It’s tempting to carry out home improvements as quickly and cheaply as possible, particularly when money is tight and our lives are getting busier. It’s possible to buy a set of bifold doors mail order from a catalogue store, or purchase a pre-made set online.
Initially, these bifolds look very attractive, yet they may not be everything they seem.
1. Limited Choice
Manufacturers make off-the-peg bifolds in a very limited range of sizes. The reason for this is simple: it helps keep costs down, since all of the leaves and parts are roughly the same size. However, it’s not much use if you want to replace existing patio doors, since you’d be lucky to have an opening that’s the same width and height as these stock items. You may also be restricted to the choice of colours available too! If you have to employ a contractor to make changes to the opening, you need to factor that in when deciding which supplier to go with.
2. Cheap Materials
Bifold doors must have a certain standard of manufacture in order to work as intended. If they don’t run smoothly on their track, they’ll get stuck, and a stuck bifold door is never going to give you the finish you want and is always a risk to home security.
3. No Installation
Pre-made Bifold doors are delivered on the back of a truck and left on your doorstep. What happens then is your problem. These doors are marketed as being easy to install, but don’t forget how heavy they are, and how difficult it can be to get them straight – particularly since most homes don’t have perfectly vertical walls. Without an installer, you might find yourself with a very expensive problem.
4. Low Specifications
The bifolds you get from catalogue stores have fairly standard, basic features. These may serve you well if you’re a light user, but if you have pets, children or older people using the doors, you’re going to be lacking some of the best features bespoke-made bifolds can offer. For example, you won’t be able to get child-safe hinges, and you won’t be able to have a ramp on the cill for easy wheelchair and pushchair access.
5. Zero Customisation
With pre-made, pre-packed bifolds, you only receive what the manufacturer chooses to send to you. That means you get the handles that the manufacturer has packaged with the doors, and you can’t control the final look. Hidden accessories, such as the locks, may also be of a lesser quality than you’d hope from a set of bifold doors. Not like our doors, you can choose from a range of customisation options.
The alternative
When you order bifolds, you’ll be looking at a four-figure spend (at a minimum), regardless of who your supplier is. But there are sensible ways to reduce costs. At Your Price Bifolds, we manufacture doors to the lowest possible cost without compromising on finish and quality. We have direct relationships with many manufacturers of parts, so we can bring the cost down and pass that on to you. And we never use cheap finishes for the sake of a small discount.
For more information on affordable bifolds that won’t disappoint, contact Your Price Bifolds today.
