There is a reason they are called "garage" doors.

Thanks.

Are you talking about a door that actually rolls away (i.e. up) like a garage door or are you talking about something like a bi-folding or bi-sliding door? There are a bunch of folks that make really good bi-sliding and folding doors that will give you a large, clear opening.

nanawall.com If your budget allows.

I am open to suggestions. Do you have recommendations for bi-fold doors? Would these be able to simulate the glass lites in our other windows?

Depending on what you are looking for stylistically, Marvin make both kinds of operators in a myriad of different styles. Check out their new modern series: https://www.marvin.com/news-media/introducing-marvin-modern-an-uncompromising-solution-for-modern-architecture

Garage doors, are at their best, around a R-8. With no real windows. Add windows, and you might as well be issuing a gold invitation for constant cold drafts and huge extra utility bills. And still be cold.

Garage doors would never ever meet the required energy codes for windows, so unless this is a seasonally used lake house with no heating concerns, they shouldn’t even be on the table as a possibility. That is why you are getting some of the contractor responses that you are.

The 1K per foot sliding stacking doors like Nanawall are great! For CA, where there are no bugs, and the exterior temperature and humidity is moderate. And there is no real winter. That is not the case in much of the rest of the US.

How many days a year would opening up to the outside actually be possible? How many cooling season days vs heating season days vs neither? Do you have 60 days a year that you could live outdoors with no temperature modifications? What’s the number of payback days for the big expense? Is the patio covered so that you wont have issues with rain or snow infiltration? Is there a local contractor with experience creating the support for the opening and installing them?

Thank you for helping me to weigh the pros and cons. As far as the bugs go, we can if we choose, close that room of to the rest of the house during the time we have it open. Flies are a problem 2 weeks out of the summer. The patio is semi covered with a purgola and thick mature wisteria. Snow isn't a problem because of that. The support is there due to the windows being there according to a contractor. I believe the cost benefit in the end would be worth it based on all the entertaining we do on the patio 3 seasons. I'll check into the Nanawall option. Sounds better than the garage doors. I did find 2 places one in NJ that do "fully insulated" including the aluminium dividers but at a 10K cost.