Clear Safety specialises in providing the competent link between generalised Fire Safety findings from Fire Risk Assessment and Inspection regimes and contractor works. Too often, contractors receive general instructions to attend sites and complete remedial works too areas where there can be considerable interpretation involved, and often more works are completed than are needed.
This part of our service results in significant savings in contractor expenditure, directing remedial works at only the individual items that require works, whilst utilising our system and accreditations, to evidence that identified risks can be considered ‘resolved’.
In part 1 of our Fire Saving case study series, we explore Fire Door compliance and cost savings.
Overview
Clear Safety helped a housing provider avoid unnecessary fire door replacements, saving £138,000 while ensuring full compliance with fire safety regulations.
Often, the trigger point for us to provide this service is to attend when a remedial quotation from a contractor is above a certain threshold. In this instance, the Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) had highlighted the need for replacement of ‘some’ composite flat entrance doors and fire-rated windows at a large block in London, which had mainly open deck access. A contractor had carried out a survey and submitted costs to replace all Flat Entrance Doors (FED) in this block.
We attended the site to check the requirement and to cross-reference the quote in question, to ensure its accuracy against the number of doors and the Schedule of Rates codes.
On attendance, our fully trained fire inspector ascertained the specified work was not required for most of the block. Relevant fire safety guidance and a careful inspection for the provision of adequate means of escape for residential blocks was used to come to this conclusion. The reason was that most flats had an alternative means of escape in more than one direction and open decks met the criteria for their width and size of overhang from the floor above.
We highlighted from a total of 40 FEDs and fire-rated windows originally noted for replacement, only 6 actually needed to be changed, which was summarised in our in-depth report.
We carried out an additional joint visit with our client representative to ratify our findings. Our amended specification saved our client money while also ensuring compliance with fire safety standards. Based on these inspection visits and findings, the client saved over 138K. Over time, the savings were much greater, as there were 3 other blocks of the same layout and construction in the complex, which we subsequently pre-inspected.
Client Challenge
A Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) recommended replacing some composite flat entrance doors and fire-rated windows in a large London block. The contractor’s quote, however, proposed replacing all 40 doors, significantly inflating costs.
Our Approach
- Conducted a site inspection to verify the contractor’s quote.
- Applied fire safety guidance to assess escape routes and open deck compliance.
- Identified that most flats had alternative means of escape, making full replacement unnecessary.
The Result
- Original scope: Replace 40 doors
- Revised scope: Replace 6 doors
- Savings: £138,000 (with further savings across similar blocks)
- Outcome: Full compliance achieved, unnecessary works avoided.
Key Stats
- 40 doors quoted → 6 doors replaced
- £138K saved on one block
- Additional savings across 3 similar blocks
Need help reducing fire safety costs without compromising compliance? Get in touch.
See other articles in the Fire Saving case study series:
- Fire Compartmentation Case Study: £130,000 Saved with Proportionate Works
- Fire Team Support Case Study: £202,000 Saved Through Cost Control
