Inspired Glazing fabricates and fits aluminium bifold doors across Chiswick, W4, using Smart Systems Visofold 1000 and Cortizo folding systems. The doors are made in our own Fifield workshop near Windsor and installed by our own team, who travel in to survey and fit. Chiswick is about 18 to 19 miles from us in a straight line, usually 35 to 45 minutes along the M4 depending on traffic.
Free survey for bifold doors in Chiswick
Made in our own Fifield workshop and fitted by our own team, with lead times from 10 days and a 10-year guarantee. Tell us about your opening and we will book a free survey.
Chiswick houses and folding doors
Much of Chiswick is Victorian and Edwardian terraced and semi-detached housing, with long, narrow gardens behind. A typical project is a side-return or rear kitchen extension that runs the full width of the plot. A bifold lets that back wall open completely, so the kitchen and garden work as one space through the summer.
Side-return extensions often leave an L-shaped or cranked rear wall. Folding doors can be planned around that shape, and the Cortizo system can open a 90-degree corner without a post, which suits a wraparound extension well. On narrower gardens, a single opening leaf for everyday use means you do not have to fold the whole set just to step outside.
System figures from the manufacturers
Smart Visofold 1000
Sashes up to 1,200 mm wide and 2,500 mm high, a typical sightline of 122 mm, frame depths of 70 to 82 mm and glass from 24 to 38 mm. Smart Systems quotes a U-value of 1.4 W/m²K and a PAS 24 approved standard roller, and offers both a low threshold and an integrated cill. The frame can be finished in a different colour inside and out.
Cortizo bifold
Sashes up to 1,200 mm wide, 3,000 mm high and 120 kg, in sets of 1 to 14, with glass from 25 to 45 mm. Cortizo quotes Uw from 1.1 W/m²K and holds a PAS 24:2012 certificate.
These are published maximums, and we confirm them for your opening. For more, see our bifold doors guide, our comparison of Visofold and Cortizo, and the manufacturer pages for Smart Systems and Cortizo.
Conservation areas in Hounslow
Chiswick lies in the London Borough of Hounslow, which has a number of conservation areas here, including Old Chiswick, Strand on the Green, Bedford Park, Grove Park, Turnham Green, Stamford Brook and Chiswick House. Hounslow says Article 4 directions cover all properties in the Bedford Park conservation area, so changes to features such as windows, doors and roofs can need planning permission there.
Hounslow’s conservation area appraisals point to its Residential Extension Guidelines (2017) when assessing rear extensions. Check with Hounslow Council before you commit to an extension or a new opening. Our page on planning permission for windows and doors explains the wider rules.
Access in W4
Most Chiswick terraces have no side access, so the frames and glass go through the house. We protect floors and hallways on the way, and plan the sash sizes so that every panel can pass through the front door and hallway. Where there is no driveway, we use Hounslow’s parking bay suspension application to keep space outside for unloading. In a flat, ask your freeholder or managing agent for consent before altering the rear wall.
Comparing bifolds and sliders
If your garden is long and you want the clearest view from the kitchen table, a slider may suit better. Our article on bifold and sliding doors explains the choice, and our page for aluminium sliding doors in Chiswick covers the Reynaers ConceptPatio 130.
How we work
- We visit from Fifield to measure, check the steel or lintel over the opening and look at floor and garden levels.
- We confirm the system, sash count, opening direction, glass and colour with you or your architect.
- Your doors are fabricated in our own workshop, with lead times from 10 days.
- Our installers fit, glaze and adjust them, and show you how to use and care for them.
The installation is covered by our 10-year guarantee. We are Constructionline Silver accredited, useful when your builder is managing the wider extension.
Other areas we serve nearby
We also fit bifolds in Kew, Barnes and Mortlake.
Book a free survey
Call us on 01753 965 005, Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm or Saturday 9am to 1pm, or WhatsApp photos of the opening to 07934 152 343. You can also book a free survey through our quote form.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need planning permission for bifolds in Bedford Park?
Possibly. Hounslow says Article 4 directions apply to all properties in the Bedford Park conservation area, removing some permitted development rights for features such as windows, doors and roofs. That can bring changes under planning control even at the rear. Check with Hounslow Council, and ask for the Bedford Park schedule, before you order new doors.
Are bifolds a good choice for a side-return extension?
Often, yes. A side return usually produces a wide, sometimes L-shaped rear wall, and a bifold can open almost its full width. Cortizo can also open a 90-degree corner without a post. We design the sash split so one leaf works as an everyday door, which suits a narrow Chiswick garden.
How do you get the doors into a terraced house?
Most Chiswick terraces have no side access, so frames and glass go through the house. We measure the front door and hallway at survey and size the sashes to pass through, then protect floors along the route. If there is no driveway, we apply for a Hounslow parking bay suspension for the van.
What threshold options are there for a bifold?
Smart Systems offers Visofold 1000 with a low threshold or an integrated cill. A low threshold gives an easier step to the patio, while a weathered cill gives more protection where the garden is exposed or level with the floor. We check the drainage and levels outside and recommend the right option at survey.
How long does it take to get bifolds fitted in Chiswick?
Lead times start from 10 days after the specification is agreed, since we fabricate in our own Fifield workshop. Our own installers fit the doors once the opening is formed and ready. If your builder is still forming the extension, we plan the survey and delivery around their programme.