A fire strategy report should make a building safer and a project easier to deliver. It explains how people are expected to escape, how fire and smoke will be contained, what alarm, emergency-lighting and smoke-control systems are needed, and how the fire and rescue service can approach and operate at the building.
A Fire Strategy Report is a design document that explains how all of the fire-safety measures in a building are intended to work together. It may describe the occupancy, means of escape, evacuation strategy, fire resistance, compartmentation, fire doors, detection and alarm, emergency lighting, smoke ventilation, suppression, firefighting access and management assumptions. The report is often used by architects, Building Control bodies, developers, contractors, mechanical and electrical designers, landlords, freeholders and managing agents. It creates a coordinated design so that fire doors, alarms, walls, escape routes and smoke-control systems are not treated as separate and unrelated items. A Fire Strategy Report is different from a Fire Risk Assessment. The strategy is primarily concerned with the intended design and fire-safety approach. A Fire Risk Assessment is mainly concerned with hazards, occupants, precautions and ongoing management in an occupied building.
A well-written fire strategy becomes the technical thread connecting the architect’s drawings, fire precautions, contractor’s work and Building Control review. Without that coordination, different parts of the project can be designed in isolation: doors may be specified without knowing the compartment line, an alarm category may be selected without understanding the evacuation strategy, or a staircase may be altered without checking the complete route to the final exit. The report is important because it protects life by setting out a clear means-of-escape and evacuation approach for the people who will use the building. It coordinates the design by bringing together escape routes, fire-resisting construction, fire doors, detection, emergency lighting, smoke control, suppression and firefighting access. It reduces late redesign by identifying difficult travel distances, unprotected stairs, inner rooms, open-plan kitchens, missing compartmentation and access problems before construction is advanced. It supports pricing and construction because contractors can see what walls, doors, systems and performance standards are required instead of relying on assumptions. It provides a lasting record of the design basis so future landlords, managing agents and consultants can understand why particular fire-safety measures were installed.
It can also support the fire-safety information that may need to be handed to the building owner or Responsible Person under Regulation 38 of the Building Regulations. For an existing building, the strategy records how the current arrangements are intended to work and clearly separates confirmed facts from assumptions and matters requiring further investigation.
Building Control does not approve a project simply because a document is called a fire strategy. Its role is to assess whether the proposed building work demonstrates compliance with the functional requirements of the Building Regulations. A clear strategy gives the reviewer a structured explanation of the design decisions and evidence behind the drawings. The strategy helps explain how the proposal addresses Part B:
B1 – means of warning and escape, including detection, travel distances, exits, protected routes and evacuation.
B2 – control of internal fire spread through wall and ceiling linings.
B3 – control of internal fire spread through the structure, including compartmentation and structural fire resistance.
B4 – control of external fire spread where it is relevant to the proposed work.
B5 – access and facilities for the fire and rescue service. For a straightforward design that follows Approved Document B closely, the strategy may be concise.
For a refurbishment, conversion, open-plan arrangement or mixed-use property, the reviewer often needs a fuller explanation because the architectural drawings alone may not show why the proposal is safe. A strong report identifies the design basis, standards used, departures from prescriptive guidance, assumptions and compensatory measures. This can reduce repeated questions and conflicting information, but it cannot guarantee approval: the final decision remains with the relevant building-control body.
Our Fire Strategy Report service is designed for architects, developers, landlords, managing agents, leaseholders, contractors and property owners who need a clear route through Building Control comments or refurbishment design questions. The report is consultant-led by a fire-safety professional holding MIFSM membership with the Institute of Fire Safety Managers and AIFireE Associate membership with the Institution of Fire Engineers. These are professional memberships and are not presented as Chartered Engineer registration. Where included in the appointment, fire-strategy plans are prepared using AutoCAD. This gives the design team a visual record of escape routes, compartment lines, fire doors, alarm coverage, smoke-control measures and firefighting facilities. Spycon Security holds professional indemnity insurance in excess of £500,000, arranged through NAPIT Insurance/Hiscox, subject to the applicable policy terms. Evidence of cover can be provided on request. We do not promise that Building Control will approve every design. Building Control reaches its own decision. Our role is to prepare a clear, reasoned submission, identify any design weaknesses and respond professionally to reasonable technical comments within the agreed scope.
