Your questions, answered

Fire compartmentation divides a building into sections so that smoke and flame cannot spread freely from one area to another. The survey checks that fire-rated walls, floors, ceilings, doors and seals are all intact and properly installed. Gaps around pipe penetrations, missing intumescent strips on doors, and poorly fitted fire-rated boards are common findings. Left unaddressed, any breach gives fire a path it should not have, reducing the time occupants have to evacuate safely.

Any multi-occupied residential building, commercial premises or care facility where passive fire protection is a legal requirement may need one. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 places responsibility on the responsible person to ensure fire safety measures are in place and working. If an existing fire risk assessment has identified compartmentation as a concern, or if the building has recently been refurbished, a specialist compartmentation survey establishes the actual condition of the fire barriers. Book a survey and a specialist will assess what is present.

The main factors are the size and complexity of the building, the number of compartment walls and floors to be checked, and whether intrusive investigation is needed to inspect voids or ceiling spaces. A straightforward single-floor commercial unit costs less than a high-rise residential block with many tenancy boundaries. When you book, a specialist will price the work after reviewing the building type and scope, so the figure reflects the actual property rather than a general estimate.

Yes. Landlords, managing agents, housing associations and responsible persons under the Fire Safety Order all book surveys regularly. Leaseholders and Right to Manage companies also arrange them following an EWS1 review or following remediation works. When you book, describe the building type, approximate floor count, and whether any previous survey or fire risk assessment has flagged specific compartmentation concerns. That detail helps the specialist plan the visit properly.

A specialist visits the building and physically inspects fire-rated construction elements throughout the agreed scope. This includes checking fire doors and their hardware, testing intumescent and smoke seals, looking at penetrations through compartment walls and floors, and examining fire-rated board installations where accessible. Intrusive checks may involve lifting ceiling tiles or opening service risers. The specialist records findings with photographs and sets them out in a written report. That report identifies breaches and recommends remedial action.

Availability depends on the specialist and the location of the building. Larger or more complex buildings take longer to survey and to report on than smaller ones. When you book, the specialist will discuss realistic timescales for both the visit and the written report. If the building has an urgent compliance deadline, note this at the time of booking so it can be considered when scheduling.

Compartmentation work requires knowledge of the specific fire ratings assigned to different construction products and assemblies. A specialist understands British Standard classifications, knows which gap sizes and sealant types meet those ratings, and can identify products that are not fit for purpose. A general builder may repair a visible gap without recognising whether the materials used restore the required fire rating. A written report from a qualified specialist also provides documentation that satisfies insurers, lenders and regulatory bodies.

A fire risk assessment is a broader review of all fire safety measures in a building, covering means of escape, detection, signage, and management procedures as well as passive protection. A compartmentation survey focuses specifically on the physical fire barriers: walls, floors, doors, seals and penetrations. The two are complementary. A fire risk assessment may identify compartmentation as a concern, after which a compartmentation survey provides the detailed evidence needed to act on that finding. Both services are available to book.