Inspired Glazing makes and installs aluminium bifold doors in Swiss Cottage using two proven systems, Smart Systems Visofold and Cortizo. We fabricate each set in our own workshop in Fifield, near Windsor, and our installation team fits it, with lead times from 10 days and a 10-year guarantee on the work.
Free survey for bifold doors in Swiss Cottage
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.
Swiss Cottage homes and how they open to the garden
The streets around Swiss Cottage, in the London Borough of Camden, mix large Victorian and Edwardian houses, many now divided into flats, with interwar blocks such as Regency Lodge and later estates. The area is ringed by conservation areas: South Hampstead, Belsize, Fitzjohns-Netherhall, Elsworthy and St John’s Wood. Typical projects include a rear kitchen extension on a family house, or a garden flat taking its back room out to a long lawn.
A bifold works well where you want the whole back of the room to open in good weather. It also suits L-shaped or wraparound extensions, since a folding set can meet another at a corner without a post. For a garden flat with a modest opening, a three-leaf door with one leaf used day to day is practical and easy to live with.
Visofold or Cortizo for a north London extension
Both systems are covered side by side in our Smart Visofold vs Cortizo bifold doors guide. In short:
- Visofold 1000: each sash can be up to 2,500 mm high and 1,200 mm wide. The frame carries a 30 mm polyamide thermal break, glazing from 24 mm to 38 mm thick, and a low threshold or integrated cill. Dual-colour finishes are available. See our Smart Systems windows and bifolds page.
- Cortizo Bi-Fold: leaves can reach 3,000 mm tall and 1,200 mm wide, up to 120 kg each, in sets of 1 to 14. Cortizo quotes a Uw of 1.1 W/m²K or better and PAS 24:2012 testing. Details are on our Cortizo page.
Actual thermal figures depend on the glass unit, so ask us to confirm them for your opening.
Camden rules and the new Article 4 directions
Camden adopted fresh Article 4 directions for the South Hampstead, Belsize and Fitzjohns-Netherhall conservation areas on 9 June 2026. They remove some permitted development rights from houses and flats, so work you might once have done without an application may now need one. Check with Camden Council before you commit to a design, and read our planning permission guide for windows and doors for the general picture.
Converted houses bring a second layer. If you own a leasehold garden flat, the lease will normally require the freeholder’s or managing agent’s written consent for a new opening. We can provide drawings for that request.
Survey and installation from Fifield
Swiss Cottage lies about 23 miles from Fifield as the crow flies. The drive is usually an hour to an hour and a quarter by the M4 or A40, depending on traffic. Our team comes from Fifield to survey and returns to install. We check the parking controls on your street and agree access, and any bay suspension, with Camden before the van arrives.
Working alongside your architect or builder
Many Swiss Cottage extensions are designed by an architect and built by a main contractor, and we fit into that team. We can comment on structural opening sizes early, so the steel is set at the right height for the head of the frame, and we agree the finished floor level so the threshold lands where it should. Getting this right before the slab is poured avoids awkward packers or steps later.
What to expect
- Survey: we measure the opening and look at the structure overhead and the floor levels either side.
- Design: drawings set out leaf count, fold direction and threshold for your approval.
- Manufacture: the doors are built in Fifield, from 10 days after sign-off.
- Fitting: our own installers hang and adjust the doors and show you how they work.
Comparing folding and sliding
If you picture the doors open most of the summer, a bifold is the natural fit. If you prefer a wide view through large panes with fewer frames, a slider may be better. The bifold vs sliding doors comparison explains both, and our sliding doors in Swiss Cottage page covers the Reynaers option here. Our general aluminium bifold doors page has more on the product.
Close by, we also cover St John’s Wood, Primrose Hill and Hampstead.
Free survey in Swiss Cottage
Phone 01753 965 005, WhatsApp 07934 152 343, or fill in our free quote form to book. Lines are open 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 1pm on Saturday.
Frequently asked questions
Are bifold doors allowed in the South Hampstead conservation area?
They can be, but Camden adopted new Article 4 directions for South Hampstead on 9 June 2026, removing some permitted development rights. A rear change you might once have made freely may now need planning permission. Check with Camden Council for your address before ordering. We are happy to prepare drawings that support your application.
I own a garden flat in a converted house. Can I fit bifolds?
Usually yes, provided the lease allows it and the freeholder or managing agent gives written consent. Many leases treat the rear wall as part of the building's structure. Ask your landlord early. We will supply elevations, sizes and system information so they can assess the request quickly.
Which is better for a Swiss Cottage kitchen extension, Visofold or Cortizo?
Both work well. Visofold 1000 suits standard heights, with sashes up to 2,500 mm. Cortizo allows taller leaves, up to 3,000 mm, and quotes PAS 24:2012 testing. We recommend one after seeing your opening, ceiling height and how you plan to use the doors day to day.
Can bifold doors turn a corner in a wraparound extension?
Yes. Cortizo states its bi-fold system can open at a 90-degree corner without a mullion, so both elevations fold away and leave the corner fully open. The structure above must be designed for it, so we work with your engineer or builder on the steel before we finalise drawings.
How quickly can bifolds be fitted in Swiss Cottage?
Once you approve the drawings, our lead times start from 10 days, because we fabricate in our own Fifield workshop rather than waiting on a supplier. The overall timeline also depends on your builder's programme and any consents. Installation of a typical set usually takes our team a day.