Doors · garden doors
Bifold doors
Bifold doors fold back in panels to open almost the whole width of a wall to the garden. Aluminium is the usual frame because it stays rigid across a wide opening with slim profiles. uPVC sets cost less and timber suits a traditional extension.
Is it right for your home?
Suits
- Kitchen extensions and garden rooms
- Wide openings onto a patio or garden
Good points
- Opens the room right up to the garden
- Lots of light even when closed
Watch out for
- The folded panels take up space at the side
- Dearer than sliding doors of the same width
- A new or wider opening needs a lintel and building work
What bifold doors cost
Bifold doors typically cost £3,900 (a three-panel aluminium set, about 3 m wide), with most jobs between £2,500 and £6,000. That includes VAT at 20%. Fitting takes 1–2 days on site.
What you would actually pay
Typical a three-panel aluminium set, about 3 m wide · UK- Typical installed cost Bifold doors, supplied and fitted
- £3,250
- VAT at 20% Standard rate
- £650
- Net cost to you
- £3,900
If you borrowed £3,900.00 over 36 months at 0.0%, it would cost £108.33 a month – £3,900.00 in total, of which £0.00 is interest. The last payment would be £108.45.
Illustration only – not a quote, not an offer of credit, and not financial advice. Rates depend on your circumstances and creditworthiness.
Where the money goes
| Element | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Doors and frame A three-panel thermally broken aluminium set with double glazing and a traffic door. | £1,900 – £5,000 |
| Fitting Removing the old doors or window and fitting the new set level and square. | £600 – £1,000 |
Guide prices including VAT. Your actual cost depends on your home, access and specification.
What moves the price
- Number of panels
Each extra panel adds a substantial sum, and five-panel sets usually need two days to fit.
- Material
Aluminium is the dearest and the most rigid. uPVC sets cost much less but have thicker frames.
- Structural work
Making an opening wider means a new steel or lintel, building control and making good, which can cost as much as the doors.
What should be in a quote
If a quote is missing any of these, ask why before you compare it with another.
- The make and model of the door, its colour inside and out, and the glass in it
- Whether the outer frame is replaced too, or only the door
- The locks: a multipoint lock, and cylinders tested to resist snapping
- Removal of the old door and frame, and making good around the new one
- The threshold, and whether it meets Building Regulations for level access where needed
- FENSA or CERTASS registration, and the guarantee
- Whether a new lintel or wider opening is included or priced separately
Prices by region
Labour is most of the difference. Typical price (a three-panel aluminium set, about 3 m wide), including VAT.
| Region | Typical | vs UK average |
|---|---|---|
| London | £4,900 | +25% |
| South East | £4,600 | +17% |
| South West | £4,300 | +10% |
| East of England | £4,100 | +6% |
| West Midlands | £4,100 | +4% |
| Scotland | £4,000 | +2% |
| East Midlands | £3,900 | UK average |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | £3,900 | UK average |
| North West | £3,800 | −2% |
| North East | £3,700 | −5% |
| Wales | £3,700 | −6% |
| Northern Ireland | £3,400 | −12% |
Common questions
Bifold or sliding doors?
Bifolds open the whole width; sliding doors leave one pane in place but have slimmer frames and more glass when closed. Many people choose sliding for the view and bifolds for summer.
Do bifold doors need planning permission?
Not when they replace existing doors. A new or enlarged opening may need Building Regulations approval for the lintel.
Get quotes for your home
A guide price only takes you so far. Local firms can price the work on your own home, and comparing a few quotes is the quickest way to see what is reasonable.
Compare free quotes