Changes inside a single flat can affect the safety of the whole building, particularly where they alter the protected hallway, move the kitchen or change the route to the flat entrance door.
A report may be required where a leaseholder or developer proposes to remove an internal hallway, create an open-plan kitchen, relocate cooking facilities, add bedrooms, create an inner bedroom, combine rooms, alter a maisonette or change the relationship between the flat and the communal corridor. Our review can consider escape from sleeping rooms, the position of the kitchen, travel distance, detection and alarm, fire resistance between the flat and common areas, the flat entrance fire door and the route from the flat entrance to a place of safety. The report can be limited to one flat, but we still need enough information about the surrounding block to understand how occupants leave the building after reaching the communal area. Useful search topics naturally covered by this section include fire strategy report for flat refurbishment London, open-plan flat fire strategy, maisonette fire-engineering report and Building Control fire report for apartment alterations.
A block-of-flats fire strategy explains how the building is intended to protect residents and support evacuation or a stay-put arrangement. The design may rely on each flat acting as a fire-resisting compartment, supported by protected corridors, fire doors, smoke ventilation and a protected stairway. Other buildings may need simultaneous or phased evacuation. The review may consider building height, number of storeys, number of stairs, dead-end corridors, travel distance, flat and floor compartmentation, flat entrance doors, communal fire doors, smoke ventilation, automatic opening vents, alarm arrangements, firefighting access, risers and management assumptions. For existing blocks, the report clearly distinguishes between information confirmed on site, information taken from drawings and matters hidden within the construction. If intrusive work has not been included, concealed compartmentation is not described as verified.
Freeholders and managing agents do not always need a detailed review of the private interior of every flat. Spycon Security can agree a communal-parts-only scope for small blocks, converted houses, apartment buildings, resident management companies, right-to-manage companies and housing providers.
The communal review may cover the main entrance, final exit, corridors, stairs, lobbies, meter cupboards, service cupboards, basement common areas, communal fire doors, visible flat entrance doors, common alarm systems, emergency lighting, smoke ventilation, fire-service access and evacuation arrangements. The finished report states clearly what has and has not been inspected. A communal-only strategy does not normally assess every condition inside individual flats, although interfaces between flats and common areas may still be relevant. This service is particularly suitable where an original strategy is missing and the client needs a clear record of how the shared parts are intended to operate.
Many existing buildings do not have an original Fire Strategy Report. The building may predate modern design documentation, previous records may have been lost or later alterations may have changed the original arrangement. A retrospective fire strategy records the apparent current design, identifies important assumptions and explains how the fire-safety measures are intended to work. It can help establish the likely evacuation approach, compartmentation, protection of stairs and corridors, alarm arrangements, smoke ventilation, firefighting access and significant information gaps. A responsible retrospective report does not pretend that concealed construction has been inspected where no opening-up has taken place. It separates confirmed information, documentary evidence, visual observations, reasonable assumptions and matters requiring further investigation.
A substantial house refurbishment can change the escape route even when the property remains a single dwelling. A report may be helpful where the project removes walls around the stair, creates an open-plan ground floor, relocates the kitchen, adds a basement, adds bedrooms, changes floor levels, creates inner rooms or turns the house into three or more storeys. The strategy considers whether occupants still have a suitably protected route to the final exit. Depending on the layout, practical measures might include a protected stair, fire-resisting partitions and doors, enhanced detection, domestic sprinklers or watermist, smoke-control measures or a suitable alternative escape arrangement. There is no single solution for every house. The number of storeys, kitchen position, sleeping-room location and relationship between the stair and final exit all affect the design.
A loft conversion often turns a two-storey house into a three-storey dwelling. This places sleeping accommodation
further from the final exit and usually increases reliance on the internal staircase.
