Home Sprinkler System Cost Guide for 2023
A home sprinkler system, sometimes called a fire suppression system or fire sprinkler system, is a good way to keep your home safe from the effects of house fires. A typical system installed in a 3-bedroom home costs around £3,000-£5,000, so it's important to make your decision carefully and get a range of quotes. Read more about the factors that make up the cost in our guide.
What is the average cost to put in a sprinkler system?
The average cost to put in a sprinkler system in a 3-bedroom property is £3,000-£5,000, but there are other factors that can drive up the price, such as whether you need a pump and tank:
|
System type |
Average cost |
|
Mains-fed home sprinkler system |
£3,000-£5,000 |
|
Home sprinkler system with pump and tank |
£5,500-£8,000 |
|
Mains-powered fire alarm |
£150-£200 each |
HaMuch has a large database of hourly and daily rates for installers across the country, so take a look at the tables further down the page to get an idea of how much labour could cost you in your local area.
What is a home sprinkler system?
A home sprinkler system is designed to reduce the damage that a fire could cause. In the event of a fire at your home, a sprinkler system could give you vital extra time to evacuate the property safely.
A fire sprinkler system is made up of individual sprinklers that sit in your ceiling and are concealed with round plastic covers. They can look a little like spotlights or downlights, so shouldn’t spoil the look of your home too dramatically.
In the event of a fire, the sprinkler system will use heat and smoke sensors to detect the fire and deploy foam, mist or water to try to put out the flames. These systems are often used alongside mains-powered fire alarms to alert you to the fire.
What factors affect the cost of a sprinkler system?
There are a few main factors that affect the cost of a sprinkler system:
Size and shape of your property
Of course, the larger your house, the more sprinkler heads you will need, driving up the cost. But the shape of your property’s rooms will also affect the cost of a home sprinkler system. If you have L-shaped rooms, cupboards with a floor area over 2m squared or bathrooms with a floor area over 5m squared, you’ll need more sprinkler heads.
Each sprinkler head can cover a room size of up to 4.9m x 4.9m, so if your rooms are larger than this you will also require more heads.
Whether your property is a new build or not
It will be cheaper to install a home sprinkler system at the building stage when the specialist can access all your ceiling voids easily, so if you’re building your home and think you will want a fire suppression system in the future, factor it into your budget now and install it before the build is finished.
Your home’s water supply
You’ll need to work with the installation company to ensure that your water pressure can cater for a sprinkler system and whether it can actually be connected. If it can’t, you’ll need a pump and tank system.
You’ll have a water tank located in your loft, basement or garage that will be used to feed the sprinklers in the event of a fire. Pump and tank systems cost more, and if your sprinkler system needs to cover more than one floor you will probably need a larger pump and tank, increasing the cost further.
Are home sprinklers worth it?
You will need to decide whether home sprinklers are worth it. The initial cost is high compared to installing mains-powered or smart fire alarms, but if there was a fire at your home a sprinkler system could save you thousands of pounds in damage, let alone lives.
A big benefit to home sprinkler systems is that they are connected to the mains, so as long as your electricity supply is on, the system is ready to detect a fire and extinguish it. They provide more protection than battery-powered fire alarms because there’s no risk of the battery running out and you forgetting to change it. Fire sprinkler systems also require less maintenance than alarms and extinguishers, which you’ll have to replace every few years even if you don’t use them.
It’s also worth considering that if you have a large home, you’ll need more time to evacuate than if your home is small. A sprinkler system can give you that, as it will attempt to put out the flames, giving you more time to get out of the building safely. For smaller homes, you may decide that a mains-powered fire alarm system is the most cost-effective solution.
If you want the highest level of fire protection in your property, a home sprinkler system is worth it.
Can I install my own fire sprinkler system?
You can’t install your own fire sprinkler system in the UK as there are regulations that you must meet in order to be qualified to install them. Plumbers and electricians that fit home sprinkler systems have been through lots of training to ensure that they install them properly.
If you install a fire sprinkler system yourself, you could shock yourself or cause a fire, and if installed incorrectly the system wouldn’t activate to try to extinguish it! It’s not worth putting your family and property at risk, so leave it to the professionals.
It’s best to get a range of quotes for a home sprinkler system. Make sure the installation company has a quality procedure that meets ISO standard 9001:2000 or equivalent, which means that they must be able to demonstrate that they can provide a product that meets customer needs and is effective.
Post your job on HaMuch now to get in touch with trusted professionals who can give you a quote for a fire sprinkler system.