Search for the cost of fire-resistant sealing and you get the same answer everywhere: it is bespoke, request a quote. That is true, but it does not help when you have to draw up a budget or assess a quote. This article explains which factors really determine the price, with ranges you can use to check whether a quote is in the right ballpark.
Why there is no price per m2
Fire-resistant sealing is not priced per square metre, but per penetration or per linear metre of joint. A 40 m2 wall with three penetrations is a fraction of the work of the same wall with eighty. So the surface area says almost nothing; the number and type of penetrations says everything.
The six factors that determine the price
- Type of penetration. A single cable is considerably cheaper than a full cable bundle, a metal pipe or - most expensive of all - a mixed penetration where cables and plastic pipes pass through one opening together. Plastic pipes require a fire collar that closes off under fire; that is a different and more expensive system than a cable penetration.
- Wall or floor type. Sealing in a plasterboard wall is faster than in concrete or masonry. In a floor you also often work in a more awkward position.
- Required WBDBO. A 120-minute separation requires a heavier system and more material than a 30-minute one.
- Accessibility. This is the most underestimated factor. A penetration at eye level in a plant room costs a fraction of the same penetration eight metres up above a fully loaded warehouse rack, or above a suspended ceiling that has to be opened and closed again.
- Number and concentration. The unit price falls sharply with volume. Two hundred penetrations in one continuous catch-up programme is considerably cheaper per unit than five separate call-outs spread over the year, each requiring its own travel and set-up.
- Condition of the building. Existing, incorrectly executed seals have to be removed first. That stripping work is not included in the price of a new penetration.
Ranges to test a quote against
The ratios below are indicative and intended to give a sense of the order of magnitude, not as a price list. They apply to work in existing buildings with normal accessibility.
| Situation | Relative cost per penetration | What drives it |
|---|---|---|
| Single cable or cable bundle, plasterboard wall, easily accessible | Base rate | Quick work, standard system |
| Metal pipe with insulation | 1.5 to 2x base rate | Cutting through and finishing the insulation |
| Plastic pipe with fire collar | 2 to 3x base rate | More expensive material, all-round installation |
| Mixed penetration, cables and pipes together | 3 to 5x base rate | System choice critical, more labour |
| Same work at height or above a ceiling | Add 50 to 150% | Aerial platform, ceiling opened and closed |
Large catch-up programmes are often quoted not per unit but per man-hour with a target budget , precisely because the quantities are not exactly known in advance. That is not a sign of a vague quote; it is the honest format when quantities are unknown, provided a target budget and weekly reporting come with it.
What a good quote contains
- The number and type of penetrations per category, not a single line reading 'fire-resistant sealing'.
- The system applied per category, so that it can be checked whether it falls within a valid classification.
- Whether registration and certificates are included in the price. This is where quotes differ most often: sealing without documentation is cheaper, but gets you nowhere at an inspection.
- How to deal with penetrations discovered only during the work. In existing buildings that is the rule rather than the exception.
- Whether removal of existing, rejected seals is included.
The cheapest quote is rarely the cheapest solution
Two quotes can differ by a factor of two because one includes registration and certification and the other does not. At an inspection by the municipality, the safety region or your insurer, a seal without documentation is formally insufficient, even if it is technically correct. You then still pay for mapping it afterwards - usually more than if it had been recorded straight away.
Would you like a realistic estimate for your building? Request an survey and itemised quote , or start with the free quickscan for an indication of the risk profile.
Frequently asked questions
That depends mainly on the type of penetration and accessibility. A single cable in an easily accessible plasterboard wall sits at the bottom of the scale; a mixed penetration with cables and plastic pipes at height can be a multiple of that. Individual call-outs are always more expensive per unit than one continuous catch-up programme.
Because the surface area of a wall says nothing about the amount of work. What matters is the number of penetrations and their type. Sealing is therefore priced per penetration or per linear metre of joint.
With us, yes, but this varies by supplier and is an important reason why quotes can diverge. Ask explicitly: a seal without documentation is formally insufficient at an inspection.
Yes, considerably. With volume the unit price drops sharply because travel, set-up and clearing away happen once rather than per call-out.
Want to know more about fire-resistant seals?
Certified sealing of cable, pipe, and duct penetrations so that fire and smoke compartments remain intact.
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