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We have a conservatory that is currently accessed via 2 bog standard plastic doors that open out into the conservatory, thus reducing the amount of space we have. The plan is to use the conservatory as our main dining room as it looks out onto the garden etc so we can enjoy nature as we eat it yadda yadda.

We would eventually like to replace these door with either some decent sliding or bi-folding doors. Has anyone got any experience in something similar. What kind of costs are we talking?

Bi-folds = £££

I'd just remove the doors entirely. Technically you're not supposed to because it then falls outside permitted development rules, but many people do. You'd just need to put a door back in before you sell the house (or hope the buyer turns a blind eye to it).

Does it? There may be building regs implications but internal works have nowt to do with permitted development.

I'm probably confusing my terminology. I've always been of the understanding that an interior door between the house and conservatory should be retained or full planning would be needed, in which case it'd likely fail because of the terrible thermal efficiency.

Google tells me I'm mixing up the need for PP with building regs. Building regs are needed if it's not a self contained room.

That is one thought. But the house is old and would be even colder without doors so we would have to do something with the insulation from the conservatory as well which would add to the cost.

I think that's it, I would agree the best solution would probably be just remove, bung the doors in the attic to reinstall if you ever want to sell.

My concern would be the extent of pissing money up the wall heating the conservatory, When we did our extension we put sliding patio doors on the end of the living room to access the patio/garden and even with very thick double glazing you can still tell the heat being lost by the fact that when you close the curtains the room gets much warmer.

Bi-fold are something like £1k per metre of door. Things to also consider is your bricks:glass ratio. Too far to the glass side and your heat retention could be bollocksed.

The new house I'm buying has 2 sets of bifold doors on them, one on the kitchen and a set on the lounge that are about 6 metres wide. They are good if opening on to the outside as they completely open up the room but not sure how good they'd be opening into a conservatory as they will still need fold up at one end so will take up space.

Thanks all for the feedback.

I'm thinking Folding French doors similar to these might do the trick.

https://www.aspire-doors.co.uk/internal-doors/internal-folding-french-doors

They certainly look like they take up less space than the bifold doors.