Looking for cheap, reliable patio doors (2 sets) for new extension

icebergx

Hi all,
I'm planning on extending my house, into the back garden. The House is 5.5m wide, and I'm planning a fullwidth, extension, going out 3 meters. The extension will be divided into 2 separate rooms down the middle, so I'm seeking 2 sets of 3-payne sliding doors, so each room can open out onto the garden, independently.
The opening onto the garden will be around 2.6m in each room, and I'd like 2 moving and one feed payne.

Can anyone give me any advice on this? Aluminium doors appears to be better, but would it make much difference (in terms of expansion from heat, or other factors) if I chose uPVC?

I'll be renovating the rest of the house at the same time (it's been decades since it was last done) so trades people will already be in situ, so I'd hope to be able to save some costs on the build/installation that way, but any further advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Rakesh.

Luca_Festa

Hi icebergx,
take into account that uPVC window have problems of expansions from heat with high temperature, here in Italy we are fighting with this trouble.
I suggest you Aluminium or Hardwood!

Doozergirl

If your house is 5.5 metres wide, you have 4.9 metres of usable width. Put in a dividing wall, then you you'll need a brick pier between the two. Which takes you sensibly to a maximum of about 4.3 metres.

To save money, standard size doors are best, so 1.8metre doors are your best bet. 2.6 is impossible.

Before concentrating on quality of material, I personally think that bi-folds are not particularly reliable or airtight. Fashionable, yes. Useful, not really. You can have genuine patio doors with a big swing on each hinge and your doors are open and will last much longer before breaking down (if they do).

Doesn't really matter which material then - I think it's important to match the rest of the house so the house doesn't suddenly look like it needs replacement windows because of your choice of new doors. If you want cheap, then uPVC is the cheapest.

icebergx

Thanks for the breakdown Doozergirl. I figured it would be something like that, but didn't know the measurements for the wall either side of the extension and the dividing wall.
I'm not too fussed about flooding doors either, which is why I fancied regular sliding doors in each room, ideally 3 pane ones. Do these come in a standard size?
I did think about regular "swinging" patio doors, but would prefer sliding if there's not a huge price difference.

Can anyone recommend any brands/suppliers that can put something together for me, ad a good price?

Thanks.

Doozergirl

http://www.slideandfold.co.uk

Maybe.

icebergx

OK... I've kinda changed track... As I'm not planning to live in the property long term, and intend to rent it out, Ive decided to choose a cheeper option, and go with french doors that open onwards... I'd like to make these doors as wide as possible, to cover the 2.4m width that Doozergirl has outlined above. How easy would this be? If anyone can point me in the direction of a good, reasonably priced supplier, that would be appreciated.

Thanks.

ytfcmad

Doozergirl wrote: »

If your house is 5.5 metres wide, you have 4.9 metres of usable width. Put in a dividing wall, then you you'll need a brick pier between the two. Which takes you sensibly to a maximum of about 4.3 metres.

To save money, standard size doors are best, so 1.8metre doors are your best bet. 2.6 is impossible.

Before concentrating on quality of material, I personally think that bi-folds are not particularly reliable or airtight. Fashionable, yes. Useful, not really. You can have genuine patio doors with a big swing on each hinge and your doors are open and will last much longer before breaking down (if they do).

Doesn't really matter which material then - I think it's important to match the rest of the house so the house doesn't suddenly look like it needs replacement windows because of your choice of new doors. If you want cheap, then uPVC is the cheapest.

The above is complete rubbish.

Doozergirl

ytfcmad wrote: »

The above is complete rubbish.

Thank you for your informative and educational post.

OP, slide and fold do every type of door (and window) in uPVC. If Debbie is still there, she will advise you on how to get what you want. Fixed glazed panels either side would fill more space.

ytfcmad

Doozergirl wrote: »

Thank you for your informative and educational post.

OP, slide and fold do every type of door (and window) in uPVC. If Debbie is still there, she will advise you on how to get what you want. Fixed glazed panels either side would fill more space.

I know for a fact my post was both educated and informative, yours as i said is complete rubbish.
I work for a company that designs and sell's the materials/profiles used to make Bifolds, Patio's and doors (among other things) to the industry (but not the company in your link) and is also the biggest in the world in this particular medium, an international brand.

And your experience is?

DRP

ytfcmad wrote: »

I know for a fact my post was both educated and informative, yours as i said is complete rubbish.
I work for a company that designs and sell's the materials/profiles used to make Bifolds, Patio's and doors (among other things) to the industry (but not the company in your link) and is also the biggest in the world in this particular medium, an international brand.

And your experience is?

tbf my non-scientific poll of family & friends tells me that 2/2 of those have/had some of the problems doozergirl describes with bifolds, but 0/3 have had issues with trad sliding doors.

I'm not an expert obviously.

ytfcmad

DRP wrote: »

tbf my non-scientific poll of family & friends tells me that 2/2 of those have/had some of the problems doozergirl describes with bifolds, but 0/3 have had issues with trad sliding doors.

I'm not an expert obviously.

That will be down to either bad fabrication or bad fitting.
During the design stage with all of this type of product they are tested for wind, air and water and each is given a pascal number, the higher the better.
Bifolds are a little harder to fit than sliders but they are pretty much patios with hinges, no matter what you have if it's been made badly or fitted badly you will get a problem.



Other things don't help, low threshold in exposed area's and open in (lower water ingress tolerance) don't help.
You will also find that the hardware used by a brand is used across the whole range, roller wheels, shoot bolts, hinges, locks etc. The profiles are basically the same too as they need to match up as near as possible