Guidance required on costing

[shaunmckeever]

I have made some recommendations in a fire risk assessment regarding a number of issues including upgrading of the fire alarm system and fire stopping. My client has asked me to give him an indication of cost. This is an area for which I am not familiar. Is there any guidance on the cost of fire precations other than to go out and get companies to quote?

[Chris Houston]

How many call points and how many detectors does the fire detection system have?  

Is it a full replacement?

How fussy are they about cables being visible?  Is this a high class bank that wants them all hidden, or is visible cables, cable trays etc OK?  What is the building used as?  What Category of system is it (reason I ask is that if it's P1 then all the detectors will likely be together, if it's L5 then they might be more scattered and cable runs will be longer)

Is it a very basic system i.e. point detectors and sounders, or more complex with unusual cause and effect and interfaces?

Is the fire stopping just small sections about fire doors, or long wide roof voids?  What are you looking for?   30 min insulation and integrity or something more robust?  Are there many services in the voids that the fire stopping will need to be fitted round?

Will installation be happening at daytime or at ackward hours?

[shaunmckeever]

Chris, I was trying not to be too specific. What I am looking for is something along the line of 'for an L1 system the price will be in the range of £x to £y per unit and for a P2 system the price will be in the range of £a to £b per unit'. I know architects have similar guide lines on pricing. I believe there is something around for pricing of fire safety precautions.

[Chris Houston]

There shouldn't be too much difference between the price per unit between a L1 and a P2 system.  As a total shot in the dark, you could get a system for between £150 per component to £300 per components, with £250 being my best guess.  Add a few hundred for the central equipment or a few thousand for a larger system.

Don't quote me on this, it's a total shot in the dark.  I'd get some quotes, and get a few, fire alarm companies prices vary wildly depending on how busy they are, if they want the business, who quotes it etc etc.

[shaunmckeever]

Thanks Chris

Since posting I have contacted the Architects Journal - a friend gave me a lead there - they produce a guidance price list for products for fire resistance such a dry casing, intumescent paints, extinguishing systems and fire alarm systems etc. They informed me that they update this guidance every July. It may be useful for other fire consultants who may have to give guidance costs on their recommendations.

Best regards
Shaun

[Chris Houston]

Excellent stuff.  Feel free to tell me how wrong I was then.  ha ha.

[Graeme]

I have made some recommendations in a fire risk assessment regarding a number of issues including upgrading of the fire alarm system and fire stopping. My client has asked me to give him an indication of cost. This is an area for which I am not familiar. Is there any guidance on the cost of fire precations other than to go out and get companies to quote?

is the existing system addressable or non addressable(conventional)?
Have you recommended upgrading existing equipment and/or installing additional ones?


you might be able to get a price guide out of a manual but you will still need a company to install it who will add on whatever percentage to the materials and labour will vary on the size of the job.

[AnthonyB]

We've had the "costing" question before - to be honest we try & stick to making the recommendations only as costing is difficult as no two jobs are the same. If we have to give costings we will get job specific quotes from a selection of contractors.

If the client gets their own quotes advise them to send you copies of the specifications of what you are getting for your quote as some expensive mistakes/shortcuts/ommissions have been made where an FRA specifies a level of cover, it is left to the contractor to get on with it & the result the installation is deficient with extra works required afterwards

[Graeme]

you will have to also take into account visual alarms i.e if the building has accomodation.They will need to be put in the sleeping rooms to comply with the DDA.(Disabilities Discrimination ACT)

[shaunmckeever]

Thanks GJM. I'm pretty confident on what to advise, although I'm never one to ignore other advice (always the chance you might overlook something!).

We am normally the same as you Anthony but we have been approached a few times recently to provide rough costings. We normally advise that our clients get their own independent quotes - we don't want to be seen to align ourselves with any particular supplier but rather to be totally independent. However I think the exercise is good because when I make recommendations I think it will be useful to have an idea of what it might cost the client.