Bifold opening. How wide is yours and would you change it?

[dynevoran]

Straw poll please of your openings and if you wish you had gone smaller or bigger ? Also how many leaves is yours?

Thanks!

Only 3.1m, 4 doors. But ours are pivot and slide. So much better imho

Ours are 4.8m, 1.2m x 4. Was as big as we could fit in, without having more leaves, had to have a massive steel fitted above them. We are very happy with them.

5m but went for 2 2.5m sliding doors instead.

Am debating velfax 1.3m sliders. What is the difference between pivot and slide and bifold?

Due to the planning permission we need, internal design features and issues with the neighbours it looks like our opening will realistically be between 2.5 and 3m. But the problem is that the velfac ones are 1.3 Max so two leaves of sliders or folding can cover the opening.

If we go for a larger opening like 3m it will have to be three smaller doors which is fine in theory but will architecturally spoil the way the house looks as the current plan lines them up with the velfax up and over windows that go above them. If that makes any sense!

I don't know if it is just much of a muchness in that 2.6 is big enough or if the extra bit up to 3m makes a difference?

And should have said thank you for all replying so far. Im a bit jealous of your such large openings, they sound wonderful.

We have 3x1m doors and they look fab. Really happy with them- 4 and would have had to have one opening and 3 sliding so made decision easy for us

Thanks all. This is the proposed rear view of the house. The opening being 2.6m. The l shape at the back is due to planning constraints so cant be changed. The velfac site actually don't do bifolds in the size i need. So now i have to decide between:
A: two 1.3m sliders which will mean a 2.6m total glazing size but with capacity to have only 1.3 actually open at any time but the flexibility to open either side.
B: bifolds which will be around 80-90cm each and three of them. Which will give the full opening of 2.6m or so but will not visually follow the lines set by the up and over windows above and will cost more as not off the shelf.
C: Patio doors that will cost more as not off the shelf. And visually less modern but can be fully opened and can line up with windows above. But when opened will be in the way at the sides.

Please help me figure this out. I'm feeling so overwhelmed with decisions to make. Will attach a PIC to show what i mean about mirroring the lines above.

Here is the proposed rear view.

We have 3.6m wide - in 4 panels x 2m high. Would go as large as you can. The amount of light is fab. Would not go for sliders. (Is what we had previously - and they really limit the sense of space.)

Why is it that the bifolds cannot open as wide as the width of the exterior wall? Sorry for being stupid.

They can stretch more than 2.6m across the current opening in theory. Maybe around 3m total width. It just visually means they Dont follow the up and over glazing above so looks less neat and visually it is architecturally a compromise to not mirror the above. Although you are right in that we can do it and i think this process and hearing all your thoughts is helping me decide whether or not to make this compromise.

The back of the extension cannot go all the way across the house due to the neighbour on the left and the planners on their behalf taking offence to it being right up against them and so this is a design compromise to appease them and smooth the route to planning. We will end up with so much space inside anyway we are happy to make this to show that we are considerate to them.

We can even probably squeeze the opening to 3.2 or so i think - will check with architects exactly how much width we are working with.

Also part of the reason it cant is that we are running the utilities through the wall so we lose some space that way. Hope this all makes sense. Really appreciate all input.

I think if you went wider (as wide as you can), you could have 4 panels in bi-folds which would mean 3 vertical lines / frames in the windows. You could have the middle one lined up with the middle of the windows above if you see what I mean. I think at the end of the day, the house is for living in, enjoying, and architecture is a secondary consideration. I think you'd get more benefit from wider doors.

The slide and pivot are essentially separate doors which can open up to the entire width. So we can have one 'normal' in/out door open the rest closed. Or can open the vent to allow ventilation if needed. They don't take up much room folded. Have very narrow frames, 20 mm I think. Not explaining very well better looking at on website or in person. I'm in West London!