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1. Economically friendly.

With pretty much all of the major stores selling out of fans (writing as one who has tried literally EVERYWHERE) bifold doors are a lifesaver. Being able to invite that warm breeze into your home is a godsend and..it's FREE! No more leaving a fan on permanently and watching your electricity bills go through the roof. 

2. Keeping an eye out...

When the weather is warm the kids naturally migrate to the paddling pool/sand pit/flower pot/grass, and whilst they may be able to entertain themselves completely with a sprinkler system, you still want to keep a watchful eye over them. Bi-folding doors are IDEAL for reclining on the sofa with cold beverage whilst being able to see and hear the children with no barriers between you and them. 

3. Big spaces.

Time for the annual (or at the moment, weekly) BBQ but can't quite fit the in-laws, friends, neighbours, kids, parents etc etc in? Just fold back your doors and double (or more!) the size of your living space. 

4. Keep it contemporary.

Aluminium bifold doors (or any style!) update your home in a subtle and practical way. They can enhance a more traditional style of home, or give a modern home that extra 'WOW' factor. 

5. Don't break the bank!

And lastly (but certainly not least), the financial aspect. This summer you may be sick of being cramped in your home, or your home feeling stuffy and a little unloved - well, don't move house! You can save thousands by simply adding a few well thought-out touches to your own family home. 

That's all folks! But keep your doors open and your sunhats firmly on!

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The Woody Timber bifold door system has been designed with you in mind! The choices are endless - sapele, indigbo or oak hardwood with the natural strength and endurance built for resilience and long-lasting appeal. 

No warping!

These doors are treated in such a manner that they will not warp or twist over the years, meaning that they are a real investment for your property and will most likely see in the next generation!

Your home, your style...

You can choose from 3,4,5 or 6 door panels in a combination of door layouts. The door panels can all fold one way, or you can split the pack and have some doors folding one way and some folding the other way. 

Spring, Summer, Winter and Autumn - it's easy to see how these doors look the part in every season. Wide open for summer or firmly shut for the snowier months - they will always provide a talking point (and will usually incite a fair bit of neighbour-envy!).

Timeless appeal

Similarly to an old hollywood actress, these doors have a timeless appeal and don't seem to become any less appealing over the years! With panels of up to a metre in width, you can maximise on space whilst minimizing the costs of your home update - what more could you ask for?

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Revolutionary doors...

To start with, it may be blue skies (wishful thinking!) for now but living in the UK, rain, wind, hail and sometimes even snow are regular occurrences. You may want your bifold doors fitted this summer for optimum BBQ usage, but come winter you will want to know that they will still be benefitting your home.

The Sunflex has a 900 Pascal weather rating – or in simpler terms, a severe weather rating. Meaning that it will keep your home watertight even throughout the most miserable of winters. Most external bifold doors have around a 150 Pascal water tightness rating – so the Sunflex is certainly ahead of the game.

Light!

Secondly, the main reason you decide to have bifold doors or even patio doors installed is to gain the all-important L-word...light!

What you don't want is a door frame so chunky that your glass window pane is compromised. The Sunflex boasts a tiny profile of just 55mm with little to no space needed to stack the folding doors (when they are opened) and slim, elegant sight-lines of just 115mm.

A wall of glass?

Want a wall of glass, blurring the boundaries between your kitchen and garden? Done! Sunflex doors have a maximum height of 3500mm, meaning that you can fill your wall with doors!

It is easy to see why this door is set to shape the future market of bifold doors. It has everything you would expect as standard with your doors, plus a whole lot more. The doors themselves have been lab tested – opening and shutting over 20,000 times to ensure maximum efficiency for their entire lifespan.

If you are tempted by a bifold door system, and feel that the home you have created deserves the highest quality and functionality as well as fantastic aesthetics, this is the door for you.

Why not try our 3D interactive door design to see just how perfect these doors would work for you, your family and all importantly your home.

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First of all there's the exterior...

You'll be surprised at how much of an effect the outside of your house can have on how you feel about it. 

Plus, it's the first thing anyone else sees if they are viewing the house, so regular maintenance is essential if you're trying to sell. 

So, the best way for instant rejuvenation?

Paint. Head to B&Q, grab a pot of paint and wait for a dry few days and go to town! You don't even have to go for a new colour, if your white's been weathered or your terracotta tarnished, a new lick of paint will do wonders for your home. 

Secondly, windows. They frame our view on the outside world, so really they are one of the most important factors of your inner (indoors!) happiness. 

