Bifold doors are glazed panels that fold and stack to one side to open up a wide gap, while sliding doors glide past each other on tracks; both connect a living space to the garden and bring in more daylight.
Getting bifold or sliding doors right in Derry/Londonderry starts with understanding the house you already have: its age, how it was built and what has been altered over the years. We survey first, then commit on paper to a price that holds as long as the scope stays the same. Across Northern Ireland, guide prices run at £2,600–£6,900 including VAT, and homes in Strabane, Limavady and Coleraine are covered too.
- Guide price
- £2,600–£6,900 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 1–2 days to fit into a ready opening
- Postcodes
- BT48
- Planning rules
- Northern Ireland
- Local area
- Derry
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
What should you budget for bifold or sliding doors in Derry/Londonderry?
What should you budget for bifold or sliding doors in Derry/Londonderry? Use the figures below as a starting point. Prices in Northern Ireland sit about 14% below the national guide, so the range here is £2,600–£6,900 including VAT. Your fixed price comes in writing once we've surveyed the property, at no charge.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Derry/Londonderry |
|---|---|---|
| uPVC sliding or French doors | Standard uPVC doors fitted into an existing opening of up to about 2m. | £1,300–£2,600 |
| 3m aluminium bifold | A three-panel aluminium bifold in a standard colour, fitted into a ready opening. | £3,000–£6,000 |
| Wide bifold or slimline slider | Openings of 4m or more and slim-frame doors, often with a new steel above. | £6,000–£12,000 |
Your price depends mostly on:
- Width and height of the opening and number of panels
- Glazing upgrades such as solar control or triple glazing
- Widening the opening with a new steel beam
- Threshold type, colour choice and built-in blinds
What’s included?
- Measured survey of the opening, lintel and floor levels
- Toughened double glazing as standard, with solar control options
- Removal of existing doors or windows and disposal of waste
- Level or low threshold options to suit your patio
- Weather seals, cills and internal trims finished neatly
- Building regulations sign-off arranged for the new doors
What are homes like around Derry/Londonderry?
Derry has Georgian and Victorian terraces around its walled city, alongside large post-war estates and newer developments. Coleraine, Limavady and Magherafelt mix older town centres with semis and estates, Portstewart has seaside villas, and rural areas have many detached homes and bungalows, often roughcast.
Terraces suit loft conversions and rear extensions, while rural bungalows commonly take extensions, loft rooms and driveways. Roughcast homes often need re-rendering, and coastal houses need roofline and window renewal.
That variety is why a guide price for bifold or sliding doors in Derry/Londonderry is only a starting point; the survey shows what your particular property needs.
Do you need permission in Derry/Londonderry?
Derry/Londonderry is in Northern Ireland, so the planning and building rules set out below are the ones that apply. We confirm the details with the council before we quote.
In Northern Ireland, like-for-like replacement windows and doors on a house rarely need planning permission. Listed buildings and conservation areas are the main exceptions, so check with the council before changing style or material.
The Building Regulations (Northern Ireland) apply to replacement windows, so the work needs building control approval or sign-off through an approved competent person route.
Rules change and every property is different, so we check the planning history and constraints for your address before we quote.
What happens after you get in touch?
A visit to your home
First, someone visits your home in Derry/Londonderry to see the space, take measurements and note anything that could affect the work, such as access or the condition of what is there. There is no charge for this visit.
Price and scope agreed
The quote arrives in writing, not over the phone. It covers the full scope, the finishes you've chosen, any exclusions and the payment schedule, with a fixed price tied to that specification.
Getting ready
Before anyone starts, we confirm the programme in writing, check whether consents are required and arrange deliveries. If a skip or scaffolding on the road needs a permit, we apply for it.
Build and hand over
Our trades complete bifold or sliding doors while your point of contact keeps you updated. When everything is finished, we clear the site, take away waste and go through the result with you before handover.
What you can expect from us
Common questions
Do I need planning permission in Derry/Londonderry?
It depends on the work, the size of the project, your property type and whether the building is listed or in a conservation area. Derry/Londonderry is in Northern Ireland, so Northern Ireland's rules apply. Many smaller jobs need no planning application, but some still need building control approval. We check what applies to your address before quoting.
How long do bifold doors take to make and fit?
Aluminium bifold and sliding doors usually take several weeks to manufacture after the survey, depending on the supplier and colour. Fitting into a ready opening normally takes one to two days, including sealing and finishing trims. If we are widening the opening, allow a few extra days for the structural work and making good before the doors arrive. We give you the expected timeline with your quote.
Can you fit bifold doors where I have a window now?
Bifold doors can usually replace a window by cutting the wall down to floor level and, if the opening is being widened, fitting a new lintel or steel beam. A structural engineer sizes the beam, and building control approval is needed. Radiators, pipes and cables under the window may need moving. We check all of this at the survey and include it in a single written quote.
Should I choose bifold or sliding doors?
Bifold doors suit you if you want to open the whole width to the garden, because the panels fold and stack to one side. Sliding doors suit you if you mainly want the view, because they have fewer, larger panes and slimmer frames, though only part of the width opens. Sliding doors also take up no room when open. We help you weigh up how you will use the space in summer and winter.
Do you cover Strabane, Limavady and Coleraine?
Yes. As well as Derry/Londonderry, we cover Strabane, Limavady and Coleraine and the rest of County Londonderry. Our coverage is UK-wide, so the process is the same wherever you are: a free site survey, a quote in writing that fixes the price for the agreed scope, and one point of contact while the work is planned and carried out.
Nearby towns
Whether you're in the centre of Derry/Londonderry or on its outskirts, BT48 addresses are covered. We extend the same service, and the same fixed-price approach, to Strabane, Limavady and Coleraine.