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i-folds,sliders&patiodoors
Bi-folding
Materials &Markets
Bi-folding doorssales are
very buoyant despite
the relatively high price
tag for a single home
improvement product.
Consumers have been inspired
by the likes ofKevin McCloud
and the Grand Designs show to
look at their property not just in
terms ofbricks and mortar but in
terms oflight and space.
Without question, adding abifolding
door to any building project
adds considerablelight, flexibility
and offers atrue sense of
grandeur. Asahigh ticket item
and as we continue the steady
march out of economic recession,
the market for these doors
will continue to prosper.
Encourage spending
We should also consider the current
economic status with regard
to bank lending and the housing
market. Lending from the banks
is never likely to be so liberal
again for many years, following
the banking crisis and this not
only impacts on first time buyers
but also those consumers wanting
to move up the housing ladder
with arelatively limited budget.
The result isthat consumers
do have a level of disposable
income and adesire to improve
their living environment but we
need to identify and entice them
to do so.
Abi-folding door can make a
radical transformation for the
key living areas in ahouse, particularly
the lounge and dining/kitchen
areas. In the new
build market, style savvy developersare
already introducing bifolding
doors often atthe back
of properties and even integrat-
Jim Kelleher,sales and
marketing manager for KAT
UK, looks at the options in
the bi-folding and sliding
door market. From different
product materials to
numerous different
applications, there’s
actually more toconsider in
this market sector than you
may believe…
ing them into luxurious apartments.
This premise is also equally
applicablefor extensions, with
homeowners eager to add
space and style.
Replacement
In some housesthere is already a
suitable opening for abi-folding
door where currently a large
patio door is in place with atypical
span of 2.0 -2.5m. There
are also opportunities where
there are French doors on the
back of properties with fixed
lights either side. For the sales
savvy installation companies
with ahistory, there’s the opportunity
to go back and sell abifolding
door as an upgrade to
existing customers.
Bi-folding doors are also increasingly
specified for conservatories,
according to the latest statistics
from the Palmer Report,
which suggests that their adoption
has increased three-fold
over the last 12 months. This isn’t
surprising as the value and size
of conservatories increases.
New conservatories are being
installed with bi-folding doors as
an upgrade to French doors and
sliding patio doors and also as
part ofthe overall conservatory
or Orangery design. They are
also being incorporated into
conservatory refurbishment projects,
where existing homeownerswant
to re-ignite their passion
for extended living.
Materials and price points
In terms ofmaterials and price
points bi-folding doors are now
available in PVC-U, aluminium
and timber (all single or dual
colour) and this is something that
we’re pioneering at KAT UK.
Each material has its own merits
and are suitable for different
types of project.
PVC-U bi-folding doors have
come alongway in recent years
and there are now afew second
generation dedicated systems
outthere in themarketplace.The
dedicated systems by far outperform
earlier ones that have been
manufactured with existing window
and door system profiles
and they also provide better
sightlines with less PVC-U and
more glass.
Foiled again
These dedicated PVC-U bi-folding
door systems typically
require no dummy mullion,thereby
creating an uncluttered door
22 |Bi-folds,Sliders&PatioDoors | theinstaller