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Sprinkler costs vary by up to £800,000 per block
Councils’ estimates on the cost of retrofitting sprinklers in tower blocks vary by up to £800,000 per building, snap Inside Housing analysis has found.
Birmingham City Council has estimated it will cost £31m to install sprinklers in its 213 tower blocks, while Portsmouth City Council mooted £12.2m for 13 buildings.
These suggested costs represent £145,540 and £938,462 per building respectively.
Every landlord contacted by Inside Housing that has asked government to confirm if it will help pay for the retrofitting of sprinklers is still awaiting a response, though ministers have repeatedly insisted a lack of cash would not stop necessary fire safety works being carried out.
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The average cost-per-block estimate of installing sprinklers was £431,286, based on estimations from 10 councils in England which are carrying out work. The British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association (BAFSA) has said retrofitting sprinklers in Scotland could cost an average of £300,000 per block.
A feasibility study carried out by Southwark Council in 2013 found installing sprinklers in 103 of its blocks could cost anywhere between £30m and £112m.
Ian Gough, senior technical advisor at BAFSA, said the variations could be down to differing requirements on tenders for contractors to carry out the work, with some being “far too complicated”.
“I know contractors find it difficult to even fill in some tender application forms,” he said.
Croydon Council estimates retrofitting sprinklers in its 25 blocks above 10 storeys will cost £10m, leaving just £2.5m in its Housing Revenue Account (HRA).
Tony Newman, leader of Croydon Council, wrote to communities secretary Sajid Javid on 21 June to request that its HRA borrowing cap is lifted and rent controls be handed to councils to help deal with the costs. He is still waiting for a response.
Alison Butler, deputy leader and cabinet member for housing at Croydon Council, said: “This investment takes a whacking great chunk out of our reserves. We’ve gone for sprinklers in our highest blocks and we’d like to go a bit lower, but the money isn’t there.
“And now there seem to be some very dodgy statements from the government around being able to afford it. Will they now come back to us on this and just say we had our reserves and used them on the sprinklers?”
On Monday, Mr Javid told MPs: “In terms of funding, I think the government has made its position clear.
“There is no need to wait; if any work that is necessary, that’s been identified, local authorities must be getting on with that work, and where they cannot afford it they should approach us.”
Inside Housing’s Never Again campaign calls on government to fund the retrofitting of sprinkler systems in all tower blocks across the UK, except where there are specific structural reasons not to do so.
A spokesperson for BAFSA said its members’ experience of retrofitting more than 100 tower blocks showed the size of the block often had an impact on varying cost.
“We know that an installation of a one to three bedroomed flat will cost as little as £1000 per unit with surface mounted sprinklers,” the spokesperson added.
“If corridors and lobbies are also sprinkler protected, up to 30% may be added to the bill. At the other end of the scale a three bedroomed flat, with the tenant in situ and all finishing completed by the installer may come in at £2500.”
Issues with water supplies can add ’at worst’ up to £15,000.
Quoting to a preferred main contractor, who then add a mark-up of between 10% and 40%, can also add to the cost, BAFSA said.
UPDATE AT 15:07 24.07.17: The average cost-per-block figure was updated as more local authorities confirmed their estimates.
UPDATE AT 09:45 25.07.17: A quote from a spokesperson at BAFSA was provided to add more detail on why costs vary