Weather it's a few new windows or even just new curtains or blinds. Making these 'windows on the world' more attractive, or more to your taste is a brilliant way to spruce up your home. 

Keep colours as light as possible, curtain-wise to allow as much light in as possible whilst remaining opaque. Pale greens, creams and mauves are very popular this summer. 

And lastly, but certainly not least - lights.

Sounds simple, but a few new fixutres and fittings will improve your home no end. Especially in a small space - it is this attention to detail that makes a house a home. 

Be it a large paper lantern, or some low-lighting or lamps, these will make the evenings cosier and the days brighter. 

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A Summer's tale...

Let me paint a picture for you - your new bi fold doors have been  installed, and all the finishing touches to your new-found space have been completed. It's a warm evening and you are setting up the BBQ. 

Friends are arriving, drinks are steadily flowing and your home is transformed into a mediterranean haven, with your living/dining/kitchen space opened up so people can freely come and go, children playing and there is space for all to mingle - maybe even dance...

This is a report we often get from our customers, especially those that have their doors installed during the summer months.

Change your lifestyle... 

Not only are they thanking us for the installation and the manual fitting side of things, but they are thanking us for the lifestyle change it has inspired in them. 

Bringing the outdoors in may be somewhat of a tag-line for us, but it really is the case. 

Now to give you a little inspiration, whether you have just had bifold doors installed or not...try out this delicious (and perfect for BBQ burgers!) salsa recipe to have your guests waiting at your doors (bifold or otherwise!).

BBQ Salsa

You'll need a few large tomatoes (depending on your party size), make a cross in their bottoms and blanche for around 30 seconds, whip them out of the water and place them in cold water.

Once they have cooled, peel the skins and chop into small chunks. Add to a mixing bowl. Next peel, de-stone and chop avocado(s) into similar sied chunks, and stir into the tomatoes.

At this stage, it's really up to you what you add, but a little olive oil, a little tabasco and a good helping of salt and pepper will make a summery salsa with a kick.

Perfect for your 'doors open' BBQ!

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Firstly, remember to plan according to the weather.

For example, now that the sun is around more than 2 hours a week, it might be time to start considering pulling the lawn mower out and showing the grass some attention. It's these seasonal kind of home improvements that you need to begin working into your chore routine!

You need to know what to do and when...

...and the same with any slightly bigger improvements you are making to your home.

Things like painting, or plastering and paving need a dry day. It sounds simple, but you'd be surprised at the amount of projects that are put on hold due to dodgy planning (and occasionally just bad luck!).

But sometimes you can plan for the weather, make sure you keep an eye on the forecast throughout the week so that you can adjust your schedule for the weekend.

Larger projects...

If you are having bi fold doors or windows installed, make sure you are available during the install period. You will want to be around to check the work thoroughly after the job is complete, and for example if the weather is dreadful on the day of installation – there may well be finishing touches that cannot be completed until a later (dry!) date. You will need to make sure you agree these with your installer, and most installers (Bristol Bifold included) will give you a list of what is left to be done (weather permitting).

Now is the time to plan larger building work – even if we don't have clear skies and sunshine every day it is certainly time to get moving especially if the work you are having done involves leaving your home open to the elements for a period of time.

Basically, you need to...

• Set goals – be it dates you want to have things done by, or just a check-list of what you want to achieve.
• Plan accordingly – keep any contacts you may think will be useful later down the line.
• Don't leave things until the last minute – you WILL regret it!

And enjoy your home in the meantime! Having the 'perfect' home for you, is a gradual process. It doesn't happen over-night, so remember to make time to relish the efforts you have made, even if the project isn't completely finished.

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A specialist's work is never done...

Now, although our plans were to attend the Home Build show last week, we ended up having to give it a miss. Not because we didn't fancy braving the ice and biting winds to get there, but because we were just simply far to busy in the office and show room to be able to leave! And whilst this was disappointing, it couldn't be better news for Bristol Bifold! 

Our showroom was full to bursting and with the new addition to our product range, we are getting more interest than ever. In fact, we sold our first composite Sunflex door last week - as soon as it's all installed I will be sure to show you all a picture or 5. 

En Français!

Whilst those in the UK are keeping warm and welcoming their frosty views through their Bifold doors, the French are gearing up for the summer, bbq's and cool breezes. Hence why we have just signed up another job in Brittany (read about our first France trip here...). Our French customers are having a 3 door, timber set installed to their home. 

Whilst the fitters head off to Brittany, in 7 days Simon will be sailing into the sunset to begin the 1600 mile sale on a classic pilot cutter from Bristol to Majorca! Very exciting stuff - keep your eyes peeled as we'll be posting the odd photo on Facebook - just to make everyone jealous! 

