Why Does a Fire Risk Assessment Cost?
Typical Price Ranges
Typical costs for a Fire Risk Assessment can vary depending on the size of your premises. For example a small office or shop could cost anywhere from £150 to £300 for a report. A medium sized premises such as a warehouse or large retail unit could cost anywhere from £300 to £600. Large premises or complex buildings such as blocks of flats or offices with multiple floors and rooms could cost anything from £1,000 upwards.
How Building Complexity Affects the Price
Additional factors such as the number of floors, number of ways of escape and fire compartmentation also all increase the time required to complete the assessment and therefore increase cost. So a simple single storey premises with 10 staff would be quicker and therefore cheaper to carry out than a 4 storey building with multiple stairways and 20-50 staff.
Basic Check vs. Full Written Report
A basic fire risk assessment can cost anywhere from £100 for a verbal or summary report to around £300 for a full written report with an action plan. However, under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, a full written report with an action plan is generally what is required for a fire risk assessment. This type of report would typically cost around £50 to £150 more than a basic fire risk assessment. See also Fire Risk Assessment Northamptonshire.
Reassessments and When You Need One
The cost of a fire risk assessment following a change to a property is generally less than that of an initial assessment. The cost can be anywhere from £100 down to £200 less than the initial price, as the fire risk assessor is only updating existing work and therefore not spending as much time assessing the property. The frequency of which a fire risk assessment should be carried out is a topic of much debate, but typical recommendations are for a full written report to be carried out every 1-3 years or following a major refurbishment.
What to Watch in Cheap Quotes
Check whether they include the written report in the price or whether this is an additional cost. Find out what qualifications the assessor holds. Many fire risk assessors hold qualifications such as NEBOSH Fire and IFE membership. Also, find out if they will charge for a follow up visit to verify completed actions.
A little research up front can save you from expensive shocks later on.
