Fire safety for developers and main contractors
You need fire safety design that gets through building control first time, is built as designed and is handed over with the information the owner needs. We write fire strategies from concept to completion, advise your design team, inspect fire stopping on site and prepare the handover information, for projects in Wales and England.
- RIBA Stages 1–6Concept to handover
- ADB · ADB (Wales)Separate guidance each side
- BS 9991 · BS 9999Tailored design routes
- Fixed feeAgreed before we start
Settle fire safety while the design can still change
Fire safety decisions made early are cheap; decisions made late are expensive. Stair numbers, compartment sizes, sprinklers and smoke control all shape the floor plan.
Most buildings follow the relevant Approved Document B, and England and Wales each have their own. They have diverged over time, so a design that works in Bristol may not work unchanged in Cardiff.
In England
Higher-risk buildings (18 metres or 7 storeys and above, with at least two residential units) go through the Building Safety Regulator. Gateway 2 approves the design before work starts; Gateway 3 issues a completion certificate before occupation. A golden thread of building information must be kept throughout.
In Wales
The England gateway regime does not apply, and building control continues through the local authority or an approved body. The Welsh Government is reforming building safety law, including new duties for multi-occupied residential buildings. New houses and flats require sprinklers under the Domestic Fire Safety (Wales) Measure 2011.
Where projects lose time and money
Late decisions
Changing stair cores, compartments or sprinklers after Stage 3 is costly.
Building control comments
Unresolved queries at submission that delay your programme.
Cross-border assumptions
Designing a Welsh project to the English guidance, or the reverse.
Fire stopping defects
One of the most common defects in new buildings, and hard to fix once closed up.
Product substitutions
Changes on site that no longer match the tested system or the strategy.
Missing handover information
An owner left without what they need to run the building safely.
Fire safety through the RIBA stages
Stages 1–2: concept
Design route, evacuation strategy, cores, sprinklers and firefighting access, settled early.
Stage 3: coordination
An outline fire strategy fixing escape routes, compartmentation, fire resistance and active systems.
Stage 4: technical
A full fire strategy report for building control, and answers to their and the fire service's comments.
Stage 5: construction
Advice on changes and substitutions; fire stopping and fire doors inspected as installed.
Stage 6: handover
Fire safety information for the owner, an as-built review, and ongoing servicing if wanted.
Inspected before it is closed up
Every service penetration through a fire-resisting wall or floor must be sealed with a tested system that suits the substrate and the service, and installed exactly as tested. We inspect as the work goes in and keep a photographic record of each penetration, the product used and its location.
- Evidence for building control and handover
- Defects caught before ceilings go up
- Avoids costly opening-up later
The detail, when you need it
ADB, ADB (Wales), BS 9991 and BS 9999
England uses Approved Document B. Wales has Approved Document B (Wales), published in two volumes: dwellings, and buildings other than dwellings.
Where a building does not fit the prescriptive guidance, or more flexibility is needed, we can design to BS 9991 for residential buildings or BS 9999 for non-residential and mixed-use buildings. These allow a more tailored approach, for example taking credit for sprinklers or management levels, while still showing compliance with the functional requirements of the Building Regulations.
Higher-risk buildings in England
Under the Building Safety Act 2022, Gateway 2 requires the Building Safety Regulator to approve the design before building work starts, and Gateway 3 requires a completion certificate before the building can be occupied. We prepare fire strategies and supporting information with the level of detail these gateways demand, and the handover information forms part of the golden thread.
Installation and active systems
Where you need an installer, our team carries out fire stopping and fire door installation. If you use your own trades, look for installers certificated under schemes such as FIRAS or BM TRADA Q-Mark, and we will inspect their work as it goes in. We can also take care of sprinklers, smoke ventilation and risers, kept in line with the strategy, through our detection, alarm and smoke control service.
Handover and Regulation 38
Regulation 38 of the Building Regulations 2010 requires the person carrying out the work to give fire safety information to the Responsible Person when a building to which the Fire Safety Order applies is completed or first occupied.
Our handover pack covers the as-built fire strategy, the fire safety provisions on plan, and the systems and equipment that need to be maintained. It gives the new owner what they need for their first fire risk assessment.
Refer a fire strategy client
If you are an architect, consultant or contractor who introduces a client to us for a fire strategy, you could earn £500 when they complete their purchase. See our referral scheme for details and the scheme terms.
At a glance
- Who it's for
- Developers, main contractors, architects and design teams
- Stages
- RIBA Stages 1 to 6, from concept to handover
- Guidance
- ADB · ADB (Wales) · BS 9991 · BS 9999
- You receive
- Fire strategy report, design advice, site inspection records and handover information
- Fee
- Fixed fee agreed before we start
Speak to the team
Questions about your building or your duties? Talk them through with us before you commit to anything.
0330 133 4591Fire service experience, one accountable contract.
30+ years in Fire and Rescue
Our Managing Director, Paul Chamberlain, spent more than three decades in Fire and Rescue, from operational incident command to strategic leadership. That is the lens every assessment is written through.
Wales and England, done right
Fire safety law differs either side of the Severn. Every report and recommendation is written for the rules that actually apply to your building.
One accountable contract
Assessment, remediation and ongoing maintenance under one contract, with one point of contact. No gaps between contractors for you to manage.
Every record in one place
Reports, certificates and next-due dates for every site in the Vocus Fire Safety Portal, ready to show an inspector, insurer or auditor.
Developer and contractor questions
Short answers to what design teams ask us most. Can't see yours? Call us on 0330 133 4591.
When should we bring in fire strategy advice?
As early as possible, ideally at RIBA Stage 2. Stair cores, compartmentation and sprinklers affect the layout, and changing them after Stage 3 is costly. Early advice also reduces the risk of building control comments delaying your programme.
Does a project in Wales follow the same fire guidance as England?
No. Wales has its own Approved Document B (Wales), which differs from the English version in several areas, and new houses and flats in Wales require sprinklers. The England-only higher-risk building gateways do not apply to Welsh projects.
What are Gateway 2 and Gateway 3?
They are stages of the higher-risk building regime in England. At Gateway 2 the Building Safety Regulator must approve the design before building work starts, and at Gateway 3 it must issue a completion certificate before the building is occupied. They apply to buildings of 18 metres or 7 storeys and above with two or more residential units.
Should we use ADB or BS 9991 and BS 9999?
Approved Document B suits most straightforward buildings. BS 9991 (residential) and BS 9999 (non-residential and mixed use) allow a more tailored design where the building does not fit ADB, or where flexibility adds value. We recommend a route at concept stage.
Can you inspect fire stopping during construction?
Yes. We inspect penetrations and compartment lines before they are closed up and keep a photographic record of each one. That gives you evidence for building control and handover, and avoids costly opening-up later.
What fire safety information must be handed over?
Regulation 38 of the Building Regulations 2010 requires fire safety information to be given to the Responsible Person on completion of buildings covered by the Fire Safety Order. It should describe the fire safety design and what must be maintained. We prepare this pack as part of our service.
Services
Sectors
Further reading: Fire strategy for a change of use · Gateway 2 fire strategies · Fire strategy vs escape strategy · Sprinklers in new homes in Wales · What is fire stopping? · Refer a fire strategy client and earn £500
Talk to us about your project
Send us the drawings, the RIBA stage and your programme, and we will confirm the scope of the fire strategy and a fixed fee.