Fire doors are critical for the safety of lives and property. The sole purpose of fire doors is to limit the spread of fire for as long as possible. The importance of fire doors in a building is indisputable. Fire doors are a must for optimum safety. To budget correctly, you need to know the cost to install fire door.

Fire door installation costs $500 – $1500. The price is determined by the type of door, its hardware, material, size, and labor. You will incur a couple of additional costs on fire door installation.

This article will discuss those extra costs. We will also discuss some critical things to consider when undertaking your fire door installation.

Cost To Install Fire Door

The installation cost of a fire door is $500 – $1500. The fee covers material and labor costs. Several factors determine the cost of fire door installation, such as the rating of the door, size, and material. 

Before now, fire extinguishers and alarms were all you thought of as measures against fire disasters. Fire-rated doors have been developed to provide optimum protection against fire damage. 

A fire door can be a thin line between life and death in a fire incident. A fire door will also reduce the rate of damage to your property. Undertaking a fire door installation is relatively expensive, especially if your building is large and requires more than one fire door. 

Fire Door Installation

Fire doors are unique doors made to withstand fire for some time. In fire incidents, a fire door will protect a part of the house from damage for as long as possible. Certified fire doors are tested against fire and rated based on the length of time they can withstand roaring fire.

Fire doors are a necessity in every home. It will buy occupants of your home enough time to escape a building in case of a fire incident. It also acts as a shield for an area of the house where valuables are kept. 

A wrongly installed fire door will not withstand fire and smoke as it should. In ten minutes or less, the fire will spread to all supposedly protected areas of your home.  You must get a competent, certified professional to install your fire door. 

Here are some things you should note when undertaking your fire door installation project:

• Look for a certification label on your newly purchased fire door. If it is not certified, you must get it licensed by the Fire Department.
• Ensure your fire door hardware, like latch, lock, handle, and hinges, are firmly screwed and have a CE marking.
• Ensure that your fire door’s frame, casing, and intumescent strip must be tested and aligned with the door’s rating.
• Adhere to the instruction guide for proper installation.
• The gap between the door and the head/jambs of the frame should be 0.16 inches at most. The threshold gap should be 0.31 – 0.39 inches. The instruction guide should state the correct threshold gap.
• Do not cut the vent for glazing by yourself. Get it done by a licensed handler.
• Ensure that all spaces between the frame and wall are tightly sealed with fire-resistant material.
• Make sure your fire door’s placement is in line with building regulations.
• Your fire door should be closed at all times. 

It is not advisable to install your fire door yourself to avoid the wrong installation. Only employ certified handlers.

How Much Does A Fire Door Cost?

Fire doors cost $100 – $600. The price is determined by the length of time the door can resist fire and the type of material it is made of. A fire door with a thirty-minute rating is cheaper than a ninety-minute rated fire door. 

Installing fire doors in your house following building regulation increases the demand and value of your property. Prospective tenants will love a home with fire doors. Fire doors are typically more expensive than regular internal doors because they are made of fire resistant materials.

Fire doors are made of solid, fire-resistant materials like metal, steel, gypsum, aluminum, and timber. You might find it hard to believe, but most fire doors come in wood and are highly resistant to fire. Vermiculite boards are fire-repelling and a good choice for your fire doors.

Steel and metal fire doors are typically more affordable and widely used. They also come in high ratings than the more expensive timber fire doors.

Types Of Fire Doors

Fire doors are classified based on two primary factors, the door rating, and the door material. 

Types Of Fire Doors By Rating

There are four types of fire doors, FD30, FD60, FD90, and FD120. FD means fire door, and the numbers represent the length of time the door can resist fire and smoke.

Let’s briefly discuss each type of fire door individually.

1. FD30

FD30 means fire door for 30 minutes. This means fire doors with this label can withstand fire for thirty minutes before giving way. FD30 is commonly used in residential homes as a door to escape routes. 