Our report can consider protection of the stair, existing doors opening onto it, the new loft room, fire resistance of
floors and walls, interlinked smoke detection, ground-floor kitchen arrangements, roof voids, concealed spaces, final
exit arrangements and access for firefighters.
One of the most common challenges is an open-plan ground floor where the stair discharges into the kitchen, dining
or living space. The loft occupants may need to pass the cooking area to escape.
Possible approaches can include reinstating a protected hallway, separating the kitchen, installing an appropriate
domestic suppression system, improving detection or creating a suitable alternative exit. Suppression should not be
presented as an automatic replacement for a protected route; the complete layout and system specification need to
be considered.
Long-tail searches addressed naturally include loft conversion fire strategy report London, Approved Document B
loft conversion report, open-plan loft conversion fire engineering and fire strategy for a three-storey house.
Commercial refurbishment can change occupancy, exit capacity, travel distances, compartmentation and the relationship between different uses. We prepare suitable reports for offices, shops, restaurants, cafes, small hotels, serviced accommodation, educational premises, community buildings, places of worship, warehouses and mixed-use properties within our competence. The review may consider occupancy numbers, number and width of exits, travel distance, inner rooms, protected routes, structural fire resistance, compartmentation, fire-alarm category, emergency lighting, exit signage, smoke control, commercial-kitchen risks, disabled evacuation and fire-service access. A minor decorative refurbishment may not need a full strategy. A report is more likely to be required where the work changes escape routes, occupancy, compartment lines, stairs, exits, alarm systems or the use of the premises.
Buildings with flats above shops, offices or restaurants need careful separation between the residential and commercial parts. The different uses may have separate evacuation strategies, alarm systems, entrances and management responsibilities while sharing structural elements, service risers, ducts or rear access. A mixed-use strategy may assess separation between uses, floors and walls, service penetrations, commercial kitchen extract ducts, independent escape routes, alarm interfaces, basement risks, smoke ventilation and protection of the residential entrance and stair. The aim is to ensure that a fire in the commercial premises does not compromise the escape route serving the flats above
Approved Document B is normally the starting point for small and medium projects in England. Volume 1 addresses dwellings and Volume 2 addresses buildings other than dwellings. The correct edition, amendments and transitional provisions must be identified for the particular project. We review the building and drawings against the relevant guidance, show where the design follows it and identify any departures or constraints. Where the layout cannot follow a standard recommendation, we first consider whether a practical design change can solve the problem. If not, proportionate compensatory measures may be explored and recorded clearly. Depending on the building, the report may also refer to BS 9991:2024 for residential buildings or BS 9999:2017 for suitable non-residential buildings, together with relevant alarm, emergency-lighting, smoke-control and suppression standards. Different standards should not be mixed selectively simply to obtain the most convenient answer. The design basis needs to remain coherent and suitable for the project. Some projects require services beyond a normal Approved Document B report, such as computational fluid dynamics, evacuation modelling, structural fire engineering, complex smoke-control calculations, higher-risk building Gateway work or advanced facade engineering. Where this is identified, we explain that additional specialist input is necessary.
A fire strategy should state its design basis clearly. Not every standard applies to every building, and different design codes should not be mixed selectively simply to obtain the easiest result. The report identifies the guidance used and explains why it is suitable.
Depending on the building and scope, the design may refer to: Approved Document B, Volume 1 – for dwellings, including houses, flats and residential alterations within its scope. Approved Document B, Volume 2 – for buildings other than dwellings, including suitable commercial, community and mixed-use projects.
fire safety in the design, management and use of residential buildings. This may be relevant to blocks of flats, apartment buildings and other residential projects within its scope.
fire safety in the design, management and use of buildings. This provides a risk-based framework for many non-residential buildings, subject to its scope, assumptions and limitations.
and the supporting PD 7974 series - application of fire-safety engineering principles where a performance-based solution is necessary and can be justified.
fire detection and alarm systems. Part 1 is commonly relevant to non-domestic premises and communal systems, while Part 6 is commonly relevant to domestic premises.
emergency lighting for escape routes and other relevant areas.
smoke-control systems where natural or mechanical smoke ventilation forms part of the design
practical considerations for fire-resisting and smoke-control doors.
