How Much Do Fire Sprinklers Cost in the UK?

Your sprinkler system will need a water supply. You have two options for this:

Mains-Fed System: These systems connect directly to the municipal water supply and are typically less expensive to install. You’ll need to plan for this kind of system at an early stage, as it must be designed to integrate with your existing mains setup.

Pumped and Tank System: Also known as pressure tank systems, these systems are necessary if the municipal water pressure is insufficient or unavailable. They’re more expensive to install due to the additional equipment needed. You’ll also need to plan out where the pump and tank will be installed in advance.

How much of your home do you want your sprinklers to cover? A full system will provide all habitable areas, including bedrooms, living rooms, and hallways, with the highest level of fire protection, at the trade-off of a higher price point.

A partial system will protect specific areas like the kitchen or garage, providing adequate fire protection at a more affordable cost. For example, if you're converting your garage into a home gym, you might opt for a partial system covering just that new space rather than the entire property.

If you need to install sprinklers due to building control regulations, a full setup is typically required. However, building control officers might allow a partial system in certain situations, such as during a loft conversion where only the new habitable space needs coverage.

The larger your home, the higher the fire sprinkler cost. This is because larger properties require more sprinkler heads and longer piping to provide full coverage, adding to the material cost and labour involved in installation.

On top of this, larger buildings often have multiple floors or distinct sections, which require extra planning and potentially different system configurations for each area. This complexity can add to the overall expense. Accessing certain areas for installation might also be more challenging, leading to increased labour and equipment costs.

Are you planning to add sprinklers to a new build or retrofit them into an existing building? Generally, installing fire sprinklers costs less in new builds because the construction process allows for easier access to install pipes, sprinkler heads, and other necessary components right from the start.

Retrofitting existing structures, especially those already occupied, involves working around existing features and potentially disrupting finishes, which can increase both complexity and cost. However, this may not be the case if your property already has a system in place that simply needs expansion.

The cost of installing fire sprinklers might go up if there are obstructions that complicate the work. Pre-existing plumbing lines, cramped crawl spaces, or unusual architectural elements may require more labour and specialised tools to navigate around, which takes additional time and drives up the total fire sprinkler cost.

For example, period properties with original features like exposed beams, decorative ceiling roses, or listed building restrictions often present installation challenges. We need to work carefully around these elements while ensuring the system meets safety standards.

Homes with limited loft access, low ceiling heights, or steel beam structures may also need specialist drilling equipment, further impacting the overall installation cost.