Quotes galore..

We've just completed quoting on a houseful of Bifolds - that is, 6 sets of doors within the one house. It's going to look fantastic, but will certainly keep us busy busy busy for the next few weeks. As well as quoting and installing and all that comes with the two (!), we've been on other adventures as well. Our technical and compliance director Peter, recently gave a presentation to Business Netwroking International to introduce Bristol Bifold to it's other members. It's a great organisation, and we received some lovely comments after our speech - looking forward to networking events with the group!

And, finally (almost there!), the new Document 'L' legislation targets are being published in just ten days now, if you missed my earlier post on the importance of Document 'L' then have a read, it's pretty exciting stuff - not just for us but for our customers as well. 

That's all for this week, but remember to check our Facebook and Twitter for our day to day updates, and stunning installation pictures!

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What we've been up to...

A little behind the scenes info from Bristol Bifold this week - while we do spend a lot of our time selling bifolding doors and windows, we also like to be ahead of the game (and on top of our game!) when it comes to the running of a business in this industry. 

This week, our compliance and technical director, Peter, went to a Health and Safety conference at Cheltenham Racecourse. It's things like this that keep us at the very top of our profession, and lets face it, health and safety is at the top of everyone's list in this day and age. It was very informative, and gave us lots helpful ideas to put into practice. 

Origin - High Wycombe

Peter also travelled to High Wycombe, to give a talk to the sales team at our leading supplier - Origin Frames - on the variety of bifold doors that are on offer in our industry and where each of them are made. Keeping ourselves up to date with what everyone else is doing, is also so important when it comes to providing the best for our customers. 

A happy week!

Lots to celebrate this week, not only is Andrew, our brand new (not so new anymore) sales advisor has settled in fantastically and had an excellent day on Tuesday booking in 6 surveys! A new record for Bristol Bifold in one day, which of course won him a well-deserved bottle of bubbly!

It was also Gerald's (our surveyor) birthday on Wednesday - Happy Birthday Gerald! And to top it all off, a new baby calf was born at the farm where Bristol Bifold is situated - to join our company cat!

The future...

Next week we are off to the ECOBuild exhibition in London, to see our brand new Sunflex doors in action. We will soon be offering these as well as the rest of our range. Exciting stuff - teamed with our work in progress - our CAD system. 

Very soon we will have a bespoke, 'drag & drop' CAD system to offer to architects and designers which will speed up their desing and configuration immeasureably - and we're happy to help!

That's about it for this week, but watch this space as we have so much in the pipeline! 

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What is 'Document L'?

Or to use it's official name, Approved Document 'L' of the building regulations. This is essentially a new set of rules, which in six weeks time will be published, and by October this year, the fenestration industry will need to comply with. 

There will be a new target 'U' value, which will need to be 11% lower than the existing (2010) regulations for windows and doors being built into extensions. This is equivalent to the thermal efficiency of the doors and windows as a whole (including glass). 

Still with me? Good. The 'U' value proposed in the new regulations will also be 22% lower for doors and windows that are replacing existing items - for example if you were having a set of french doors replaced with a set of bifold doors. 

These standards are already being adhered to in Scotland and if they are enforced in England, we (and all other specialists) will need to be ready to fit to these specifications come October 1st 2013.

We've got it covered...

Our team at Bristol Bifold have been working towards meeting these targets for months already (as we do like to stay ahead of the game!) and we can already meet both of these new targets - for newly built extensions as well as replacement sets. 

Replacing your old french doors (or other products) will undoubtedly now require triple glazing in they're replacements - which brings me to our very exciting news of our brand new range of bifold doors which we will be selling, the Scenic TG aluminium bifold door. Keep your eyes peeled for more details on this as more information will be released within the next few weeks. 

Replacement will undoubtedly require triple glazing so we are introducing our new range of bifolds the 'SCENIC TG'. Details will follow in coming weeks.

Triple glazed bifold doors are, of course, not just reserved for replacements! Anyone can have triple glazing installed to benefit their home! The lower 'U' values reduce energy costs, as your doors are more thermally efficient - another reason why they are becoming more and more popular and a very sensible investment. 

If you do fancy reading up on the subject further, please drop us a line and we will explain all the ins and outs of the new regulations. In the mean time - get ready for Spring and start improving your home. 

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Onwards and upwards...

As a company, we're constantly improving ourselves – mainly because in this industry if you just sit there and wallow in the business you've already created without striving for new products, new systems and new ideas you will find you're once prosperous market has gone stale.