Relevant product testing, classification and installation evidence – including fire doors, glazing, fire-stopping, dampers, smoke-control products and suppression systems. The final selection depends on the project. A domestic loft conversion, a block of flats and a restaurant beneath residential accommodation may require very different combinations of guidance.
Most projects should first be tested against an appropriate prescriptive route, usually Approved Document B or a coherent British Standard approach. A fire-engineering solution becomes relevant where the proposal cannot reasonably follow that route, where existing constraints prevent full compliance with a standard recommendation, or where an alternative arrangement may provide an equivalent or better level of safety. Typical examples include an open-plan ground floor beneath a loft conversion, an existing narrow staircase that cannot be enlarged, a long travel distance, an inner-room arrangement, a difficult mixed-use building, a heritage constraint or the proposed use of suppression and enhanced detection as compensatory measures. Our approach is proportionate. We first define the fire-safety objectives and the people at risk, then consider credible fire scenarios, means of escape, fire and smoke spread, reliability of systems, firefighter intervention and management assumptions. Where appropriate, the solution may be developed through a qualitative design review and documented using BS 7974 principles. Some complex designs need quantitative analysis such as ASET/RSET assessment, smoke modelling, evacuation modelling, structural fire calculations or specialist suppression design. These services are not automatically included in a standard report. Where they are needed, we identify the requirement for an appropriately competent specialist or multidisciplinary team.
The exact scope is tailored to the building, but a typical report may include: Building and project description – existing and proposed use, number of storeys, height, occupancy, drawings reviewed, assumptions and limitations. Means of escape – travel distances, exit numbers and widths, protected routes, inner rooms, basement escape, final exits and stair protection. Evacuation strategy – stay put, simultaneous evacuation or another project-specific approach, including the assumptions on which it relies. Passive fire protection – compartment walls and floors, structural fire resistance, protected stairs and corridors, fire doors, cavity barriers, fire stopping and separation between uses. Active fire protection – automatic fire detection, alarm category, emergency lighting, smoke ventilation, automatic opening vents, suppression where proposed and firefighting equipment. Fire and rescue service access – appliance approach, access into the building, shafts, risers, plant areas and other relevant facilities. Fire-safety management – inspection, maintenance, occupant information, management responsibilities and restrictions needed to preserve the design.
Where plans are included, we prepare professional fire-strategy drawings using AutoCAD. The drawings may identify escape routes, final exits, protected corridors, protected stairs, fire compartments, fireresisting walls, fire doors and ratings, travel distances, alarm coverage, emergency lighting, smoke vents and firefighting facilities. Clear plans help the architect, contractor and Building Control reviewer understand the recommendations without relying only on written descriptions. They also provide a useful record for future building management. The quotation confirms whether AutoCAD plans are included. Extensive redrawing of poor-quality PDFs or the creation of base plans where no usable drawings exist may require an additional fee.
Our fees reflect the property type, number of storeys, quality of the drawings, site-survey requirements, complexity of the escape strategy, need for AutoCAD plans and the amount of design coordination required
A straightforward domestic Fire Strategy Report for a single flat alteration, house refurbishment or loft conversion generally starts from £750 plus VAT. The final quotation depends on the layout, whether a site survey is required, the quality of the plans and whether the proposal follows standard Approved Document B guidance or needs an alternative fire-engineering solution.
These projects are quoted individually because the fee depends on the number of storeys, extent of the common parts, evacuation strategy, available records, smoke-control arrangements, site inspection and AutoCAD drawing work.
Commercial and mixed-use Fire Strategy Reports generally start from £2,500 plus VAT. They often require occupancy and exit-capacity assessment, commercial travel-distance review, compartmentation between different uses, alarm and smoke-control coordination, firefighting access and greater liaison with the design team. Larger, unusual or higher-risk projects may cost more and may require separate specialist appointments. The quotation identifies the report scope, survey, AutoCAD drawings, two included revisions, delivery period, payment terms, exclusions and VAT.
