10 Questions to Ask Before Buying Aluminium Doors
Don't order aluminium bifold or sliding doors before asking these 10 essential questions. Protect your investment and make sure you get exactly what you need.
Buying aluminium bifold or sliding doors is a significant investment. Unlike most home purchases, these are manufactured specifically for your opening, there's no returning them once they're made, and no easy modification once they're installed. The questions you ask before ordering are the ones that protect your investment.
1. Is the Frame Thermally Broken?
Ask this first. A thermally broken frame is essential for meeting current Building Regulations and for the comfort and energy efficiency of your home. If a supplier can't confirm their frames are thermally broken, look elsewhere.
2. What Security Standard Does the Door Meet?
PAS 24:2016 is the enhanced security standard required for new-build dwellings and increasingly specified by insurers. Ask for confirmation that the door system you're considering is PAS 24 tested and certified, not just that it 'meets security standards', which is a vague and unverifiable claim.
3. What Is the Manufacturer's Guarantee?
The industry standard is 10 years. Origin offers 20 years, and that gap matters when you're making a decision about something that will be part of your home for 30+ years. Ask what the guarantee covers (frame, hardware, glass, finish?) and who backs it, the manufacturer directly, or an insurance policy from a third party.
4. Where Is the Door Manufactured?
UK-manufactured doors have shorter lead times, better quality control, and direct manufacturer accountability. Import-dependent products have longer lead times and, if a problem arises, a more complex supply chain to navigate. Origin manufactures everything at their factory in High Wycombe, SmartaView supplies Origin exclusively for this reason.
5. What Is the Lead Time?
Quality bespoke aluminium doors take 4–8 weeks from order confirmation to delivery. If a supplier is quoting 2 weeks, ask why, the answer may be stock product rather than bespoke manufacture, which means compromised sizing. Plan your build programme around realistic lead times.
6. Can I See the Colour on the Actual Profile?
RAL colour chips are useful but insufficient. Ask to see the colour applied to an actual powder-coated aluminium profile in natural light. Colours look different on metal than on a paper chip, and different again in your home than in a showroom. Take a sample home before committing.
7. What Glazing Specification Do I Need?
Standard double glazing, low-e double glazing, triple glazing, solar control glass, acoustic glass, the options matter for your specific project. A south-facing kitchen extension has different glazing requirements than a north-facing garden room. Ask your supplier to advise on glazing specification for your orientation, not just quote the standard option.
8. What Type of Threshold Do You Recommend for My Project?
Low threshold, flush threshold, or rebated, the right choice depends on your internal and external floor levels. A flush threshold requires matching floor levels and careful groundwork planning. Ask your supplier which threshold type is appropriate for your project before ordering.
9. Who Is Doing the Installation, and Are They Accredited?
Door quality is only half the equation, poor installation can compromise a premium product. Ask whether the installer has experience specifically with the brand and system you're buying. An Origin-trained or Origin-familiar installer will get the best result from an Origin door.
10. What Happens If Something Goes Wrong After Installation?
Ask explicitly: who do I call, and what is the process? A supplier who can give you a clear, confident answer, 'we handle it directly, here's how', is one who intends to be accountable. Vague answers about 'manufacturer warranties' and 'third-party processes' suggest a supplier who won't be easy to reach when you need them.
At SmartaView, we supply Origin because their 20-year guarantee means we can answer Question 10 with complete confidence.
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Author at SmartaView, writing about aluminium glazing, home improvements and the buying process.
