Smarts Visofold bi-folding doors, cheap supplier around London?

tallac

I'm looking at around a 4.5 metre wide opening at the rear of the property to put a bi-folding door (there's a little bit of flexibility for going slightly less or more). It seems to be about the width where I can choose between a 4 or 5 panel system. I'm leaning towards the 4 panel because that gives a higher glass to frame ratio, as well as the doors then open more symmetrically.

Budget is quite tight so I think I'm kinda stuck to the budget brands and Smarts Visofold seems to come up quite often. Are there any cheap Smarts suppliers around London that I should consider? I've already tried Express Bifolding Doors (https://www.expressbifolds.co.uk) but their quotes are pretty expensive even for the Visofolds.

Any recommendations will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Jeepers_Creepers

We used GFD Trading for our bifold, sky lantern, windows and composite door recently. The bifold and windows were REAL 'Smart' - I think that's the same as you are considering? 

https://www.bifolddoorprices.co.uk/

Absolutely zero complaints about the quality, and the quote was very good - they supply and fit. (The installation - by Martindales - was less than perfect, although their after-sales service was very good. Silly stuff - windows not plumb, bifold set back 20mm more at one end - just stupid, careless stuff, especially after our builder was super-precise.)

tallac

Jeepers_Creepers said:

We used GFD Trading for our bifold, sky lantern, windows and composite door recently. The bifold and windows were REAL 'Smart' - I think that's the same as you are considering? 

https://www.bifolddoorprices.co.uk/

Absolutely zero complaints about the quality, and the quote was very good - they supply and fit. (The installation - by Martindales - was less than perfect, although their after-sales service was very good. Silly stuff - windows not plumb, bifold set back 20mm more at one end - just stupid, careless stuff, especially after our builder was super-precise.)

Hi, thanks for the recommendation. I'm slightly confused, you mentioned you used GFD Trading who supply and fit but then another company Martindales did the installation? Did GFD Trading do a subcontract?

Jeepers_Creepers

Yes. GFD Trading seems to be the 'organiser', and use Martindales - an established company - for their fitting. 

If you go to GFD's site, it then links to sub-divisions depending on what you are after. https://www.gfdtrading.co.uk/

We initially wanted Warmcore bifolds (which GFD also do), but they've been going through buy-outs and potential quality-control issues I've been told, so went with REAL Smart instead. Quality is great. The quote was equally impressive; 4m bifold triple-glazed, Solidor composite door, 2 windows, 2 sky lanterns 2.5m x 1.25m and 1.5m x 1m all for £10k fitted. 

Very good comms, and good to deal with. Only fly was the silly quality control issues with the install; they don't actually affect the performance, but it's just a seeming lack of precision - I would have done it better myself. I mean, why on earth fit a window 10mm out of vertical? Why fit a bi-fold 20mm out of horizontal? Just why?! (I noticed the window at the time - it was that obvious - and they repositioned it, but I missed the bifold...)

Our builder was incensed; he made the bifold opening so straight and precise that the Martindale surveyor recorded the same opening height - to the mm - across the opening, and the walls were as straight as a die, so he was really peeved when he had to adjust the render beads to try and compensate for the out-of-true later on.