A fire alarm system exists to do one thing: give everyone in the building enough time to get out. Everything else, the panel, the detectors, the cabling, the certificates, is in service of that. We have designed and installed fire detection and alarm systems since 2006, and we hold BAFE SP203-1 third-party certification for design, installation, commissioning and maintenance, so the system you get is one that will stand up to an inspector, an insurer and, if it ever comes to it, a coroner.
What we design and install
- Addressable systems for anything beyond a small building: every device is individually identified at the panel, so a fault or a fire is located in seconds and false alarms are traced to a cause.
- Conventional systems where a small, simple premises needs a small, simple system.
- Wireless and hybrid systems to EN 54-25 for listed buildings, occupied flats and phased refurbishments.
- Networked multi-panel systems across estates, with graphics and remote monitoring where the site needs it.
- Aspirating detection for high ceilings, cold stores, server rooms and heritage interiors.
- Voice alarm and phased evacuation to BS 5839-8, integrated with the detection system.
The equipment we specify
We standardise on Advanced control panels (MxPro 5 for most sites, Axis EN for smaller single-loop buildings) and Apollo detection (Soteria and Discovery for new systems; XP95 where we are extending an existing loop). Both are made in the UK, certified to EN 54, and open protocol, which means any competent contractor can maintain the system we install. You are buying a system, not a dependency on us.
Control panels
MxPro 5
Addressable fire panels, 1 to 8 loops
The panel on most of our new installations. Single panels for a school or care home; networked systems for estates and hospitals. EN 54-2 and EN 54-4 certified, designed and built in the UK.
- 1–8 loops per panel
- Networks to 200 panels
- AlarmCalm false-alarm management
- Apollo and Hochiki protocols
Axis EN
Compact addressable panels
For smaller single-loop sites where a full MxPro would be more panel than the building needs, without losing the Advanced cause-and-effect engine or remote diagnostics.
- 1–2 loops
- Same engineering tools as MxPro
- Networkable
LuxIntelligent
Addressable emergency lighting test system
Automatic monthly and annual testing of emergency luminaires with results logged centrally, replacing the clipboard walk-round that BS 5266-1 otherwise demands.
- Automatic BS 5266 testing
- Central fault log
- Uses existing wiring
Detection and devices
Soteria
Current-generation detectors on CoreProtocol
Optical, heat and multi-sensor detectors with 360° optical chambers that cut false alarms and tolerate dust and dirt that would have tripped older devices. Our default for new addressable systems.
- Multi-sensor and optical
- Dust-tolerant chamber
- Loop-powered sounders and beacons
Discovery
Addressable detection with drift compensation
Five sensitivity modes per device, set from the panel to suit the room: a kitchen, a plant room and a dormitory on the same loop, each tuned differently.
- 5 sensitivity modes
- Drift compensation
- Backwards compatible with XP95
XP95
The installed base we maintain every day
The most widely installed addressable protocol in UK buildings. We maintain thousands of XP95 devices and plan phased upgrades to Discovery or Soteria without replacing panels or cabling.
- Phased upgrade paths
- Loop-powered devices
- Open protocol
Open protocol, by choice. Advanced panels and Apollo devices are open protocol, so you are never locked into one maintainer. We also maintain Gent, Kentec, C-Tec, Hochiki and Morley systems already installed in your buildings.
How the work runs
It starts with the fire risk assessment and a site survey. From those we agree the system category under BS 5839-1 (L1 to L5, P1 or P2) and write it down. We then produce a specification and drawings, priced transparently, with the cause-and-effect matrix agreed before a cable is pulled. Installation is by our own employed engineers, not sub-contractors. Commissioning follows the standard clause by clause, and handover includes the four BS 5839-1 certificates, as-fitted drawings, the O&M manual and a logbook, all uploaded to your portal.
Standards and legal duties
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 the responsible person must ensure premises are equipped with appropriate fire detectors and alarms (Article 13) and that they are maintained in efficient working order (Article 17). BS 5839-1:2025 is the code of practice the enforcing authority and your insurer will measure the system against. Where the building has sleeping accommodation in flats, BS 5839-6 applies in the dwellings and BS 5839-1 to the common parts, and the interface between them needs designing, not assuming.
Working in occupied buildings
Most of our replacement work happens with people in the building: tenants in flats, patients on wards, pupils in classrooms. We keep the existing system live until the new one is commissioned, agree working hours and communication with you, and use radio devices where cabling would be intrusive. Engineers carry ID, are DBS-checked where the site requires it, and follow your safeguarding procedures.
After handover
A new system is only compliant while it is maintained. Our planned maintenance service takes over from day one: six-monthly inspections, weekly test support, remote diagnostics where fitted, and every visit report and certificate in the portal. Read more under fire alarm maintenance.
Frequently asked
Which BS 5839-1 category does my building need?
The category comes from the fire risk assessment, not from a catalogue. L1 to L5 systems protect life; P1 and P2 protect property; M is manual only. Most workplaces need at least an L4 or L3 system covering escape routes and the rooms opening onto them; care premises and sleeping risks usually need L1 or L2. We put the category in writing in the design certificate so it can be audited.
Conventional, addressable or wireless?
Addressable systems identify the exact device in alarm and cost less to maintain over their life, so we specify them for anything beyond a small single-storey building. Conventional panels still suit small premises. Wireless (radio) devices to EN 54-25 are right for listed buildings, occupied flats and phased refurbishments where cabling is disruptive.
What paperwork do I get at handover?
A BS 5839-1 design certificate, installation certificate, commissioning certificate and acceptance certificate; as-fitted drawings; the cause-and-effect matrix; a zone chart at the panel; the operation and maintenance manual; and a logbook. Every document is also uploaded to your client portal.
Do you replace systems in occupied buildings?
Yes. Most of our replacement work is in occupied housing, hospitals and schools. We run the old and new systems in parallel until the new one is commissioned, so the building is never without detection, and we agree working hours and resident communication with you in advance.
What does BAFE SP203-1 actually certify?
It is UKAS-accredited third-party certification of our competence in the design, installation, commissioning and maintenance of fire detection and alarm systems. Our certificate (BAFE registration 101315, certified by NICEIC) covers all four modules, which many contractors do not hold.
