a custom-made door can range from £1,050 to £4,020.

The kind and size of the door, the number of artisans involved, the ease of access, and the location of your home are all factors that affect the cost of front door installation.

In terms of location, labour costs are higher in the southeast (especially London), but lower in Northern Ireland, Scotland, and the north of England.

On average, it takes 2-5 hours to install a new front door, depending on the kind. The amount of artisans used, accessibility, and the state of the installation area can all affect how long the task takes.

Inclement weather may cause the job to take longer or be delayed when the door is being put from the outside.

The cost of having your front door removed ranges from £40 to £180 on average. However, before any additional work/installations are done, the entire cost of the job will very definitely be a few hundred pounds higher than the price stated above. The nature of the replacement job will ultimately determine this.

Minimum Fee

Some contractors charge a minimum fee, which can be applied as the main labour charge (e.g., a daily rate that applies even if the task takes three-quarters of a working day) or as a separate charge added to your total bill.

Type

As indicated in the prior section, the type of bifold door might affect the overall cost of a bifold door installation. Bifold doors can range in price from £75 to £6,000. (without labour and rubbish removal).

Size

The higher the cost of a door, the more it is likely to be. A front door’s price can range from a simple wood entry door to a security door. Custom-made doors are another example of a more expensive option.

Amount of Tradesmen

The majority of the time, door installers will operate in groups of two. If the project is very large or demanding, however, a third pair of hands may be required. A single door fitter may be able to perform the job in some cases.

The hourly wage increases as the number of workers on a job increases. This would, on the other hand, save time. As a result, factors such as how well the team communicates will influence if this is a net cost increase.

Duration

The labour costs are proportionate to the time it takes to install bifold doors. The more time the job takes, the more money you’ll have to pay. This is an exception if labour costs are fixed.

Tradesmen Costs for Installing Bifold Doors

When selecting whether or not to install bifold doors, you may be contemplating whether to do it yourself or hire a professional.

However, while DIY is a less expensive option, hiring a labourer to install your door ensures that it will be built correctly and safely.

Here, we’ll go over the various labour expenditures that should be expected while installing bifold doors.

Standard bifold doors will almost probably require the assistance of a professional for installation. This is because, depending on how the doors are constructed, the installation process may be difficult.

The assistance of an expert may be required for complex and difficult-to-understand instructions.

The average cost of labour to install three-door panels in one day is around £600, and a five-door system is over £1,000. Typically, the cost includes the hiring of two craftsmen to complete the operation, which speeds up the procedure.

You should also consult a structural engineer to see if the wall on which the doors will be installed is capable of supporting them. They normally charge between £50 and £90 per hour.

The entire cost of labour will vary depending on the project’s scope. If a new opening is needed, for example, this might add another day to the timetable and raise the price.

The price will also be affected by how accessible the project is, as a difficult job may command a greater fee from a tradesman.

You may suffer additional costs if you choose a supplier who is located far away, depending on the delivery zone you are in. Visit the company’s website for exact pricing.

Labor costs will be higher in the south of England and in London regions, while they will be lower in the north.

How Long Does It Take to Install Bifold Doors?

Whether it’s a one-time update, part of a remodel, or new construction, knowing how long it will take to create a bifold door is critical.

You’ll also need to factor in installation time on-site. We’ll walk you through the process of installing a bifold door so you know what to expect.

On average, each set of bi-fold doors will take 3-4 hours to install. The time it takes to install a bi-fold door is determined by a number of factors, including the size of the door, how it is finished (to match existing windows and doors), and the type of bi-fold door purchased.

You may expect a small bifold door less than 3m to be fitted in half a day, a full day for bigger bifold doors, and up to 48 hours for extra-large custom bifold doors.

Another factor that influences installation time is the amount of preparation work required to install the bi-fold doors. If existing windows or doors must be removed, a particular time range can be specified at the time of purchase.

You’ll need to add more days for brickwork and plastering if you wish to increase the aperture’s size.

The time it takes to install bifold doors is broken down in the table below:

Job	Cost
Small bifold door less than 3m	Half a day
Large bifold doors	One day
Extra-large bifold doors	Two days
Brickwork/plastering	+1 day

Types of Bifold Doors

When it comes to bifold doors, you must pick the one that is ideal for your home. There are many various types of bifold doors, and we’ll show you all of them here, along with their benefits and drawbacks, so you can make an informed decision.

uPVC Bifold Doors Cost

If you want a low-cost solution, uPVC bifold doors are a good choice. In average, prices start at around £1,500, but can vary depending on style and other considerations (not including glass, fittings, and installation).

The doors are constructed of the same white plastic that uPVC windows are made of. As a result, they’ll look great in newer homes but not so much in older ones.

They’re easy to put together and maintain, just like other uPVC products. However, manufacturers noticed that uPVC expanded and contracted by up to 3mm during extreme temperatures, interfering with the smooth operation of the doors.

UPVC doors are just as durable as wood doors, but they endure far longer. They do, however, have the lowest thermal efficiency and are the least environmentally friendly of the three variants.

Pros
+ Strong and durable.
+ Cheaper than other types.
+ Low maintenance.
Cons
– Least environmentally friendly.
– It can look cheap.
– Much wider frame.

Aluminium Bifold Doors Cost

Aluminium bi-folding doors are more expensive than those made of other materials. This is mostly owing to the material’s superior quality.

Because aluminium is more durable than wood or uPVC, panel frames for folding glass doors may be made shorter, allowing for more light and expansive views.

To improve the thermal efficiency of modern aluminium doors, a thermal break is frequently incorporated into the design. Aluminium is a material that lasts a long time. It does not discolour like uPVC or wood. It won’t warp, rust, or require painting.

