Bifold doors are one of the most popular ways to open up a room and bring in light, but the price can be hard to pin down before you start ringing round for quotes. Most homeowners in the UK pay somewhere between £2,000 and £7,500 to supply and fit a set, with the material, size and number of panels making the biggest difference. Below we break down what you can expect to pay, where the money goes, and the main things that push the price up or down.
How much do bifold doors cost to install?
The cost to install bifold doors in the UK typically ranges from around £2,000 to £7,500 for a standard supply-and-fit job. Most people pay an average of roughly £3,000 to £5,000, depending on the frame material, the size of the opening and how many panels the door set has.
That figure covers the doors themselves and the fitting. The single biggest variable is the type of bi fold door you choose, since a slim aluminium set sits at a very different price point to a basic uPVC one. Size matters too: a wide five-panel opening uses more material and takes longer to fit than a compact three-panel set.
How much do bifold doors cost by material?
There are three common frame materials, and each carries a different price tag. The ranges below are typical supply-and-fit costs for a standard residential opening.
| Material | Typical supply and fit | Best suited to |
| uPVC | £1,950 to £4,500 | Tighter budgets and low upkeep |
| Timber | £2,000 to £5,500 | Period and traditional homes |
| Aluminium | £3,000 to £7,500 | Large openings and a modern look |
Composite frames, which blend two materials, also exist and tend to sit between timber and aluminium on price.
Aluminium vs uPVC: the price difference
The biggest cost decision is usually aluminium versus uPVC. uPVC is the cheaper option, with most sets coming in between roughly £1,950 and £4,500 supplied and fitted. Aluminium sits at the top end, typically £3,000 to £7,500, so for a comparable size you might pay £1,500 or more on top.
What you get for the extra is strength and slimmer frames. Because aluminium is rigid, the frames can be thinner, which means more glass and more light for the same opening. It also needs very little upkeep beyond the occasional clean. uPVC frames are bulkier and the colour range is narrower, but for a rear opening on a sensible budget they still do a solid job.
Labour and fitting costs
Labour usually accounts for £600 to £1,200 of the total, and most installations take one to two days. A straightforward swap into an existing opening sits at the lower end. If the opening needs widening, or a new one has to be formed, a structural engineer and a steel lintel get involved, and both the cost and the timescale go up.
If you are replacing an old set, factor in removal and disposal of the existing doors, which tends to run to around £160 to £220 a day.
What affects the cost of bifold doors?
Several things move the final price. The main ones to weigh up are:
- The frame material, with uPVC at the cheaper end and aluminium at the top.
- The size of the opening and the number of panels, usually three, four or five.
- The glazing, as triple glazing costs more than standard double glazing.
- Whether you are replacing existing doors or forming a brand new opening.
- Any structural work, such as a new steel lintel to support the opening.
- Access to the work area, which can add time and labour on awkward sites.
Replacing bifold doors vs fitting them in a new extension
There is a useful distinction worth drawing here. If you are simply swapping a tired set of doors for new ones, the figures above are roughly what you will be quoted as a standalone job, plus the removal cost mentioned earlier.
If the bifolds are going into a brand new opening as part of a larger project, the picture changes. When you commission a house extension in Kettering, or anywhere else, the doors are usually specified, supplied and fitted as part of the overall build, so their cost is folded into the single quote rather than billed separately. That can work out tidier, since the same team handles the structural opening, the lintel and the doors in one go.
The bottom line on bifold door costs
Bifold doors are not the cheapest way to open up a room, but few options deliver the same light and the same connection to the garden. Knowing the rough numbers, and what sits behind them, makes it far easier to compare quotes and spot one that is out of step. Once you have settled on a material and a size, you will have a realistic budget to work from before the first installer visits.
