Victoria Brocklesby, COO at Origin, a manufacturer of aluminium doors and windows, discusses the benefits of adding bi-fold doors to a property and offers her advice on choosing the right systems.
The benefits of bi-fold doors
Bi-fold doors continue to be an attractive feature in residential properties and offer huge benefits to homeowners all year round. When open, they seamlessly blend the indoors and outdoors, making the home feel more spacious and flexible. When closed, bi-fold doors allow natural light to flood into the property, creating bright and airy spaces that appeal to prospective homeowners.
Unlike sliding doors, they can be completely opened, making them a perfect option for anyone looking for an entirely uninterrupted view.
Tailored Aesthetics
When looking for the perfect bi-fold doors for a project, aesthetics are important. After all, statement glazing can make a huge difference to the look and feel of a property.
At Origin, we pride ourselves on operating at the forefront of the industry, identifying market patterns as they happen, and then creating products that homeowners truly want, all while remaining completely bespoke.
Our latest product, the Soho External Door (OB-36+) is no exception. It is available as a bi-fold or French door system, and features steel-look glazing bars and ultra-slim sightlines of just 36mm. This offers a striking look whether the door is open or closed.
Made from the highest-grade aluminium, the door is handcrafted to exact specifications in the UK, offering a completely bespoke solution. Opting for bi-fold doors that are fully customisable means they can be tailored to suit any style of property. It even allows for the more intricate details, such accessory finishes, threshold options and handle choice, to be unique, creating a completely personalised experience.
What’s more, Origin’s new Soho External Door is available in over 150 RAL colours, meaning there is a shade for every property. Glazing bars can be configured to create a popular industrial look, or minimalised removed for a more modern feel.
Identifying quality
Beyond aesthetics, the three key indicators of quality in bi-fold doors are thermal efficiency, security, and durability.
Thermal efficiency remains on everyone’s minds with increased energy bills, making it a key consideration in 2024. Homeowners will be looking to invest in properties that support them in reducing bills where possible, so adding a bi-fold system that works smarter to keep a home warm when it’s cold and comfortable when it’s hot will be appealing.
Bi-fold doors that have low U-Values will give prospective homeowners peace of mind that their home is futureproofed and thermally efficient. The Soho External Door has been engineered to meet the demands of the UK market, already meeting the 2025 Future Homes Standard by achieving U-Values as low as 0.8 W/m2K.
Security is key for any door and window system. Homeowners will be looking for products that conform to all the latest security standards, such as PAS 24:2022.
Origin doors all include built in safety features for a seamless operation, including finger safe gaskets to prevent little fingers from getting trapped when the doors are closing.
When it comes to the longevity of doors, material matters.
Aluminium is inherently stronger and more durable than uPVC or timber. Plus, it requires less maintenance, giving homeowners one less thing to worry about.
Summing Up
Quality bi-fold doors are an investment, but prioritising doors that offer elite levels of thermal efficiency, security, durability, and aesthetics offer maximum value in the long-run.
