To help with the implementation of fire services, Integrated Fire Services are qualified to conduct site inspections, commission works, conduct quality checks, review designs & make design changes and respond to any technical queries. Integrated Fire Services also have long standing relationships with many hardware installers, technicians and building surveyors which all aides in the smooth delivery of your fire services infrastructure.

Design and Construct

Design and install contracts still seem to be the preferred method of installing fire sprinkler system and other fire services with builders and project managers. They believe that by engaging the contractor directly they will save on the engineering consultants fee of tens of thousands of dollars.

Our experience shows that this practice is flawed. Building may save some dollars up front but the contract goes off the rails when you consider:

• Lost opportunity to provide cost effective alternative solutions
• Contractors skill at providing documentation
• Lack of a body of evidence that describes the design, the assumptions and requirements to maintain the system
• Employing a consultant to address the above issues after the fact
• Lack of following regulatory processes and obligations

During design the consultants fee can be saved many times over by providing design solutions that depart from the deemed to satisfy provisions of the building code. This opportunity is best considered at an early design phase where alternatives can be considered with a cost benefit.

We are often asked to go to a finished project and make it work as the design and construct contractor believes they have finished and moved to the next project. The cost of doing this is not only measured in direct cost but cost in deal of occupation and lack of insurance cover.

Whilst contractors are able to provide shop drawings and install systems we find they do not have a full understanding of building regulations and the role of the building surveyor and the statutory obligations of operational readiness.

Certification

Fire protection services installing companies usually employ their "favourite" certifier to provide a compliance report of their system. This can limit the amount of information that it is based on and certification is based on a narrow view point and to a specific code. A certifier must be briefed with the big picture and be involved with the consulting engineer and building surveyor while also providing an independent view of the design and installation.