How to Price a Fire Alarm Installation
Fire alarm pricing hinges on the grade and category the building actually needs. Get the classification right first, and the design, device count and commissioning follow.
Fire alarm work spans everything from a domestic Grade D interlinked system to a fully addressable commercial installation to BS 5839-1. The price is driven almost entirely by the system category and grade, the size of the building, and the commissioning and certification the job demands.
This guide explains how to classify the job, survey the building, size the system, and build a quote that covers design, installation, commissioning and the certificate. It assumes BS 5839-6 for domestic and BS 5839-1 for commercial and non-domestic work.
Key takeaways
- Category and grade drive the price — establish them before you count devices.
- Domestic systems follow BS 5839-6 (Grades and Categories LD1–LD3); commercial follows BS 5839-1.
- Cabling and containment are a major cost in commercial work — survey the routes.
- Commissioning and a proper certificate are part of the job, not an afterthought.
- Get the fire risk assessment or specifier's requirement in writing before you quote.
Classify the system first
You cannot price a fire alarm until you know what standard and category applies. For domestic and HMO work, BS 5839-6 sets grades (A to F) and coverage categories (LD1 whole dwelling, LD2 escape routes plus high-risk rooms, LD3 escape routes only). For commercial and non-domestic buildings, BS 5839-1 sets categories such as L1 to L5 for life protection and P1/P2 for property protection.
The category comes from the fire risk assessment or the specifier. Do not decide it yourself on a whim — price to the stated requirement, and if there isn't one, that is the first thing the customer needs.
Get the spec in writing
Quoting an L2 when the risk assessment demands L1 will cost you the difference. Ask for the category and grade in writing before you price a single device.
Survey the building
Walk the building and count the detection and alarm devices the category requires, room by room and escape route by escape route. Note the ceiling heights, construction, and — critically for commercial work — how you will route and contain the fire-resistant cabling. A concealed run in a finished building is far dearer than first-fix in a shell.
For commercial systems, factor the panel, zoning, interfaces to door holders or plant, and any cause-and-effect programming. These push both time and materials well beyond the device count alone.
Doing this on a job? Job pricing calculator — part of TradePlanr. Free to start, no card needed.
Building the quote
Break the quote into design, supply, installation, and commissioning. Materials scale with device count, panel type (conventional vs addressable) and cable type. Labour scales with building size and access. Commissioning — testing every device, checking sound levels, and verifying cause-and-effect — is a distinct line that non-specialists routinely forget.
Finish with the certificate. A fire alarm installation is not complete without a design, installation and commissioning certificate to the relevant part of BS 5839.
Certify to BS 5839
Issue the BS 5839 fire alarm certificate from TradePlanr once you've commissioned the system, so the building owner has compliant documentation for their fire file.
Ongoing service as recurring revenue
BS 5839-1 systems require periodic inspection and servicing, typically six-monthly. Offer a maintenance agreement alongside the install quote — it turns a one-off job into recurring revenue and keeps you as the customer's fire alarm contractor for the life of the system.
From guidance to action
Frequently asked questions
What standard applies to a fire alarm install?
Domestic and HMO work follows BS 5839-6, which sets grades and coverage categories. Commercial and non-domestic buildings follow BS 5839-1, with categories such as L1–L5 and P1–P2 taken from the fire risk assessment.
Why do fire alarm quotes vary so widely?
The category and grade dictate how much detection and alarm coverage is required, and commercial systems add panel type, zoning, fire-rated cabling, containment and cause-and-effect programming — all of which move the price substantially.
Do I need to commission and certify the system?
Yes. Commissioning and a certificate to the relevant part of BS 5839 are part of the job. The system must be tested device by device, sound levels checked, and the documentation handed to the responsible person.
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