The cost of fire damper testing varies accordingly to the size of your site and the number of dampers to be tested. In this article, I outline two methods for pricing fire damper inspection projects. You will also find guidance on other aspects to consider before instructing a contractor, to help you get a comprehensive cost.
Fire damper testing – price per damper
This is the most straightforward pricing model and the one we usually offer at Indepth. If comparing quotes, check the price includes:
- Identifying your dampers
- Inspecting each damper for signs of damage, poor installation or other factors which could impair its operation
- Drop testing the damper, the physical dropping of the damper is essential to be sure that it falls correctly
- Cleaning the area, removing any dust or debris that may have accumulated in the housing
- Resetting the damper to its ‘ready for operation’ state
- Compiling a comprehensive testing report, with detailed photos of each damper open and closed and also highlighting any remedial works that are required.
Fire damper testing – price per site
While at the outset, this may seem a more transparent pricing model, it’s fraught with inaccuracy.
If a contractor prices your job in this way, there will likely be a caveat for a maximum number of tests to be carried out within their quotation. If additional dampers are discovered during an inspection, it’s essential that they are also tested for compliance and the contractor is likely to charge an additional fee for doing so or alternatively, leave you with untested dampers.
Another consideration is the need for a separate site survey to ascertain the total number of dampers. This is usually a paid-for process which can add significant, and in my opinion, unnecessary cost to your compliance process. We have recently had one client where our costs for identification and testing were cheaper than their ‘survey only’ quote from an alternative provider.
The cost of in-house testing
Some businesses may feel there are cost-efficiencies through employing a member of their own team to carry out testing. There are several challenges to this:
- The labour cost for your own team needs to be considered
- The competency and speed of testing staff is paramount, using a professional experienced in a variety of damper types is our recommendation. We have taken over in house works for clients and have found we test over double their in-house output.
- The cost of reporting should also be considered. Our teams use custom-designed software to ensure all aspects of the fire damper testing process are recorded, providing our clients with a permanent and comprehensive record of testing and of all remedial/ repairs. Without such software, inaccuracies can easily creep into the reporting process.
Speed and efficiency
We recommend adopting a process like the one our specialist team uses. We undertake inspection, testing and remedial recommendations during a single site evaluation.
For compliance, dampers need to be visually inspected, tested and reset – this can be achieved in a single visit by a competent professional. Inefficiency, and therefore cost, are unnecessarily added to any process that requires multiple inspections around your site. Not to mention to the potential disruption to employees who are working in the area. A carefully managed process, including working out of hours if necessary, will save you time and money.
For a quotation to complete your fire damper testing, please click here.
