FIRE ALARM advice needed

[John373]

Hi guys. When you don’t know where else to turn forums usually point you in the right direction. So I’m hoping someone here can help.  

 

Im a commercial tennant Letting a 98 sqm unit within a much larger building. 

 

Im currently in dispute with

my landlord regarding fit out costs.

 

One of the costs im disputing is for the installation of a fire alarm.

 

Firstly I’m not even sure I should have this cost as I’m just a tennant renting a space within  their building!

 

Let me explain what they have installed. 

 

A kentec synchro view panel lcd repeater panel. 9 optical smoke detectors and one break glass button. The detectors are installed in a suspended ceiling so I’d imagine a relatively easy install. 

 

Now my understanding of a repeater panel is to act as a slave to a main fire alarm panel is this correct?

 

Also my landlord takes responsibility for testing/maintaining and conducting fire drills which tells me they treat the whole building as one fire alarm system. 

 

What i believe my landlord is doing is charging me a percentage of the entire buildings fire alarm fit out. 

 

I cant imagine how else they’ve came to a figure of £4000 for what I’ve discribed above. 

 

Can someone confirm if my

understanding of the repeater panel is correct?

 

And if possible can someone give me a ballpark figure of what an install like this should

cost?

 

 

john!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Shaunb1905]

Is that what they charged him or he’s trying to charge you? Have you counted the devices or have you seen the certs? Only asking because if, like you say you have a suspended ceiling, they may have installed detection or even a smoke beam above?

[John373]

Hi Shaun. I’ve only counted the optical devices in the ceiling. They are trying to bill me £4000.  They have conveniently lost all invoices. Hmm.  

[norman]

What does your lease say? 

 

The devil is in the detail

[PeterJames]

When I quote for fire I work out my price in the normal way,  days plus parts etc. then I count up the devices and multiply by 140 if the figures are about the same I know I have the price correct.

You need to include sounders, call points, panel, and repeaters in the calc. To me £4k sounds too strong but I havent seen the site.

  

[MrHappy]

6 hours ago, John373 said:

And if possible can someone give me a ballpark figure of what an install like this should

cost?

 

10 devices + controls £2250.00+vat,  I assume there also alarm be sounders..... but I've not costed for these, nor for containment, or access equipment

 

19 minutes ago, norman said:

What does your lease say? 

 

Many moons ago I did 12 systems in a shopping centre tenant  to provide there own system & pay to connect to the centers, connection was £300 per system payable in advance most paid cash on the day, engineer had around £1500 in his pocket for 2hrs work...

[sjsturner]

31 minutes ago, norman said:

What does your lease say? 

 

The devil is in the detail

QFA, if it’s in the lease...

 

for what you have counted up, 4K sounds a stretch to be honest, unless there’s more parts above ect like others have suggested

[John373]

My portion of the building is 98 square metres. I have one call

point. 9 detectors I can see and a repeater panel. It’s a dental surgery  so two surgeries, two toilets, tea room, decontamination room, store room and reception two detectors in the reception area. 

 

The lease is is as clear as mud. However it may say I have to pay for such things. I just feel the cost is extremely excessive. I believe I’m being charged for a portion this huge building. When I only want to pay for whAt is within my rented four walls. 

 

 

 

 

[norman]

To be fair the cost, even if excessive should have been agreed prior to install/invoicing ime.

 

Just think of it as 17 root canal jobs....

 

 

[John373]

Lol. The fire alarm is just the tip

of the iceberg. We have a quantity

surveyor coming in soon.