Bi-fold and patio doors in Shirley

What should you know before starting in Shirley?

Work like this in Shirley rarely needs planning permission, but parts of the job must meet Building Regulations — certified electrical work, ventilation or energy-efficiency standards, for example. Your quote shows how each part is signed off. If planning does come into it, say for a listed building, Solihull Council is the authority.

Solar control glass can help south- and west-facing rooms in Shirley stay cooler in summer.
With a traffic door on a bi-fold set, you don't have to open every panel to step outside.
Widening an opening needs a structural engineer's design and building control approval.

Postcode district: B90
Planning and building control: Solihull Council
From our West Bromwich base: 10 miles

Choices to weigh up in Shirley

Widening an opening

Turning a window into doors, or making an opening wider, means cutting the wall and fitting a new lintel or steel beam sized by a structural engineer. Building control must approve the structural work. We organise the calculations, temporary supports, steel and making good, and show these costs on their own lines in your quote.

Sliding patio doors

Two or more large panels slide past each other on a track, so nothing swings into the room or onto the patio. Sliders give the biggest uninterrupted panes and the narrowest frames, which makes them a good choice where the view matters more than opening the whole wall. Aluminium sliders also suit wide openings.

Guide prices for Shirley

Guide prices start at £1,200 and run to £8,500 per doorset. Three-panel aluminium bi-fold, about 2.4 m wide, in an existing opening: around £3,200–£4,800 per doorset.

Guide prices for bi-fold and patio doors
Option	Guide price	Good to know
uPVC French or sliding doors	£1,200 – £2,400 per doorset	Openings up to about 1.8 m
Three-panel aluminium bi-fold	£3,000 – £5,000 per doorset	Openings of about 2.4–3 m
Four- or five-panel aluminium bi-fold	£4,800 – £8,500 per doorset	Openings of about 3.6–4.8 m

Guide ranges include VAT where it applies. Your fixed price for the agreed specification follows a free survey at your Shirley address.

Questions about bi-fold and patio doors in Shirley

Which is better, bi-fold or sliding doors?

It depends on how you use the space. Bi-folds open almost the whole width, which suits summer living and wide openings onto a patio. Sliders have fewer, larger panes and slimmer frames, so they give a better view when closed and never take up room when open. Sliders are often the better pick where the doors stay shut for most of the year.

Do you cover Shirley?

Yes. Shirley (B90) is about 10 miles from our West Bromwich base and inside the area we cover. Call 0800 088 6248 or send the form on this page to book a free survey.

How much mess is involved?

A straight swap creates some dust around the opening, so we sheet the floor and protect nearby units. Widening an opening is messier: there's brick and plaster dust, temporary props in the room and a few days of disruption. We seal off the work area as far as practical and clear up at the end of each day.

Will I need permission from the council in Shirley?

You won't usually need planning permission, but the work must meet Building Regulations. Building control in Shirley is provided by Solihull Council or a registered building control approver, and some work is self-certified by registered installers.

Also covering nearby

More services in Shirley

Not sure whether bi-folds or sliders suit your room? We'll talk it through on site in Shirley, with no obligation.