Bifolding and sliding door guarantees vary from product to product and depend on the manufacturer making them too. Typically, you can expect a ten-year warranty with most new aluminium doors and windows. In this article, we give you general advice about bifolding and sliding door guarantees, how they vary and also managing expectations with products.
Why bifolding and sliding door guarantees matter
For many people buying new windows and doors and especially expensive patio door products, customers, a peace of mind warranty is important in their buying decision. The purchase of an expensive folding for sliding door is a significant financial investment. Where these are intended in a long-term property, knowing what you’re covered for also matters.
You may understandably be concerned about having to pay a substantial deposit before you even see any products. Not to mention rare cases of companies carrying out shoddy work or going under before you get your new windows.
In the vast majority of cases, installations go well and you’ll be delighted with the end result. However, many different components from a wide variety of manufacturers go into your new doors. As a result, the bifolding and sliding door guarantees may vary or be subject to specific terms. Here’s an explanation of just some aspects of your new doors to consider.
How long should the guarantee be on new doors?
It depends. You’ll find a ten-year warranty with many products and this tends to be the standard across the industry.
Some installers are so confident in the quality of the doors and windows they sell that they’re happy to provide their own 20-year guarantee and stand by it, even if they don’t get the same 20 years from their suppliers.
It’s the same with the manufacturers and the bifolding and sliding door guarantees they provice. Origin products are well-known for having twenty years manufacturer warranty. Everglade Windows making the aïr brand of windows and doors provide 25 years. Dutemann, an independent manufacturer of Schuco bifolds and other products again offers 20 years. So it very much depends on what you buy and who makes the product. However, certain items of your doors are excluded from the general guarantee.
Guarantees with glass units
Shop around, ask questions and you’ll find that many of the glass units you get with your new doors and windows only come with a five-year guarantee. This warranty is set by the manufacturer of the glass and not your installer.
Some installers will simply include the glass within their overall warranty of ten years. Others will exclude the glass. So ask the question specifically about the glass and how it affects your warranty. Most companies will be clear about this in their terms and conditions.
Guarantees on integral blinds in doors
If you’re thinking about the latest glass with built-in blinds, again it’s worth checking specifically what these glass units come with. For many brands of blinds, they only come with five years and this is fairly typical from most manufacturers of these blinds.
The powder-coated finish on your new sliding or folding doors
Bifolding and sliding door guarantees may vary depending on the colour you choose. For example, matt finishes tend to have a slightly longer warranty than gloss. There are also considerations if your home is near the coast.
The guarantees on the paint finish usually cover only the paint and no other aspect of your doors. Remember, no product is fit and forget and our advice is to clean your frames regularly to get the longest life out of your powder coated colour.
Bifolding and sliding door guarantees with exterior handles
Some sliding and folding doors come with specific designs of door handles. Again these handles are sourced from outside suppliers and hardware manufacturers. Therefore, the warranty you get may vary.
Once again the advice is to check whether your handles are covered under the overall guarantee or if they’re limited. Some handles only come with 12 or 24 months so do ask the question.
Why the brand affects the guarantee you get
Certain upper-level brands of doors and windows and only sold through an approved dealer network. Origin, Solarlux, Centor, Sunflex, aïr products are good examples of doors not generally available through trade counters or any installer. By comparison, Schuco, Reynaers, Aluk, Smart Systems are brands widely available.
If you buy a product through a dealer network, the guarantee is generally better because a trained installer has fitted the doors and they’re approved to buy them. This doesn’t mean other brands are sub-standard. The brands operating via a dealer network, work hard to train their dealers and give you the best possible experience. As a result, the guarantees are longer.
Bifolding and sliding door guarantees when buying online
Buying your doors and windows online is not for the faint-hearted. You need to be absolutely certain of the product warranty you’re getting. Do not expect anywhere near the warranty you get compared with the full installation route.
Guarantees when your builder fits the doors
Builders tend to buy doors and windows via the trade route and therefore they don’t get the full ten-year warranty most installers provide.
Only your builder can confirm the guarantee you’ll get when they supply your products. Therefore do your research and ask specific questions about glass, the colour and the installation itself. There’s nothing wrong with buying doors and windows for your builder to fit as long as they know what they’re doing. There are even companies set up exactly for this purpose.
Bifolding and sliding door guarantees when you buy the property
It’s natural not to care about bifolding and sliding door guarantees if you’re planning on selling your home. If you’re buying a property with recently fitted doors and windows, where do you stand?
In the vast majority of cases, the warranty only applies to the person buying the doors and windows. So if you’re planning on buying a property and there’s a problem with the doors you may find yourself not covered. Don’t be surprised to find exclusions, limitations or that the warranty only applies to the purchaser of the doors, not the new owner of the property.
Getting the best experience buying new doors and windows
Going down the full installation route is the best way to get the longest warranties. A professional installer will outline clearly how you’re covered and what the manufacturer warranties actually mean for you.
We’ve deliberately not covered installation guarantees in this article as here we’ve focused on products and their components. You can get in touch for more information and advice.
