BEFORE YOU REQUEST A QUOTE
A useful quote explains which premises and activities will be assessed, who will do the work and how findings will be handed over. Floor area alone cannot describe the people, layout and fire-safety arrangements involved.
In this buying guide
Send a building brief with your enquiryChoose experience relevant to this buildingUse the correct nation and premises guidancePrice the handover as well as the site visitDo not confuse review with automatic replacementQuestions for providersSend a building brief with your enquiry
Describe the building use, floors, opening hours and occupants, including any sleeping accommodation. Explain shared areas and the parts you control. Provide the existing assessment, available plans and unresolved actions. Tell the assessor about a change of use or refurbishment rather than asking them to price the building as it used to be. This helps both parties identify whether a simple description is enough to quote.
Choose experience relevant to this building
Ask who will visit and who will review the report. Seek evidence of experience with comparable premises and people at risk. Ask how any claimed registration or certification can be checked and what it covers. A provider comfortable with a small shop may not necessarily be the right choice for more complex sleeping accommodation. Request an anonymised example showing how findings and limitations are explained.
Use the correct nation and premises guidance
England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland have different fire-safety frameworks. Confirm which applies to the address and which premises guidance the assessor will use. GOV.UK, the Scottish Government and NIFRS publish guidance for their jurisdictions. A UK-wide supplier should still identify the correct basis for each site rather than handing over a report with an inappropriate legislative heading.
Price the handover as well as the site visit
Ask whether the price includes a written assessment, a prioritised action plan and a discussion of findings. Agree who hears about urgent concerns and when. Confirm whether later questions, document corrections and a follow-up visit are included. If equipment servicing, specialist surveys or remedial design are excluded, ask how those needs will be identified without treating them as already commissioned.
Do not confuse review with automatic replacement
Ask what prompted the proposed work: a missing assessment, significant change, unresolved findings or a planned review. In England and Wales, GOV.UK requires regular review and a written assessment. That does not make buying an entirely new document each year the universal solution. Agree the appropriate task with the assessor and make sure action on the existing findings remains visible.
Questions to include in your quote request
Send the same brief to each provider, and ask them to identify assumptions and exclusions in their reply.
- Which areas, occupants and activities will you assess?
- What relevant experience does the named assessor have?
- How will the action plan show priorities and responsibilities?
- What follow-up support and specialist work are excluded?
Common buying questions
Is the lowest quote necessarily poor value?
No. Ask whether it covers the same building, investigation, reporting and support. Compare the deliverable and relevant competence, rather than using price as a proxy for either.
Does the assessment include alarm servicing?
Only if the scope expressly includes it. Assessment, system maintenance and remedial work are different purchases.
Check the requirement before buying
These source-linked safety guides explain scope and jurisdiction. They remain drafts pending specialist review.
- Does my business need a fire risk assessment? — England, Wales
- Where should a Scottish business start with fire safety? — Scotland
- Where should an NI business start with fire safety? — Northern Ireland
Official sources behind the distinctions
Sources checked 3 November 2026. Our quote-comparison suggestions are editorial guidance; these organisations do not endorse providers or this website.
This is purchasing guidance, not an assessment of your premises, technical approval or an interpretation of your contract. We do not publish unverified market-price ranges. Ask for a written quote for your actual scope.
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