Happy Birthday BB!

2012 was a great year for Bristol Bifold.... In June, we celebrated our 3rd birthday – with a party! There was cake, party packs and a good time was certainly had by all.

However, it wasn't just the party we were excited about. 3 years of hard work, with our figures and customer satisfaction growing substantially year upon year. Which is generally great news for you guys, and fantastic news for us.

So far so good!

2013 is already looking up for us. We've recently taken on a new employee – Andrew – who will be our new sales advisor.

We are always looking for ways to make Bristol Bifold more efficient as a company, which also benefit our customers. Having Andrew as our dedicated Advisor, means that the rest of the team (whilst always being happy to help!) can concentrate on their specific roles within the company.

This year we are also introducing a new range of doors to our product range – I know I've mentioned this before but it's all very exciting and I will be able to disclose more information soon – I promise!

We've had a a great start to the year, with this January being record breaking for us! It's all go, and that's exactly the way we like it!

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Spring cleaning!

To start with, we've been busy giving our business a (little early!) spring clean, all of our systems have been sharpened and we are about to reveal our brand new look in February – because what better time to give ourselves a makeover than the beginning of a new year!

It's a time when everyone's improving themselves, from losing those Christmas lbs to carrying out those much anticipated home improvements. We're joining in! Watch this space!

New additions to our team...

There have also been a few changes to our staff here, our contract administrator Chloe has sadly left us, meaning a few changeovers.

Mike will be becoming our contracts manager – meaning he'll be the first port of call for most of your after-sales needs.

This also means we have a brand new sales person joining us at the end of the month, & we're very excited to welcome her to the team!

And our most exciting snippet of news...

New doors! That's right. In the coming months we will be introducing several new doors to our product range. We're constantly diversifying and trying to find the very best products for our customers and we think you are going to LOVE our new additions.

I hope you're all enjoying the first moments of 2013 and that it's going to be as exciting and prosperous as 2012.

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Firstly...

We have a sales team made up of our two main salesmen who are the main points of contact for new customers – be it questions about their threshold depth or just a small alteration in their quote, it will generally be the sales team that help you out in the initial steps of your order. You can also check our FAQ.

We have a bespoke online system that allows us to keep an eye on your project, and manage it digitally (even from our mobile phones if necessary!) all the way from start to finish.

Our system works so that it is clear to all our team how far through your order you are, or how near your project is to completion – this way whomever you speak to will be able to help you organise and develop your order.

Secondly...

You will generally meet Gerald for your survey. Once this has taken place, you and your builder will be given several documents to check through and sign to ensure that everyone is 'singing from the same hymn sheet' as it were!

This removes any doubt in your mind as to what's happening, and keeps your builder in the loop, so that everyone is working towards a common goal.

Once the order has been signed up (this happens during the site survey) and the deposit paid, the project is then live. Our contract administrator then takes control of your file and will be your main point of contact for arranging your installation date.

At this stage, your order is marked up into a live file, which has all previous documents, emails, survey notes and drawings in – meaning we're able to keep track of the job from it's beginnings right through to the fit with all documents being organised and easily available to hand.

Of course, this is all filed digitally as well – we are making full use of the technology available to us by having each of these stages detailed in our online system.

We want our customers to feel as included in the process as possible.

So we do like to keep in continuous contact the entire way through the process.

Whether it's good news, or no news – we'll be in touch!

From asking one of our salesman a hypothetical question about the doors, to booking a survey, to placing your order and going over all the different options, to actually scheduling the install and getting ready for the big day.

This slick system also makes sure any aftercare is completed quickly and satisfactorily. Meaning our customers are secure, well informed, and know exactly where their money is going = lots of happy testimonials for us! It's win win!

Although we are now completely, utterly, jam-packed with fits between now and Christmas (and even part way through January) our salesmen are still here to answer any bifold questions you have or just want to chat about a prospective job.

We're here right up until the 21st so keep the questions coming!

.........and a Merry Christmas to you all!

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The saturated South-West!

Weather does play a big part in our installations.

Fortunately, we’ve been lucky so far this year and only have had to postpone one fit because of theflooding.

Which to be honest is surprising, seeing as all of our fits are located in the South West, and often South Wales – both areas severely hit by the ferocious floods of the last few weeks and the gale force winds.

I think anyone with a build project happening at the moment will tell you that the weather is a hugely important factor when making changes to your property, and constant downpours and hurricane style winds are definitely not appreciated.

