Smoke Alarm Installation in QLD

Hi All,

So I know a bunch of you have had upgraded smoke alarms to meet the new requirements coming into affect in QLD.

Can anyone recommend any guys that they have used at reasonable prices? I've already had 5 houses done using the Emerald Planet EP-RF-Li10 wireless ones. They have good reviews and some of the biggest Fire Alarm companies are using them. I've got another 10 houses to go.

EMERALD PLANET WIRELESS INTERCONNECT SMOKE ALARM 10 YEAR
Emerald Planet Wireless Interconnect Smoke Alarm 10 Year

The previous contractors where charging me $80 per alarm supplied and installed. They are making about $40 per alarm and each house has around 5-7 alarms so its not bad for 1hr work. They just pair them up wirelessly and mount.

Anyone got any recommendations before I start cold calling around and getting quotes? I'd like to use a group that some of you guys have used.

Cheers

 

How long is their warranty?

 

Sue McKenney @Sue from Red sells smoke alarms.

 

7 Years.

 

Anyone used "The Smoke Alarm Guys"? They have some competitive pricing and a full 10 years parts and labour warranty.

Home - The Smoke Alarm Guys

I might give these guys a go.

 

Thanks for sharing.

@Tom Rivera FYI

 

Just for more information for you guys

The Emerald Planet ones are just rebranded Siterwell ones. They come off the exact same factory and workshops. Some companies are quoting either/or but they are the same thing.

Regarding the smoke alarm guys supposedly they manufacture their own alarms with no middle men (hence why they back their alarms with 10 year parts and labour). I'm going to give these guys a chance with 10+ of my remaining houses in QLD.

From reviews I've read they are pretty good and reliable. Nice ppl as well from my conversations with them.

I've seen some crazy expensive quotes flying around so just be careful what you pay.
Most of these alarms are made in China anyway even the big names and are fairly cheap especially with trade discounts.

 

Thanks for the info. So how much do the smoke alarm guys charge per smoke alarm, do they work out cheaper than the emerald planet units at $63 each?

 

They are slightly more than my price I was paying to my previous contractor supplied and installed but the price I got was for bulk pricing. If your only doing 1 or 2 houses it may be slightly more. Still ok. Call them next week they will quote you over the phone.

Pretty much everyone I've talked to will do the Emerald ones for < $100 a pop supplied and installed. Like I said for each house its only a 1 hr job especially for someone who does this day in day out. These guys will knock out 4-5 houses per day easily if it wireless ones.

 

@thunderstrike888 if you don't mind me asking, how did things turn out? Did you go with the smoke alarm guys and if so were you happy with the outcome?

My property manager's quotes range from $120 (for the Emerald ones) to $255 per alarm, which seems pretty crazy given that they seem trivial to install, so I'm thinking of calling The Smoke Alarm Guys myself.

 

Yes I've done 7 properties thus far. All good and they are efficient and trustworthy. Full compliance cert and 10 years warranty.

Don't pay anymore than $120 per alarm. No way. (Ideal price is under $100 for wireless ones). These things are 60 mins per house to install 5/6 alarms mostly less as per my recent experience. I found guys that would do my ENTIRE portfolio in a single day for all wireless. Its more like 30mins per house.

Unless you need hardwired 240V for an existing alarm.

$255 per alarm is outright taking you for a ride. I wish I was in Brisbane I would have done all the houses myself.

 

Thanks for the quick response! I'll give them a call tomorrow for sure.

 

Hmm, they've quoted me $129 per wireless alarm, $149 ea to replace the existing mains wired ones.

 

For an idea on time/cost. I just did one iny own place. Got gear delivered so no pickup time, removed 4x old alarms, all in noncompliant spots, rewired (see blue cabling - I just use this as it's convenient with enough wires in it for the interconnect and clearly not a lighting cable)
Installed 6 alarms
Patched and painted all the holes
Cleaned up the mess
Total time 4hrs.
Total cost $215

 

You would be ripping that out on my job and using a separate SDI. Not recommended to use blue by alot of smoke alarm manufacturers.

 

$550+ for a local if I didn't have to patch and paint. I don't do domestic, it's crap work for less money. It should be $1000 but good luck charging that.

Queried it with voltex, no issue. Cable is rated to 240v, interconnect isn't segregated within alarm itself. At my place I've run it through an isolation relay and switches all bedroom and hallway lights on also. Still with all that, no issues. Done it this way for years. Never had any issue with false tripping. you can get cable in blue, pink, red, black and blue. Colour means nothing special, but it does make it less likely to be cut into for a light feed later. I run them on seperate rcbo. Clipsal has rediculous requirements, 1000mm clearance from anything, bet most installs are noncompliant using them (hallways!)
Everyone has their own preferences, good to hear you've got high standards, it's rare out in the domestic scene.

 

Regardless of colour, I'd be thrilled if a contractor did a job that neat in my ceiling space.

Even if you charged $100/hr, your total for 6 alarms would be $615 ($400 labour and $215 parts), or $102 per alarm. Including patching and painting holes. Which is a whole lot better than anything I'm seeing.

I increasingly think this whole smoke alarm industry is a croc, taking advantage of peoples' fear of noncompliance, and promoting panic around looming deadlines.

Yes, there are overheads in running any business but it looks to me that they must be making huge hourly rates for what really is 90% handyman work.

EDIT: sorry, I didn't realise that all the alarms in your case are mains powered. That's a different kettle of fish than the battery-powered wireless-interconnect alarms.

 

The Queensland Fire & Emergency Services has put together these informative videos which will get you up to speed in just a few minutes.

https://www.qfes.qld.gov.au/prepare/fire/smoke-alarms/renters?wvideo=k5kikw5cfs

 

Any idea what's reasonable for a 240v alarm? I'm getting quoted $148.50 each.