When looking at the cost of bi-fold doors, you need to consider a few hidden costs to get your true price. It is just like a car; there is the cost of the car, and then there is the cost of owning the car. I.e., maintenance costs, fuel costs, insurance costs, etc. And, just as with a car, the costs will vary according to the brand and model.
Note: In this post, we will consider all forms of sliding doors, including accordion, bi-fold, and slide-pivot-stack Panoramic Door.
The 3 Main Costs to Consider
- Cost of structural support (header)
- Cost of Maintenance
- Cost of the door
Cost of Structural Support
Every door and window opening in your home will have a strong support beam above the opening. This “header” will vary in size according to the width of the opening and the weight it must support. With typical sliding doors, all the weight is on the bottom track. So, the header is only required to support the weight above the opening. Unlike sliding doors, most sliding doors, such as bi-fold doors, hang from the header. Because of this, the header now has additional weight to support it. This can cause a unique challenge when you want to replace a sliding door with a sliding door. It is not as simple as taking one out and putting another in. In most cases, you must replace the header with a larger one. This will be a considerable increase in cost for you.
Cost of Maintenance
There was a time in my life when I tried my hand at car sales. All I can say is I take my hat off to those who can do it well. I was not! However, it was a great chance to learn about the true cost of a vehicle. The car brand was a luxury one. And the car’s cost reflected that. What shocked me, though, was the cost of upkeep. The maintenance cost was easily three times that of a regular car. Where a typical oil change might be $30, the luxury model was over $100 at the dealership. And that was the most basic of maintenance items. The price just went up from there. Unfortunately, the maintenance cost on large sliding and bi-fold doors can be the same. Panel-to-panel hinged doors require that all the panels work together. This means they are more prone to issues that affect their functioning over time. When choosing your door system, you will want to keep this cost in mind.
Cost of Your Sliding Door
As you would assume, the cost of a bi-fold/accordion/folding door can vary greatly from one brand to another. You will find prices from around $1,000 – $1,500 per linear foot. But don’t let the cost be the guide to the quality. Because of how doors are marketed (factory direct, through stores, through dealers), there can be different layers of people who want their “share of the pie.” In general, the closer you can get to the factory direct, the better the price will be. You will often need to contact a dealer to get your price, as that is the most common method of getting doors to the market. Understand that it can often take several days if not over a week, to get a price back from an inquiry. Because Panoramic Doors is factory direct, you can request a quote for your Panoramic Door down below.
Conclusion
How Much Do Sliding Doors Cost?
The Panoramic Door starts at around $1000 per linear square foot. Depending on the available options, such as custom colors and wood cladding, the upper range, like Coastal Storm Doors and Chamberlin XL, can be above $1,500 per linear square foot. Above this, you must consider the cost of needed structural changes and maintenance.
The Best Option?
While the allure of a sliding door can be great, the obstacles to getting one can be greater. It was for this reason that the Panoramic Doors created the slide-pivot-stack door.
Panoramic Doors Are Energy Efficient
We have recently introduced our most energy-efficient sliding glass doors with our new Chamberlin Series. The Chamberlin Series door offers Title-24-compliant levels of thermal efficiency, keeping your home comfortable. We also have a Chamberlin XL that is equipped with triple-pane glass for unbeatable thermal efficiency.
Panoramic Doors Are Bottom Track Supported
Because all the weight of the Panoramic Door panels rests on the bottom track, no additional load is placed on the header. This means, in most cases, you will not need to replace your existing header as long as you are not enlarging the opening.
Panoramic Doors Are Factory Direct to the Customer
Panoramic Doors is made in America and sold factory direct. This allows us to keep our prices down so that you can keep more money in your wallet.
Panoramic Doors Request a Quote
Of course, you can have a team member contact you if you would prefer us to do the quote for you. But you can call for a rapid quote if you want to speak to our team directly.