Most of the sites we’ve visited recently have been mud-baths according to our fitters, especially sites where there is lots of building work going on.

Of course, this is something that can’t be helped, but it certainly hinders our installation process – as there are certain things that cannot (and shouldn’t!) happen during a fitting in such poor conditions.

Rain rain go away...

When fitting on a bustling building site, with dust, mud and paint still being flung around, then it is especially important that your doors are protected with either dust sheets or damp course sheeting.

 The terrible weather we’ve been having recently does tend to add to the chaos of an already building site – making small problems like this more and more common.

However – any problems we have experienced in the last few weeks have been very small, in comparison to the widespread devastation the weather has caused.

Our vans have managed to brave the deep floods surrounding us and power through to their installations as scheduled.

Canoes & Jet-skis to the rescue! 

As you can see above – we are prepared to go to great lengths to get to our customers! 

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The Christmas Deadline...

This is something we hear a lot at this time of year, people's timescales no longer rely so much on the weather, or their budget, or what they want to achieve. The phrase 'as long as it's in before Christmas' is frequently heard in our showroom.

Now depending on the bifold system they are choosing, this is perfectly do-able.

But I would like to remind you (readers, customers, anyone really!) that having your doors in before Christmas may seem like the be all and end all right now, but make sure you are not compromising key elements of your project in order to make this timescale attainable.

Things to consider...

Remember that this is your home and your money and if something isn't quite how you want it to be, you will reminded of that fact every time you walk through your front door.

You need to be aware that rushing into a purchase. to ensure you have your doors by a specific date, could well result in you being unhappy down the line.

Spend time researching not only the product, but the installers you want to use. Make sure you know exactly what you want, and what your installers offer.

Visit a showroom (or five)...

Spend time with their salesman ensuring that any questions you have are answered, and you aren't left with any doubt in your mind about the service you are being provided with.

It's a nerve-wracking thing, choosing a contractor or tradesman to carry out the work on your property. You may think by having made the decision to actually carry out the work in the first place, that the tough part is over.

You've put away the money, you've prepared your neighbours and you've made appropriate living arrangements. Wrong.

Choosing someone (whom at this stage is basically a stranger) is a vital element of your project, and choosing the wrong tradesman (...installer, painter, decorator, builder, carpenter, architect) can have a drastic and often unpleasant affect on your home...and your sanity!

Home improvement isn't just for Christmas!

So it definitely isn't something that can be rushed, or not given thorough consideration.

 Of course, having your home the way you want it throughout the holiday season is important, and most of the time (if you leave a sensible amount of time) this is entirely possible.

Just don't forget about the rest of the year and, to coin a phrase, a bifold door isn't just for Christmas!

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A focus on fenestration...

The 100th episode was a perfect example of this emphasis on fenestration. It was also a great example of how homes serve a totally different purpose now to say, 100 years ago.

Homes now are much less about the practicality (although obviously still important) and much, much more about the aesthetics, and, lets face it – showmanship.

People want their houses to be things of beauty and architectural wonder. Property shows and home renovation programmes constantly remind us that the "wow factor" is what people are after these days.

Something that will make their home stand out as a cut above the rest.

The 'wow' factor!

Luckily, bifold doors have the advantage of not only providing a "wow factor" but being practical as well – but that's another blog post! The property featured in this episode was an old Victorian water tower in London, which had stood for over 150 years untouched. A landmark or a blotch on the landscape, depending on your view.

The couple that were doing it up were primarily interested in restoring it to its former glory whilst incorporating a very modern feel – using only the best materials, technology and craftsmanship.

They had 5.3m sliding doors installed to a section of the property – the four storey living space attachment they built separately to the water tower.The scale of the doors was fantastic, spanning two floors and covering one side of the building entirely.

Kevin McCloud has long since been a spokesperson for innovative and forward-thinking construction and architecture, and it is very evident (certainly in the last couple of years) that homeowners who admire his way of thinking are able to incorporate this into their own projects.

Bifold doors (as you can see above!) are a key element of this re-focus of the fenestration trade from doors and windows which simply 'did the job' to products which not only provide security and shelter but that become a real feature of the home.

Aluminium bifold doors, and their sister products such as aluminium windows and gable end pieces are all part of a construction movement that places equal importance on aesthetic value, without forgetting important elements such as security and economical gain.

(Quotes from Sunday Times – read full article here. http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/style/homes_and_gardens/My_Place/article1140835.ece)

(Picture by http://www.fusionglazing.co.uk/2012/10/water-tower-on-grand-designs-17th-of.html)