Homebuyer interest in indoor-outdoor living shows no signs of slowing down. If anything, it’s in overdrive:
- Nearly 80% of top housing industry experts agree indoor-outdoor design is the biggest housing trend in 2024.
- Similarly, 65% say sliding glass doors are a must-have new home feature this year.
One of the first national production builders to champion indoor-outdoor living is Toll Brothers (#9 in the 2024 Builder 100 list). Bright, expansive glass wall systems have become a signature design element in many of the builder’s luxury home communities.
A good example of that outdoor ethic is the builder’s 780-acre Sterling Grove community in suburban Phoenix. “We bring indoor-outdoor living into every model we create, regardless of size,” explains Dan Rhea, Toll Brothers division vice president. “The key component is the multi-slide glass door.”
Indoor-Outdoor Transformation
One expert who has a bird’s eye view of the multi-slide glass door phenomenon is Erick Felsch. The 25-year industry veteran has worked extensively with Toll Brothers as the senior director of builder sales for Western Window Systems, a leading manufacturer of large moving glass wall systems and principal supplier to Toll Brothers.
“Toll Brothers definitely leads the charge on indoor-outdoor design,” Felsch says. “They quickly recognized how multi-slide doors transformed the indoor-outdoor experience.”
Yet, to capitalize on this opportunity requires a resourceful manufacturing partner. Few manufacturers are capable of meeting production builders’ requirements at price and scale.
Builders’ Advantage
A volume program is the answer. The program offers home builders standardized pricing, short production lead times, and style advantages not otherwise available. For example, Western Windows Systems’ Volume Program has opened the door – make that a set of big sliding glass doors – to a wide range of luxury, mid-market, and entry level homebuilders.
Felsch cites the experience of a large cost-plus homebuilder. “Offering a large multi-slide door system as a backend option didn’t fit their business model,” says Felsch. “The large glass system had to be a standard feature. The Volume Program pricing made it possible.”
8 Key Questions
When investigating potential large-glass manufacturing partners, Felsch advises production builders to ask candidates about:
- Standard Sizing. Do they offer glass door sizes up to 20 feet wide and 10 high?
- Lead Times. Can they produce doors in short, standardized lead-times without disrupting your workflow?
- Glass Wall System Options. Do they offer unique sizes, configurations, handles and door thresholds?
- Existing Supplier. Are you able to maintain your relationship with your preferred supplier?
- Good-Better-Best Performance. Do they let you pick the performance grade you prefer?
- Standardized Pricing. Do they price differently from market to market?
- Experience. Can they cite long-standing relationships with top home builders?
- Certifications. Can they provide certified documentation of air, water and structural testing performance by the National Fenestration Rating Council and American Architectural Manufacturers Association?
The pressure to include multi-slide door systems in homes has never been greater. Be sure to explore all your options thoroughly before choosing a manufacturing partner.
Discover the exceptional affordability, versatility, and proven value that large multi-slide doors bring to your design.