FD30S means thirty minutes of fire and smoke protection. FD30S does not only resist fire but stops the spread of smoke too. They have smoke seals in their intumescent strip that prevent smoke spread. Smoke is one of the significant causes of death in fire incidents. We advise you get an FD30S rather than an FD30.

2. FD60

FD60 offers 60 minutes of fire protection. It gives a more extended escape period for occupants of your residential and commercial buildings. FD60 provides both fire and smoke protection.

FD60S are more expensive than the FD30S. However, it offers more protection for your tenants. If your residential property has FD60S, it will be more valued in the real estate market.

3. FD90

FD90 offers 90 minutes of fire protection. It is commonly used in commercial and industrial buildings where people need help evacuating. FD90S will buy enough time for the fire department to arrive and help occupants evacuate—FD90S also offer smoke protection. 

4. FD120

FD120 overs at least two hours (120 minutes) of fire and smoke control. Fire doors with this rating are best for large industrial buildings with many occupants. These doors provide ample time for people to evacuate your building and to keep the fire in check till the fire department arrives.

Types Of Fire Doors By Materials

Fire doors are typically made of timber, steel, metal, aluminum, and gypsum.

• Steel and metal fire doors are commonly used and come in high ratings of 60 – 90minutes. Steel or metal fire doors are an affordable option for you. It is much cheaper than timber fire doors and resists fire longer.

• Timber Fire doors are expensive and come with a 30-minute rating. They are usually filled with gypsum, which is more fire-repelling. For a higher rating, you can get a timber fire door coated with aluminum or vermiculite panels. However, the door would be pretty costly.

• Gypsum fire doors have the highest rating of 2 hours and more. Gypsum boards used for fire doors comprise about 21% of crystallized water. The water crystals enable it to resist fire for an extended period. The core of other types of fire doors is sometimes filled with gypsum to increase their fire resistance.

• Vermiculite fire doors are becoming increasingly popular. Vermiculite fire doors can withstand more than 1000 degree celsius of heat. Like gypsum, fire doors have a high rating of over 2 hours. It is also used to fill the hollow core of other types of fire doors.  

Factors Affecting Fire Door Installation Cost

1. Type Of Fire Door

As we mentioned, the door type is determined by its fire rating. Typically, the higher the door’s rating, the higher the price.  The price of the door directly affects the installation cost. You spend more to install an FD90 than an FD30.

2. Material

Another principal factor that affects the cost of fire door installation is the material used. Steel and metal fire doors are affordable options with high ratings. Timber fire doors are expensive. Since the door price takes up the bulk of the installation cost, timber fire doors are more costly to install. 

3. Hardware

The hardware of fire doors, like hinges, pivots, seals, handles, and frames, must be fire-resistant. They typically cost more than regular door hardware, which increases the cost of fire door installation.

4. Size/Thickness Of The Door

The standard size of fire doors is 32 by 80 inches, just like regular internal doors. Installing double doors or custom-size doors will be more expensive. First, the larger the fire door, the more it costs, and you will have to pay more for labor. 

You will spend more or less on customized fire doors depending on whether the door is smaller or larger than the standard.

The standard thickness of fire doors is 45 – 54mm. The thicker the fire doo, the more it costs. Typically wider fire doors have a high rating.

6. Labor

Fire Door Installation is simple but technical and should only be carried out by certified professional installers.  You should not attempt to install a fire door yourself, as wrongly installed fire doors are ineffective. 

A professional handyperson will charge you based on the number of fire doors you want to install. It takes 2 hours to install a fire door. You will pay $40 – $75 per hour. If you are installing several fire doors, bargain to pay on a contract basis or daily rather than hourly to save cost. 

When considering the safety fire door provides for your family or tenants, the cost should be less of a concern. Fire door installation costs an average of $1000, which is not unreasonable. Fire doors are not just a lifesaver, it has the potential to raise the value of your rental properties.