Delivery time Our normal delivery period is 3 to 7 working days, depending on project size, complexity, drawing quality, the need for a site survey and whether alternative fire-engineering measures are required. The programme begins once the required information has been received, the survey has been completed where necessary and the agreed payment has been made. Two revisions Two reasonable revisions are included within the original agreed scope. These can address minor drawing amendments, Building Control clarification, changes to door positions or updated alarm and compartmentation information. A major redesign, new storey, new use or substantially different drawing package may require a revised quotation. Payment options
Option one: 50% before the site survey and 50% immediately after the survey, before report preparation begins. Option two: the site survey is completed first and 100% payment is made before report preparation and issue. The selected arrangement is confirmed in the quotation. VAT Professional fees are quoted exclusive of VAT unless stated otherwise. VAT at the prevailing standard rate, currently 20%, is added to the professional fee. Additional fees may apply to major redesigns, extra site visits, additional buildings, intrusive investigations, extensive new drawing work or work outside the agreed scope.
The Fire Strategy Report service is consultant-led by a fire-safety professional holding MIFSM and AIFireE professional memberships. MIFSM indicates membership of the Institute of Fire Safety Managers. AIFireE is the Associate grade of the Institution of Fire Engineers. These memberships should not be described as Chartered Engineer registration. Spycon Security holds professional indemnity insurance in excess of £500,000 through NAPIT Insurance/Hiscox, subject to the applicable policy terms. Insurance evidence is available on request. Reports are accepted only where the proposed scope is within the consultant’s competence and insurance arrangements. Where a project requires a chartered structural fire engineer, specialist smoke-control designer, facade engineer or advanced modelling team, that need is identified before the appointment proceeds.
Most reports are completed within 3 to 7 working days. Straightforward flat alterations and loft conversions may be nearer the shorter end, while blocks, mixed-use buildings and retrospective reviews can take longer. The delivery period starts after the necessary drawings, survey information and agreed payment have been received.
Yes. Two reasonable revisions are included within the original agreed scope. They can be used for minor layout changes or reasonable Building Control comments. A substantially new scheme may need a separate fee.
Unless the quotation says otherwise, professional fees are exclusive of VAT. VAT is added at the standard rate, currently 20%.
The quotation will confirm one of two arrangements: 50% before the survey and 50% immediately afterwards, or full payment after the survey and before report preparation.
No. The professional fee covers the work carried out and is not conditional on the independent decision of Building Control. We include two reasonable revisions and can respond to relevant comments within the agreed scope.
No consultant can guarantee approval. We prepare a clear, technically reasoned report, identify weaknesses in the design and respond to reasonable comments. The formal decision remains with the building-control body.
They can be included. The quotation states whether AutoCAD fire-strategy drawings are part of the fee and whether usable CAD or scaled PDF plans need to be supplied.
Usually, provided the PDFs are clear and properly scaled. Extensive redrawing or uncertain source information may require additional work.
Some design-stage reports can be prepared from reliable drawings. Existing buildings, retrospective strategies and complicated refurbishments normally benefit from a site survey.
Not every loft conversion needs a separate report. It is more likely where the stair is not protected, the ground floor is open plan, the kitchen affects the escape route or the design departs from normal Approved Document B guidance.
Yes, where the project is within our competence. We assess the stair, kitchen, detection, suppression and any alternative route rather than assuming one standard solution fits every house.
Not automatically. Suppression can form part of an alternative approach, but the complete escape route and system specification need to be assessed.
Yes. The scope can focus on one flat and its connection to the common escape route. We still need enough information about the block to understand where occupants go after leaving the flat.
Yes. We provide communal-parts-only reports for freeholders, managing agents, right-to-manage companies and housing providers.
Not always. It depends on the agreed scope. A communal-only review may not require entry to every flat, although interfaces such as flat entrance doors may remain relevant.
It is a report for an existing building where the original strategy is missing, incomplete or no longer reflects the current layout. It records the apparent design and identifies information gaps.
