Control equipment
Fire alarm control panels, remote annunciators, voice evacuation panels, amplifiers, NAC extender panels, communicators and batteries are listed from the riser diagram and specifications.
CSI Division 28 · Fire alarm trade estimating
Fire alarm estimating services
Fire alarm control panels, initiating and notification devices, modules, wiring, conduit, power supplies, programming and labor, counted from your fire alarm and electrical drawings.
Parent28 – Electronic Safety & SecurityTakeoff unitsEALFLOTHRDelivered asExcel estimate + marked-up PDFs
Fire Alarm Estimating you can bid with confidence
Fire alarm bids come down to device counts, wiring lengths and the labor to install, program and test a code-compliant system. Missing a duct detector, a set of monitor modules for the sprinkler valves, or the extra power supplies for a large notification load can turn a good bid into a loss. Our fire alarm estimating service counts every device on your drawings and prices material and labor line by line.
We support fire alarm contractors, electrical contractors who carry fire alarm, and low voltage and security contractors. Send us the fire alarm drawings, device legend, riser diagram, sequence of operations and specifications, together with the electrical and mechanical plans; we return an Excel estimate under CSI Division 28 with device counts, wiring and conduit quantities, equipment, and labor for installation, programming and testing.
We estimate from the fire alarm drawings provided by the engineer or system designer. We do not design fire alarm systems or provide stamped layouts, and we do not perform fire sprinkler hydraulic calculations.
Want a quick budget first? Try our free construction calculators, then send your drawings for a line-item estimate.
What we take off
- Fire alarm control panel, annunciators and graphic panels
- Smoke, heat and duct detectors
- Manual pull stations
- Horns, strobes, horn/strobes and speakers
- Monitor, control and relay modules
- NAC and auxiliary power supplies and batteries
- Fire alarm cable and conduit by circuit
- Programming, testing, monitoring and closeout
What you receive
- Excel estimate organized by CSI division and section
- Quantities with waste factors shown separately
- Unit material, labor and equipment pricing for your project location
- Summary sheet with totals and cost per square foot
- Colour-coded marked-up plans (PDF) for every quantity
- Written assumptions, clarifications and exclusions
Scope
Fire alarm scope we estimate
Initiating devices
Smoke detectors, heat detectors, duct detectors with remote test stations, beam detectors and manual pull stations are counted from the floor plans and checked against the device legend.
Notification appliances
Horns, strobes, horn/strobes, speakers and speaker/strobes are counted by type, candela rating and mounting, including outdoor and weatherproof devices.
Modules and interfaces
Monitor modules for sprinkler flow and tamper switches, control and relay modules for elevator recall, door holders, fan shutdown and smoke dampers are counted from the sequence of operations and coordinated with mechanical and sprinkler drawings.
Wiring and pathways
Signaling line circuits, notification appliance circuits and power circuits are measured with conduit or cable as specified, including vertical drops and risers.
Programming and closeout
Programming, acceptance testing with the authority having jurisdiction, monitoring setup, as-built drawings, owner training and permit allowances are priced as their own lines.
How we build a fire alarm estimate
We start with the device legend, riser diagram and sequence of operations, which define the system, then count every device on every floor plan. Mechanical drawings are checked for duct detectors and smoke dampers, sprinkler drawings for flow and tamper switches, and architectural drawings for door holders and elevator lobbies.
Counts are done in Bluebeam or PlanSwift with each device type marked in its own colour. Circuit lengths are measured along practical routes between devices and panels, with allowances for drops and risers.
Labor is calculated per device and per foot of wiring, with separate hours for panel installation, programming and testing. Equipment pricing is listed so you can drop in your distributor's quote, and the summary separates material, labor, equipment, permits, overhead and profit.
Priced for your market
- United States: imperial units, USD, local labor rates by state and metro
- Canada: metric or imperial, CAD
- United Kingdom: metric, GBP
- Australia: metric, AUD
- Prevailing wage and Davis-Bacon rates where required
Projects we estimate
We estimate fire alarm systems for offices, schools, apartments and multifamily buildings, hotels, medical offices and hospitals, restaurants, retail stores, warehouses and tenant improvement projects, including additions to existing systems.
Our process
How to order a Fire Alarm estimate
Send your plans
Email PDF drawings and specs, or share a Dropbox, Google Drive or bid-portal link. Bid sets, construction documents and conceptual drawings all work.
Get your quote
We review the set and reply with a price, turnaround time and delivery date for your scope. You approve before any work starts.
NDA and 50% deposit
We sign an NDA so your plans stay private. Work starts on a 50% deposit by card through our secure online checkout. A W-9 is available on request.
Receive your estimate
You get quantities and pricing in Excel, organized by CSI division, plus marked-up plans. The remaining 50% is due on delivery.
FAQ
Fire Alarm Estimating: common questions
Can't find your answer? Call (850) 343-4090 or email info@premiumestimatings.com.
Do you design fire alarm systems?
No. We estimate from the fire alarm drawings prepared by the engineer or system designer. We do not produce designs, stamped layouts or calculations.
Do you count modules for sprinkler and HVAC interfaces?
Yes. Monitor and control modules are counted from the sequence of operations and coordinated with the sprinkler and mechanical drawings.
Can you price voice evacuation systems?
Yes. Speakers, amplifiers and voice evacuation panels are included when they are shown on the drawings.
Do you include conduit?
Yes, when the specifications require conduit. Otherwise fire alarm cable is priced as open cable with supports.
What does a fire alarm estimate cost?
Single-trade estimates start from $150, and your quote confirms the price for your drawing set.
Do you estimate fire sprinkler systems?
We can count sprinkler heads and pipe from fully designed sprinkler drawings, but we do not perform hydraulic calculations or sprinkler design.