Buy portable extinguisher servicing on comparable terms
Give every provider the same unit inventory. Compare basic service, additional work, technician evidence and the total site charge.
A comparable quote must answer five things
- Who attends and what competence covers these units?
- Which units and service stages are included?
- What attendance, consumables and report charges apply?
- How are defects and extra work authorised?
- What travel, VAT, refill, disposal and replacement charges are excluded?
Information to assemble before requesting quotes
Mark unknown items explicitly. Discovery can be priced; hidden assumptions cannot be compared.
- Responsible person and premises details
- Unit type, manufacturer, capacity, identity and location
- Count by site and service stage
- Previous labels, inventory and reports
- Used, damaged, missing or suspect units
- Manufacturer instructions for service-free products
- Access, parking and occupancy restrictions
- Desired visit and report dates
Project brief
Business and site: ______________________________________________
Reason for commissioning: first / periodic / new installation / change or event
Equipment and identifiers: ______________________________________
Use, process or operating conditions: ______________________________
Documents available: ___________________________________________
Sites and areas in scope: ________________________________________
Access and shutdown constraints: _________________________________
Target visit and report date: _____________________________________
Required quotation format
- Who attends and what competence covers these units?
- Which units and service stages are included?
- What attendance, consumables and report charges apply?
- How are defects and extra work authorised?
- What travel, VAT, refill, disposal and replacement charges are excluded?
Competence and evidence questions
Competence is specific to the equipment, system and judgement being bought. Ask about the proposed person, not only the company.
- Who is the attending technician?
- What training and comparable unit experience applies?
- Can any claimed BAFE SP101 organisation and technician status be checked?
- Will any work be subcontracted and to whom?
- Can a redacted item-level report be supplied?
- How are defects and urgent provision needs escalated?
- What current insurance covers the proposed work?
Comparable quote scorecard
| Comparison point | Provider A | Provider B | Provider C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attendance charge and visit minimum | |||
| Unit schedule and basic-service rate | |||
| Extended work itemised | |||
| Consumables and certification | |||
| Technician and subcontractor evidence | |||
| Defect communication | |||
| Refill and replacement authorisation | |||
| Disposal and interim provision | |||
| Travel, parking and VAT | |||
| Total site price and exclusions |
Do not add the scores blindly. Missing competence, equipment scope or statutory reporting can be a stop condition rather than a small disadvantage.
Report acceptance check
- Every unit has a location and identifier
- Type and manufacturer programme are recorded
- Work and limitations are itemised
- Faults and missing units have assigned actions
- Labels correspond to the report
- Extra work was authorised
- Selection and siting concerns are reported
- Next maintenance actions are recorded
Primary basis: BAFE extinguisher service guidance .