Inspired Glazing supplies and fits aluminium bifold doors in Hampstead, NW3, choosing between the Smart Systems Visofold 1000 and the Cortizo bifold for each opening. We fabricate in our own workshop at Fifield, near Windsor, and send our own installers. Hampstead is around 23 miles from Fifield in a straight line, so allow roughly an hour to an hour and a quarter by road, longer at peak times.
Free survey for bifold doors in Hampstead
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.
Where folding doors work in NW3
Hampstead’s housing ranges from the eighteenth-century houses around Church Row and New End to the large late-Victorian houses of the Frognal and Fitzjohns area, built mostly in the 1870s and 1880s. Behind many of them is a garden that sits lower than the street, with a kitchen or family room at lower-ground level that opens onto it.
A bifold suits that kind of room. When the panels are folded back, the kitchen and terrace become one space, and the door can be split so a single traffic leaf opens for everyday use. In a narrow rear elevation, a bifold also uses almost the whole width, since the stack sits tight to one side rather than overlapping a fixed pane.
Some rear additions are cranked or set around a lightwell. Folding sets can be planned to suit a stepped plan, and the Cortizo system can open a 90-degree corner without a post.
Systems and published figures
- Smart Visofold 1000: sashes up to 1,200 mm wide and 2,500 mm high, a typical sightline of 122 mm, glass from 24 to 38 mm, a published U-value of 1.4 W/m²K and a PAS 24 approved roller. Low threshold and integrated cill options are available, and it can be finished in two colours.
- Cortizo bifold: sashes up to 1,200 mm wide, 3,000 mm high and 120 kg, from 1 to 14 sashes, glass from 25 to 45 mm, Uw from 1.1 W/m²K and a PAS 24:2012 certificate.
These are the manufacturers’ maximums. Your actual limits depend on the layout and glass, so ask us to confirm for your opening. Our guide to aluminium bifold doors explains thresholds, glass and hardware, and the Visofold and Cortizo comparison helps you choose. There is background on each maker on our Smart Systems and Cortizo pages.
Camden, the conservation area and consents
Most of Hampstead falls within Camden, and the Hampstead Conservation Area has its own statement, adopted by Camden in 2001, which the council uses when assessing applications. Rear extensions, new openings and changes to the garden elevation may all need consent, and listed houses need listed building consent too. Check with Camden Council early, ideally before your architect fixes the opening sizes. Our page on planning permission for new windows and doors sets out the general position.
If your home is a flat in a converted house or mansion block, you will usually need the freeholder’s or managing agent’s consent before altering the rear wall. Ask for it early, because their surveyor may want to see drawings.
Getting the doors to your house
Many Hampstead streets are steep, narrow and parked on both sides. Where there is no off-street space, a Camden parking bay suspension gives our van somewhere to unload. Camden asks for these to be booked at least 17 days ahead, so we plan the date with you well before fitting day. On terraced houses with no side access, the frames and glass come through the house, and we protect floors and stairs along the route.
Thinking about a slider instead?
If the view from your rear room matters more than opening it fully, a large sliding door may suit better. Our comparison of bifold and sliding doors explains the choice, and our page on aluminium sliding doors in Hampstead covers the Reynaers ConceptPatio 130.
What to expect from us
We travel from Fifield to survey and measure, look at the lintel and the floor levels, and talk to your builder or architect if one is involved. The doors are then fabricated in our workshop, with lead times from 10 days, and fitted by our own installers rather than subcontractors. Every installation comes with our 10-year guarantee, and our Constructionline Silver accreditation helps when a main contractor is appointing trades.
Neighbouring areas
We fit folding doors nearby in Swiss Cottage, Primrose Hill and St John’s Wood.
Start with a free survey
Call us on 01753 965 005 between 8am and 6pm on weekdays or 9am and 1pm on Saturdays, or WhatsApp 07934 152 343 with photos of the opening. You can also book your free survey online.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need planning permission for bifolds in Hampstead?
Not always, but often for new openings or extensions. Much of Hampstead is in the Hampstead Conservation Area, where Camden assesses changes against its conservation area statement, and listed houses need listed building consent. A like-for-like replacement differs from enlarging an opening. Check with Camden Council before you finalise the design or place an order.
Can bifolds open a lower-ground kitchen onto a sunken garden?
Yes, and it is one of the most common uses. The key points are drainage at the threshold, because the garden may sit level with or above the floor, and the structure over the opening. We check both at survey and choose between a low threshold and a weathered cill to suit the levels outside.
I own a flat in a converted house. What consents do I need?
As well as any Camden planning or listed building consent, you will usually need the freeholder's or managing agent's written consent to alter the rear wall, which is often part of the building's structure. Ask early, because their surveyor may want drawings. We can provide the door specification and sizes to support the request.
How do you deliver large glass panels on busy Hampstead streets?
Where there is no driveway, we arrange a Camden parking bay suspension so the van can unload close to the house. Camden asks for at least 17 days' notice, so we book once the fitting date is fixed. If there is no side access, panels are carried through the house with floors and stairs protected.
Which bifold system is best for a tall Victorian opening?
For openings above 2,500 mm we usually suggest Cortizo, which lists sashes up to 3,000 mm high and 120 kg. Visofold 1000 is limited to 2,500 mm high per sash but has a slimmer typical sightline of 122 mm. We compare both against your opening at survey and confirm what each can achieve.