How much should a Fire Risk Assessment cost?

One of the most common questions i’m asked is:

“How much does a Fire Risk Assessment cost?”

It’s a fair question and one that most business owners, landlords and property managers want answered before they commit to anything.

The honest answer is that there isn’t a single cost.

Over the years i’ve carried out Fire Risk Assessments in a wide range of buildings, from small offices and shops to larger commercial premises and residential blocks.

If you’re looking for a quick estimate, LW Fire Safety has an Instant Quote tool that can provide an estimated cost based on information about your property.

But before you use it, it’s worth understanding what actually affects the cost of a Fire Risk Assessment.

Why Fire Risk Assessment costs vary.

Many people assume a Fire Risk Assessment is a standard product with a standard price.

In reality, every building is different.

A small office with a handful of employees is very different from a block of flats, care facility or warehouse.

The time required to inspect the premises, assess the risks and produce a suitable report can vary considerably.

Building Size

The larger the building, the longer the assessment will generally take.

More rooms, more escape routes, and more fire safety measures all requiring inspection.

Building Use

The way the building is used has a major impact on fire risk.

Offices, retail premises, warehouses, schools, care homes, hotels, and HMO’s all present different safety challenges.

Complexity

Multiple floors, Sleeping accommodation, mixed-use premises and complex escape routes can all increase the time required to complete a suitable and sufficient Fire Risk Assessment.

Be Careful of Extremely Cheap Assessments.

This is something I always advise people to think about.

When comparing quotations, it’s natural to focus on price.

However, the cheapest assessment is not always the best value.

A good Fire Risk Assessment should help you understand what risk exists, what needs improving and what actions should be prioritised.

The goal should be improving fire safety and achieving compliance, not simply obtaining a report.

What should be included?

Last week’s blog looked at What a Fire Risk Assessment is, and why it is important, but we’ll touch on this here as I still think it has relevance.

A professional Fire Risk Assessment should include:

• Site Inspection

• Identification of Hazards

• Assessment of People at Risk

• Review of Fire Safety Arrangements

• Means of Escape

• Recording of ALL Relevant Findings

• Recommendations

The final report should be practical, easy to understand and focused on improving safety.

Can I get an accurate cost?

Rather than relying on generic pricing guides that don’t take any property information into consideration, it’s important that a Fire Risk Assessor understands your premises, its use, complexity and occupancy.

That’s exactly why we’ve created our Instant Quote tool.

By answering a few simple questions, you’ll receive an estimated Fire Risk Assessment cost based on your property.

The process takes only a few minutes and there’s no obligation to proceed. We receive a notification of your submission but we don’t believe in bombarding you with calls or emails immediately afterwards, so once you’ve received your quote, the next step is entirely up to you!

If you’d like to proceed or would like any further information you can simply contact us and we’ll be happy to help.