Black & White Facilities / Service brief
Passive Fire Surveys
Resolve uncertainty about passive fire protection with a survey scope matched to the decision required. Alterations, missing construction records and visible gaps can affect confidence in doors, partitions, floors and service penetrations, so describe the history and distinguish known defects from questions about concealed construction.
Overview
For an estate survey, retain a separate account of concerns and restrictions at each property. Similar visible gaps do not establish identical causes or construction across buildings.
Our full service catalogue, including every individual service, is available across every listed sector and location. For one site or several, we agree the scope, access and programme around the buildings concerned.
What the work can include
Review available fire information and inspect the agreed elements. Locate and photograph concerns, identify potential repairs and further investigation, and set clear limits on the areas covered and the completion record required.
Reference observations to the building and asset records already held. This gives budgeting, repeat work and later inspections a consistent way to locate the original survey findings.
Important decisions
Decide how much detail the decision requires. A general passive-fire review has a different remit from a focused compartmentation survey or detailed examination of fire doors.
Before we visit
Share plans, earlier reports and refurbishment records. Hazardous-material information is needed before considering intrusive investigation.
Confirm the local contact, technical approver and person receiving the survey action list. Settle permits, shutdowns and interfaces with other contractors before booking access.
How the work proceeds
Define the areas included and how they can be accessed, then inspect the selected elements. Keep confirmed observations clearly separate from uncertainty about hidden construction.
Choose the sequence of properties and how material findings will reach the decision-maker. Report incomplete areas and outstanding actions rather than marking an entire site finished too early.
What affects cost and timing
Price depends on area, construction elements, inspection detail, access and reinstatement. The enquiry and available records determine whether work can be quoted directly or needs an initial visit.
Group compatible survey tasks where practical, allowing for each building’s access periods and operational dependencies. Agree how further findings will be reported and their investigation or repair priced.
Applications across sectors
Let actual use and fire arrangements govern the survey. Sleeping accommodation differs from offices in evacuation and access, education work needs planning around children and staff, and warehouses require attention to storage and layout changes. The sector range shows the wider settings covered.
Locations covered
Surveys are available across Northumberland, Tees Valley, County Durham and Tyne and Wear, including Newcastle upon Tyne, Gateshead, Sunderland, Middlesbrough, Darlington and Durham. Consult the location directory for other towns and communities; provide all site addresses and local access contacts for an estate programme.
Frequently asked questions
Can a survey confirm the whole building without opening anything up?
Visible defects may be found while hidden construction remains unverified. The survey report needs to state those limits explicitly.
What information should I send about passive fire surveys?
Send plans and previous findings with the refurbishment history and hazardous-material records before any intrusive work is considered. Identify the site and whether the decision concerns investigation, repairs or a planned programme.
What affects the price and programme?
Survey area, element types, inspection depth, entry arrangements and making good affect the requirement. Define any extra investigation or work before seeking approval.
What should the completion information explain?
Explain which elements or areas were covered, the work and checks completed, and what remains uncertain or unresolved. Retain site and asset identifiers so subsequent inspections and maintenance can follow the record.
Useful guidance and records
Use what should a fire logbook contain when planning supporting documentation. Remedial-action tracking explains how defect findings can be followed through to evidence of completion; official guidance supplies wider technical and management context.
Related work and your next step
Review Dry and Wet Riser Testing with the Fire and Life Safety overview when considering related measures. Continuing work can feed into maintenance, wider changes into projects, and the full services directory covers other requirements.
Send Black & White Facilities the premises or asset list, existing survey evidence and operating restrictions. Agree the work boundaries, responsibilities and reporting together. Make an enquiry.
Discuss the scope
Tell us what needs attention.
Share the site, the issue and any access requirements so we can discuss the next step.