Learn what kind of services the right company can provide!
Protecting your property from fire hazards is not just a priority — it’s essential to ensuring the safety of everyone in the building. However, with the many fire protection companies available, it can quickly become overwhelming to figure out which company provides the right solutions.
A common area of confusion for many property managers is understanding the difference between fire protection contractors and fire protection maintenance companies. While both are critical in safeguarding your property, they serve distinct functions that cater to different aspects of fire safety.
In this blog, we’ll break down these differences, explain what each service brings to the table, and guide you in choosing the right solution to meet your specific fire protection needs. Let’s dive in!
SEE ALSO: What’s a NICET Certification & Why Does It Matter?
Fire Protection Contractor vs Fire Protection Maintenance Company: What’s the Difference?
It’s easy to confuse the two, but a contractor and a maintenance company serve different functions. A contractor offers a comprehensive range of services towards improving a capital asset. This would be grouped into a one-time upgrade, renovation, or modernization job and might be called a “Capital Improvements Project (CIP)” or something similar. The services provided, may include design, permitting, installation or renovation, commissioning, and warranty of a new, renovated, or upgraded system. Contractors may require a large upfront investment or deposit to kick off a project with progress payments made depending on the percentage of completion. A contractor’s job is completed when an agreed-upon Scope of Work is accomplished. A contractor may hold a lien against the project and may also supply a bond if requested by the customer.
A maintenance company, on the other hand, focuses exclusively on the ongoing care of existing fire protection systems. Their whole purpose is to make sure that your existing systems remain functional and compliant with local codes and regulations. Maintenance companies cannot hold a lien against their work, are not required to provide a bond, and are paid under a periodic fee with occasional repair billings added. The fire protection services they provide may include routine inspections, testing, troubleshooting, and upkeep, which are typically performed quarterly or annually with as-needed repairs, though some service contracts may include 24/7 support. The routine inspections may take a day up to a week, and minor repairs can be done the same day or within a month. The cost of this depends on whether you have a maintenance service plan or you’ll need to pay per visit. Maintenance companies are generally not involved with renovating, upgrading, or modernizing an existing system as this would require permitting, licensing, trade labor, bonding, and other aspects that are left to a contractor.
What Could Happen If You Get the Two Mixed Up?
There are consequences, and they could be quite harmful, entirely avoidable, or both. For example, by hiring a contractor, the customer may find themselves paying premium prices for a simple repair job. Worse yet, you may unwittingly find yourself with a lien on your property. Alternatively, hiring a service company to upgrade a fire alarm system could result in poor workmanship, project management, or unpermitted work. While it is true that some fire protection companies offer both contracting services and maintenance services, it is crucial that the customer understand the specific services they will be purchasing and the type of contract that will support them. A proper contract can help to set expectations and protect both parties in case of any misunderstandings. Contact us today and learn all the ways we can protect your Hawaii property from any fire safety risks.