FireNet Community
FIRE SERVICE AND GENERAL FIRE SAFETY TOPICS => Fire Safety => Topic started by: Mr. P on November 30, 2009, 12:16:40 PM
-
People often ask how much will this or that cost. Here are some real examples that have come my way, do you think the costs seem fair?
1) Remove old manually operated gong from Bld 1, overhaul and refix at Bld 2 £120
2) Electrical Safety check of Bld 2 £280
3) To provide Emergency lighting system to Bld 2 (to BS 5266) £1440
4) Portable Appliance test of goods in Bld 2 £50
5) Company Management Fee £285
-----------------
Total Cost plus VAT £2116
Bld 1
1) New Fire Alarm system to comply with current British Standards (L5) £3307
(on visiting - seems like L1!)
2) Electrical safety Check of the Building & Portacabin £560
3) One off addition Emergency light 3 hour battery life £155
4) Portable Appliance test of goods in building £50
4) Company Management fee £612
---------------------
Total cost plus VAT £4684
Bld 1 is apprx 250 m2, 2 floors
Bld 2 is apprx 40 m2 1 floor
within spitting distance of each other.
-
People often ask how much will this or that cost. Here are some real examples that have come my way, do you think the costs seem fair?
1) Remove old manually operated gong from Bld 1, overhaul and refix at Bld 2 £120
2) Electrical Safety check of Bld 2 £280
3) To provide Emergency lighting system to Bld 2 (to BS 5266) £1440
4) Portable Appliance test of goods in Bld 2 £50
5) Company Management Fee £285
-----------------
Total Cost plus VAT £2116
Bld 1
1) New Fire Alarm system to comply with current British Standards (L5) £3307
(on visiting - seems like L1!)
2) Electrical safety Check of the Building & Portacabin £560
3) One off addition Emergency light 3 hour battery life £155
4) Portable Appliance test of goods in building £50
4) Company Management fee £612
---------------------
Total cost plus VAT £4684
Bld 1 is apprx 250 m2, 2 floors
Bld 2 is apprx 40 m2 1 floor
within spitting distance of each other.
It depends very much on the size, layout and use of the buildings Mr P.
Would need to see layout or plans.
Despite what installers say not everywhere needs emergency lighting and fire alarm systems.
-
NT, I knew it would be a tall order with such vague details, but, more could reveal location/owner & others involved.
Re your comment on light and noise systems, yes exactly where I was coming from. My advice was not to worry with them to the detail in which they have been fitted, but customer went ahead anyway. Alot of money for facilites seldom used, considering small size and the layout etc.
-
They want £1440 for putting E.L. in a 40 sq m single storey building??!
I'll do it for £1400!
Also, I'd be happy to downgrade the L1 system to an L5 for £3200.
Stu
-
They want £1440 for putting E.L. in a 40 sq m single storey building??!
I'll do it for £1400!
Also, I'd be happy to downgrade the L1 system to an L5 for £3200.
Stu
I'd give them a few rechargable torches and air hooters for £140 Stu. Certainly in the small building anyway. Beat that.
-
Why are you asking Mr P?!!!
Whats your involvement?
-
They want £1440 for putting E.L. in a 40 sq m single storey building??!
I'll do it for £1400!
Also, I'd be happy to downgrade the L1 system to an L5 for £3200.
Stu
Pah ! For just £100 I could provide Lassie with a headtorch strapped around her head.
It would be good to get rough pro-rata "cost per unit" guide prices.
For instance cost of an FD30S fitted
Cost of emergency lighting unit fitted
Cost of a detector fitted
etc etc...
-
Warning- it could be the tardis.
-
Warning- it could be the tardis.
Who?
-
Would that be the Tennant?
-
Can`t resist joining in -
I`m a governor in a small school consists of four classrooms, a new system comprising of 7 mcp and 2 detectors to protect inner rooms £8000.
To provide one manual call point £313.
-
Can`t resist joining in -
I`m a governor in a small school consists of four classrooms, a new system comprising of 7 mcp and 2 detectors to protect inner rooms £8000.
To provide one manual call point £313.
Is it a permanent non combustible structure or temporary prefab DD?
-
All of this shows the benefit of obtaining a number of quotations for any proposed works.
It is the only way to establish the 'correct' price.
-
Yes, but look at the acreditations of the companies as well. There are a load of cowboys out there who will fit anyhting to make a quick buck.
My last company got its gutters replaced. The Finance Director insisted on the cheapest quote he could find, the new gutters leak and the company has been done by the HSE!
-
Is it a permanent non combustible structure or temporary prefab DD?
[/quote]
It is a permanent structure built in the 70`s extended in the 90`s false ceilings throughout it isn`t a dirty or difficult installation.
The problem we have is the council has a preferred contractor which is a licence to print money.
As a FSO I have seen the same company quote £18000 for a job that eventually cost £4000. The £18K quote would have put the company concerned out of business.
-
Is it a permanent non combustible structure or temporary prefab DD?
It is a permanent structure built in the 70`s extended in the 90`s false ceilings throughout it isn`t a dirty or difficult installation.
The problem we have is the council has a preferred contractor which is a licence to print money.
As a FSO I have seen the same company quote £18000 for a job that eventually cost £4000. The £18K quote would have put the company concerned out of business.
[/quote]
In short I think the school has been screwed.
-
The council should have more than one preferred contractor, if it doesn't there is something fishy going on. The other side of the prefered contractor scheme is that the contractor may have to put a bid in just to show interest. If contractors don't want the job then they tend to put in silly quotes so they will be rejected. They have quoted so maintainign their status in intereast and they don't get the job they didn't want in the first place. If they do get the job at the silly price then they grin and bear it all the way to the bank!
Contractors do their best to get onto the preferred supplier scheme as even though councils are slow to pay they will pay in the end.
-
I often find that alarm & extinguisher contractors sting customers with over provision & over pricing - I do an FRA and make recommendations, return the year after to find that the works have been done to a category above what is required, the cost was equivalent to using gold plated MCP's and often an important aspect of the cover has been omitted.
I'm doing more & more project work now with clients to supervise specification and quoting of systems, etc and the cost savings are amazing, even though I don't always recommend lowest quote (usually due to concerns about quality/competency).
I've reduced a £20k L2 quote to a £6k L5 in the past, resulting in the works being done and a wholly inadequate existing system finally (after years of trying) being replaced.
I see too much of £80 for a £13 8w fitting, £180 for a £50 extinguisher, plus lots of over specification (look the room has a sink and a kettle - fire blanket & 2kg Powder extinguisher needed!), plus incorrect specification (6 kilo Powder in an office, foam for a 40 Litre fryer, heat where smoke head required, missed exit lock interfaces).
-
K if this was Benz asking, yes it would likely be a tardis type facility!
The reason I started this was because I am often asked how much this or that will cost. That side of it is not my line, However I am concerned that some people will get away with £££'s because of who their customers are. Some try to over specify etc. that was a point trying to be made. I always say get several quotes.
Anyway guys, some DALEKtable responses!! ;D