Key Takeaways
- Estimating fire protection cost = quantities × (material + labor) + overhead + profit.
- Use your actual $50-90/hr labor rate, not national averages.
- Reference Fire Protection costs: $2.50-5.00/SF/wet sprinkler system, $40-90/EA/sprinkler head, $1.50-4.00/SF/fireproofing.
- AI takeoff does the quantity step in minutes; pricing stays yours.
Step-by-step: how to estimate Fire Protection cost
- 1. Take off quantities. Measure head counts by coverage and other fire protection scope from the plans (AI takeoff reads PDFs in seconds).
- 2. Price materials. Get real quotes for Sprinkler heads, Steel or CPVC piping, Fittings and valves, Hangers — not list prices.
- 3. Apply labor. Use your burdened fire protection rate ($50-90/hr (fitters)).
- 4. Add waste. 5-15% typical for fire protection materials, per your actuals.
- 5. Add overhead and profit. 10-20% overhead, 5-15% profit — from your books.
- 6. Sanity-check. Compare per-unit to the ranges below; investigate any outlier.
Fire Protection cost reference
| Item | Typical range | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Wet sprinkler system | $2.50-5.00/SF | |
| Sprinkler head | $40-90/EA | |
| Fireproofing | $1.50-4.00/SF |
Worked example
For a mid-size fire protection scope, multiply your quantities by the material and labor rates above, add waste, overhead, and profit, then divide by the relevant unit. Compare the result to the $2.50-5.00/SF range for wet sprinkler system. If you are far off, find out why before you bid.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you estimate Fire Protection cost?
Take off quantities from the plans, price material and labor per your local rates, add overhead and profit, then compare the per-unit total to the ranges here. AI takeoff speeds the quantity step from hours to minutes.
What labor rate should I use for Fire Protection?
Use your actual burdened labor rate for your market — $50-90/hr (fitters). Burden includes taxes, benefits, and overhead on top of base wages.
How much waste should I add for Fire Protection?
Waste factors vary by material and trade — typically 5-15% for fire protection materials. Use your historical actuals; generic factors are a starting point only.
What overhead and profit should Fire Protection bids carry?
Overhead commonly runs 10-20% and profit 5-15%, but set both from your own books and the project's risk — not rules of thumb.
How accurate are the Fire Protection ranges here?
They are general industry benchmarks for planning. For a defensible number, take off the actual plans and price with your local vendor quotes and labor rates.