Upgrading your facility’s fire alarm system is no small feat. Some factors you must consider include cost, system brand, code requirements, etc. So where do you start? You can begin by choosing a commercial fire alarm installation company for the fire alarm upgrade. Selecting the best fire alarm contractor for the job isn’t quite as simple as googling dry cleaners and picking the first one that comes up. Here are a few key points to keep in mind when selecting a commercial fire alarm installation company.
Selecting a Commercial Fire Alarm Installation Company
Based on Price
One of the biggest mistakes made is choosing a fire alarm contractor because they had the lowest price estimate. Often times the commercial fire alarm installation company with the lowest price will charge additional fees for change orders. At first glance, it may look like a good deal. But once the contractor finishes the fire alarm upgrade, the final cost will be more expensive than the original quoted price. This puts the customer in a tough position if the final fire alarm upgrade cost exceeds the allotted budget. Additionally, price doesn’t indicate whether the contractor is qualified and has experience performing fire alarm upgrades.
Fire Alarm Upgrade Experience and Certifications
Make sure the fire protection contractor has NICET certified technicians that will be working on the project. The company should also have a license to work in your jurisdiction. Don’t be afraid to reach out to your authority having jurisdiction to see what type of experience they’ve had working with the contractor. Most importantly, get references of places where the contractor has performed fire alarm upgrades. Find out how other people would rate the fire protection company’s level of performance. This can help you to predict how satisfied you’ll be with your upgrade.
Design Approval
Here’s one last tip. If the contractor created their own design for the fire alarm upgrade, check that the authority having jurisdiction approved it. You don’t want a fire alarm completely upgraded before they approved the design. It’s much easier and cheaper to make adjustments to the design before the project has begun in order to receive a certificate of occupancy.
Keep in mind when choosing a fire alarm contractor it’s important to do your research. Price shouldn’t be one of the top determining factors. The most important points to keep in mind are their qualifications, experience, and whether the contractor’s fire alarm design is approved. Once you have all of this information you can evaluate who the best contractor is for your facility’s fire alarm upgrade.
For more information on Fire Alarm Installations
Check out this post on the Cost of Fire Alarm Installations
Categorized in: Education, Fire Alarms, General