How Much Does a Fire Risk Assessment Cost? An Honest Guide

Published 2026-07-11 · BJD Fire Safety

Ask three assessors to quote for the same building and you may receive figures ranging from £150 to £1,500. That spread confuses buyers and, frankly, doesn't reflect well on our industry. So here is an honest guide to what fire risk assessments actually cost, what drives the price — and why the cheapest quote is rarely the bargain it appears to be.

Typical price ranges in 2026

• Budget end (£150–£250) — usually high-volume operators working from templates, sometimes with very limited time on site, occasionally "desktop" assessments with no visit at all. More on the risks of these below.
• Smaller premises (£250–£450) — a small shop, office, holiday let or modest HMO, assessed properly by a competent assessor with a genuine site inspection and a written report.
• Medium premises (£400–£800) — larger HMOs, multi-storey commercial buildings, restaurants and hotels, care settings, premises with multiple risk factors.
• Large or complex premises (£800–£2,000+) — industrial sites, premises with hazardous processes, large public buildings, multi-building sites.

Our own pricing sits within these honest ranges: from £325 for smaller premises, from £425 for larger premises, with complex and multi-site work quoted individually. Every quote is fixed before we attend.

What drives the price

Five things, mainly. Size and layout — floors, rooms, staircases and outbuildings all add inspection time. Use and occupancy — sleeping accommodation, vulnerable occupants and paying guests raise the stakes and the depth of assessment required. Risk features — commercial kitchens, solid-fuel appliances, hazardous substances, complex escape arrangements. Documentation — where service records, certificates and previous assessments are organised, the job is quicker; where they are absent, more investigation is needed. And travel — which is why a local assessor is usually cheaper than a national firm sending someone two hours up the motorway.

What should be included

A proper fire risk assessment includes a physical inspection of all accessible areas; identification of fire hazards and persons at risk; evaluation of detection, means of escape, fire doors, emergency lighting, firefighting equipment and management arrangements; a review of your documentation; and a clear written report with photographic evidence and prioritised actions with realistic timescales. Since October 2023 the assessment must be recorded in full for every premises, so the report matters as much as the visit. If a quote doesn't include a full written report, it isn't comparable.

Why the cheapest quote is rarely the bargain

Three reasons to be wary at the budget end. First, the legal duty stays with you: the Responsible Person must ensure the assessment is suitable and sufficient, and a templated document that misses your building's actual risks does not discharge that duty — you carry the consequences, not the assessor. Second, generic findings cost more later: vague recommendations ("upgrade doors as necessary") generate quotes for work you may not need, while missing the things you do. Third, enforcement and insurers are not impressed: a thin assessment is one of the most common findings in fire service audits, and after an incident your insurer will scrutinise it closely. The few hundred pounds saved is poor value against an unlimited fine — or an uninsured loss.

Questions to ask any assessor

• What are your qualifications, and are you working towards or registered with a professional register?
• Will you physically inspect the whole premises?
• What methodology do you use (PAS 79-1, BS 9792)?
• Is the price fixed, and what exactly does the report include?
• Do you hold professional indemnity insurance?

Any competent assessor will answer these happily. If they won't, keep looking.