Practicaility of Bi-folds

O Hills

New member
Considering bi-folds for new home.  They look great, IMO, but not sure how practical they are.

Seeing TI posts about ants, wildlife and even black widows, I'm not sure how often I'll leave them open to enjoy the indoor/outdoor space.

If you've got them, I'd appreciate any real world feedback.
 
I think the main con to the folding doors is not being able to have a screen door too.

That will at least keep the flying insects at bay.

You may also want to move this to the Owner's Issues subforum.

I don't really like the title "Owner's Issues" but that seems to be where all the threads regarding household items go.
 
Thanks, moved.  I'm an owner and I have all kinds of issues, so I guess it fits.

I wonder if retractable screens would work. 
Might kinda defeat the purpose.
 
O Hills said:
Thanks, moved.  I'm an owner and I have all kinds of issues, so I guess it fits.

I wonder if retractable screens would work. 
Might kinda defeat the purpose.

Bugs in Irvine are small enough where they can get through the screen when lights are on inside. I see some neighbors with no screens, lights on, and balcony doors wide open. I wonder if they get eaten alive?
 
I love bifold doors.  I actually love the stackable doors that go into the wall more like La Vita has.  Once open, indoor/outdoor space becomes seemless IMHO. 

Couple of issues I've seen. 

1.  Bugs/insects/flys
By far the biggest nuisance is flys when you have a bunch of food on the island with the stackable doors open.  Not sure what can be done as this occurs both during the day and night. 

2.  HVAC
If it's super hot outside, leaving the doors open is counterproductive to keeping the house cool.  Best to just entertain on moderate temp days or leave them closed if you want some semblance of a cool house.

3.  Shoes
People will have to leave their shoes on if going back and forth from inside to outside, especially entertaining a large group.  Best to have hardwood, tile or stone and wipe it after the party.  Just the nature of indoor/outdoor parties.  You can't possibly ask 30+ people to keep taking their shoes on and off every time they go inside/outside...or maybe you can, who knows, I wouldn't.

4.  Bifold doors will eat into the exterior space when open.  When fully open the stacked bifold doors go out into the Loggia/CA room/yard and eats up some real estate where you might of wanted to put a chair or table.  This is why I prefer stackable doors that disappear into the wall.

These are all minor points to me.  The ability to open up the outdoor space into a continuous area from the great room more than outweighs these issues IMHO especially if you're a family that entertains often.  If you don't entertain a lot or if any of the above issues are deal breakers, don't get them cuz it's an expensive option.  But know this, it's a structural upgrade, changing your mind after and trying to do it after COE isn't impossible, just a major undertaking and will be more expensive.
 
Paris167 said:
I didn't have the option to choose - the home was already structurally built for the bifold doors so I'm getting them. It's nice that way because I don't have to pay extra for them.

Don't pay extra hehe. :)
 
I have never heard of bifold doors being standard.  Paris, was your lot pre-plotted with the bifold doors already picked as a structural option?  If so, you are paying extra it's just built in to the original cost.
 
insectakill-40.jpg


Get one of these, should come standard with bi-folds
 
Paris167 said:
I didn't have the option to choose - the home was already structurally built for the bifold doors so I'm getting them. It's nice that way because I don't have to pay extra for them.

I also personally love the indoor outdoor vibe. Especially when entertaining you get more living space to entertain where groups aren't separated indoor vs outdoor. I guessi'll find out how practical it is on a daily basis once I assess the bug situation in OH :)

You almost certainly did pay for them; they were merely incorporated into the purchase price of the home. For example, you'll notice that at least for Amelia and Trevi, the cost of phases 3+4 were lower than those for 1+2, where all the structural options were already chosen. It's not that TNHC was having trouble selling the homes and decided to discount the later phases, but that those later phases didn't have the structural options already chosen.
 
We have a bi-fold door in our great room. We rarely open it up, but when it we, it's quite nice. The reason we don't regularly open it up is mainly the bug-issue (so many damn flies!). If not for the flies, we'd be opening it up more frequently, weather/temps permitting.

We were considering doing the bi-fold doors on 3 sliders instead of just the 1 we did. We're quite glad we didn't do it on the other 2 sliders because it'd have been a big cost with decreased benefit (leaving sliders open with screen doors). Plus, the impact of the additional 2 sliders would've been much less as they're in a less-used area.

The model homes often do it on as many doors as offered because they're quite nice and dramatic, they don't worry about flies so much, and if they have to run the AC a bit more, so be it if it sells the home and/or induces people to upgrade.

Overall, I think they're useful and a good idea, within reason, and as long as you realize the main downsides, as well articulated by OCgasman above.
 
ps9 said:
insectakill-40.jpg


Get one of these, should come standard with bi-folds

This would definetly add entertainment value for the kids.
Would it get disgusting with blood/carcasses pretty quick though?
 
Paris167 said:
OCgasman said:
I have never heard of bifold doors being standard.  Paris, was your lot pre-plotted with the bifold doors already picked as a structural option?  If so, you are paying extra it's just built in to the original cost.

In a sense yes most of it is probably built into the price. But the lot was pre-plotted with the conservatory + master sitting area + bifold doors + CA room and all these options cost according to the pricing sheet is $47695 to be exact :)

My price for the home $1.32mil which phase 1 pricing was $1.285mil. So I'd like to believe I got some little extras - make myself feel better lol

O hills - bifold doors $8440 in vinyl, $22695 in aluminum (which is ridiculous)
Well, to make a fair comparison apples to apples, you have to see what was pre-plotted for phase 1.  If phase 1 was spec'ed out exactly like your house, you did well.
 
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