Only a light squirt of oil on the runners and hinges, as well as a thorough cleaning with clean water, are required for maintenance.

Aluminium doors are 100% recyclable and can be repurposed several times. They’re powder-coated instead of painted, so you can get pretty much any colour or wood look you desire. Prices vary depending on a number of factors, but a basic frame should cost around £3,000.

Pros
+ Strongest material.
+ Thermal efficient
+ Environmentally friendly.
Cons
– Expensive.

Timber Bifold Doors Cost

Solid wood, hardwood, and engineered wood bifold doors are available in a range of wood types, with engineered wood being the most prevalent.

Solid wood bi-fold door frames start at around £3,000 and go up to £5,000 for composite wood.

This is one of the more durable options, especially if the bifold doors are constructed of engineered wood, which is also extremely sturdy. With an average U-value of 1.4W per m2, it also has a lower U-value than uPVC doors.

In the UK environment, cheaper wood doors do not hold up well, whereas engineered woods and hardwoods are more durable but also more expensive.

Despite their traditional appearance and natural beauty, wooden bifold doors will need to be painted or varnished on a regular basis over time.

Pros
+ Naturally beautiful.
+ Strong
Cons
– Expensive.
– Can warp if overexposed to sunlight or moisture.
– High maintenance.

Benefits of Bifold Doors

Installing bifold doors to your home will provide you with a number of advantages. Here, we’ll go over the various advantages of installing bifold doors.

More Natural Light

When compared to standard doors and windows, bifold doors and windows allow much more light.

You can only use half of the opening at a time with sliding doors because they always have a fixed panel in addition to the sliding one. When comparing sliding and bifold doors, bifolds have narrower panel frames, larger and higher openings, and the ability to conveniently connect indoor and outdoor spaces.

Use Small Room

Sliding patio doors must always move behind another door or window to create an entrance. Bifold doors, on the other hand, fold in on themselves at the frame’s side.

This ensures that you have the most accessible open area. When comparing bifold and sliding doors, you’ll see that sliding doors offer a lot more open area.

Outside Living

To enjoy it, you don’t have to be physically outside. You can close all the doors and enjoy the outdoors while being in your home. As a result, you can enjoy the comfort of your home while simultaneously obtaining some fresh air.

Flexible

You can choose to open as many or as few bi-fold panels as you choose. If it’s cold and raining outside, all you have to do is open the first panel and enter the garden. However, while the sun is shining, you can open as many panels as you want.

Double bifold doors and four-panel bifold doors are the most popular options. They may also be installed anyplace in the house, so you can have a bifold kitchen door, a bifold bathroom door, or any other room.

Security

Bifold doors include multiple locking points, internally beaded frames, and secure hinges. Other doors, on the other hand, often have only one locking point. Of course, toughened glass is used in the double-glazed unit as a safety element, making it more difficult to break into.

Appealing

Bifold doors are indisputably trendy and modern, and they will always be noticeable. Aside from that, they are effective and fulfil the purpose for which they were designed. Sliding patio doors and hinged French windows are always outperformed by them.

How Long Does It Take to Remove Bifold Doors?

Bifold doors are removed for a variety of purposes, including to decorate, to remove a wall, and to replace the bifold door with another wall.

So, if you’ve recently moved and want to have old bifold doors removed, or if yours are getting old and you want to give your home a fresh look, having your bifold doors removed can be a suitable alternative for you.

We’ll go through how much it costs to remove bi-fold doors and how long it takes to do it.

Hiring a professional to remove your bifold doors would cost between £160 and £220 per day. If you plan to remove them yourself, you must factor in the cost of waste disposal, which typically ranges from £70 to £120.

Installing a bifold door is complicated, but removing one is not. It should take 1–2 hours to remove bifold doors. To hold and move the doors once they’ve come off the track, all you need is the correct equipment and physical strength.

FAQs

Q: Where do you put a doorknob on a bifold door?
A: While there is no regulation that says you can’t put the knob on your bifold door wherever you want it, there is a proper location for it. It should be 36 inches from the floor, in the horizontal centre of the leading door.

The knob should be in the vertical centre of the middle panel if the doors have panels. Because of this arrangement, the force necessary to open and close the door is lowered.

Q: How do you measure for a bifold door?
A: Measure the opening into which the bi-fold doors will be fitted to estimate the size of bi-fold doors you’ll need (known as the aperture). Allow roughly a half-inch of clearance for fitting (known as a fitting tolerance).

The size of the opening minus the fitting tolerance on both the height and width will be the size of the door you order once you’ve taken your measurements. Whether your bi-fold doors are constructed of aluminium, vinyl, or wood, this is true.

To begin, use a large spirit level to measure the diagonals of the entrance from corner to corner to ensure that it is level. Then measure the width of the opening at the top, bottom, and middle. Measure your height from all sides and in the middle.

Then subtract half an inch (the fitting tolerance) from the smallest measurements to get the size of the door you need to order. Consider whether the doors will open inward or outward, as well as whether there will be adequate space for both.

Q: Do bifold doors increase property value?
A: Bi-folding doors can raise the market value of a home by 5-10%, according to some estimates.

Valuers hold them in such high regard for a variety of reasons: Unlike French and patio doors, bi-folding doors can span many metres, allowing for a very broad opening.

Q: Do bifold doors need property permission?
A: Bi-fold doors are covered by permitted development rights. As a result, they rarely require planning permission. If your bifold doors are part of a new extension, they must be included in the plans.

Q: Are bifold doors thermal efficient?
A: Bifold doors are particularly energy efficient because they are built of modern double glazing.

Timber bifold doors often have an engineered core to reduce heat transfer, whereas aluminium bifold doors include a thermal break to prevent heat from passing directly through the frame. The glazing can also be filled with argon to improve overall heat efficiency.