A normal survey is visual. Hidden construction cannot be confirmed without suitable opening-up or an intrusive compartmentation survey.
No. The strategy explains what compartmentation is intended. A compartmentation survey investigates the actual condition of the building fabric.
No. The strategy deals mainly with design. The Fire Risk Assessment considers occupied-building risks, precautions and management.
Yes. Send the full comment schedule, latest drawings and any existing report. We can determine whether clarification, revised plans or a design change is required.
Yes. A reviewer may ask for further evidence or clarification. Reasonable comments within the original scope can be addressed through the two included revisions
Minor changes may fit within the revision allowance. A major layout change, additional storey or different use may require a revised scope and fee.
Yes. We cover suitable offices, shops, restaurants, cafes, warehouses, community premises and mixed-use projects within our competence.
Yes. We assess separation between uses, independent escape, service penetrations, ductwork, alarm interfaces and protection of the residential entrance and stair.
These projects involve more demanding competence and regulatory requirements. Enquiries are reviewed individually, and we will identify where a specialist multidisciplinary team is required.
The consultant holds MIFSM membership with the Institute of Fire Safety Managers and AIFireE Associate membership with the Institution of Fire Engineers.
Yes. Spycon Security holds professional indemnity insurance in excess of £500,000 through NAPIT Insurance/Hiscox, subject to policy terms. Evidence is available on request.
Send the property address, existing and proposed plans, sections and elevations, a short project description, Building Control comments, relevant fire documents and your preferred delivery date.
Call 020 4600 4703 or email info@spyconsecurity.co.uk.
It connects all fire-safety decisions in one coordinated design. It explains the escape strategy, compartmentation, fire doors, alarm, emergency lighting, smoke control and fire-service access. This reduces conflicting specifications, late redesign and uncertainty during construction.
Building Control needs to understand how the work addresses the fire-safety requirements of the Building Regulations. A report explains the design basis and gives the reviewer information that may not be obvious from the drawings, particularly for refurbishments, conversions and departures from standard guidance.
We identify the volume, edition, amendments and transitional provisions applicable to the project. Volume 1 generally relates to dwellings and Volume 2 to buildings other than dwellings. The correct document depends on the building, proposed work and project timing.
Depending on the project, the report may refer to BS 9991:2024, BS 9999:2017, BS 7974:2019, the BS 5839 series, the BS 5266 series, smoke-control standards, BS 8214 and relevant product evidence. Not every standard is applied to every project.
Approved Document B is statutory guidance on ways of meeting the Building Regulations in England. BS 9991 is a British Standard providing a code-of-practice approach for residential buildings within its scope. The chosen design basis should be applied coherently.
Approved Document B provides statutory guidance. BS 9999 offers a risk-based code-of-practice approach for many non-residential buildings. It can provide design flexibility in appropriate circumstances, but its complete framework and management assumptions must be considered.
It may be appropriate where the proposal cannot follow a normal prescriptive route, such as an open-plan loft conversion, constrained existing staircase, long travel distance, unusual mixed-use arrangement or heritage limitation. We first look for a practical design change; an alternative solution is considered only where it can be justified.
No. Suppression may form part of a solution, but it is not an automatic answer. The strategy must consider escape, fire and smoke spread, detection, reliability, maintenance and how the measures work together.
These are specialist quantitative services and are not included in a standard Fire Strategy Report. If modelling or advanced structural fire engineering is required, we identify the need for an appropriately competent specialist or multidisciplinary team.
Straightforward domestic reports generally start from £750 plus VAT. The fee depends on the plans, survey requirement, layout and whether an alternative fire-engineering solution is needed.
Commercial and mixed-use reports generally start from £2,500 plus VAT. Larger or more complex projects are quoted individually.
Not always. Building Control may also need architectural drawings, specifications, product evidence, structural information and specialist alarm or smoke-control designs. The strategy coordinates the fire-safety approach but does not replace every supporting document.
Don’t wait until it’s too late. Ensure your property is protected and compliant with a professionally installed fire alarm system.
