Residential Fire Sprinklers .com

Protecting Your Home & Family

On September 21, 2008 the International Code Council (ICC) adopted amendment RB64-07/08 to the 2009 International Residential Code (IRC). This amendment mandates that beginning January 1, 2011 all new one and two family residential dwellings along with townhomes be equipped with fire sprinklers.

First and foremost, I have to admit that I’m a passionate fire and life safety guy who believes these changes are long overdue. The fact of the matter is that the fire losses in the United States are staggering in terms of the lives and property we lose each year. Because the losses occur in one’s and two’s every day, rather than a few catastrophic events each month, they go largely ignored by the national media and under the radar of most Americans. Over a decade ago I heard a keynote speaker address a sprinkler trade association’s annual convention where he noted that the national yearly losses caused by fires in single family dwellings alone is the same number of people we would lose if two 747 jet airliners collided over the U.S. every month. He asked rhetorically if we thought there would be a change in the way flights were scheduled or flown if that actually happened twice in a year, let alone every month for years. You could have heard a pin drop.

In my twenty plus years lobbying for and promoting fire sprinkler installations, I’ve heard opponents talk about the cost versus the benefit and focus on the fact that today’s construction is safer than older homes with more electrical outlets and better circuit breakers, etc. Let’s be clear and factual, the three greatest causes of fires in the home are men, women and children. Yes, there are electrical fires and they account for about 15% of fire ignition sources according to statistics. However, unattended candles, smoking materials and cooking equipment account for the lion’s share of ignition sources; In other words people driven, not mechanical.

At some point along the way, society accepted the fact that we were going to wear a seat belt while driving our cars. Many of us hated that and some people still don’t buckle up today.

Regardless, our laws caught up with the financial reality that way too many people were dying or injured beyond where they would be had they just buckled up. The cost was too great not to impose this new law in the face of proven factual data. There can be no mistake that we are at the same point with residential fire sprinklers and all of the fighting, legal wrangling and attempts to roll-back the codes to avoid accepting the inevitability of this new mandate are ridiculous. Fifty years from now, no one will want to live in a home without fire sprinklers.

Pennsylvania has been a leader in this effort, becoming one of the first states to adopt the 2009 IRC, which includes the residential fire sprinkler requirements that will take effect January 1, 2011. The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and the Pennsylvania Builders Association (PBA) have made several attempts to block the sprinkler requirement. When voted on by the Uniform Construction Code (UCC) Review and Advisory Council the sprinkler requirements were upheld. Further legislative attempts by NAHB and PBA have been denied. The latest attempt is PBA’s filing of an application for summary relief which will be heard during a June session. Despite these attempts, the 2009 IRC is in effect today in Pennsylvania and the residential fire sprinkler requirement is scheduled to take effect January 1, 2011.

Realistically, we should expect the majority of these systems to be plumbing systems as opposed to stand alone fire sprinkler systems in the traditional sense of the term. By that I mean that many piping systems will be multipurpose piping systems supplying water to plumbing fixtures and fire sprinkler nozzles, through a shared plumbing system. As such, the work is more likely to be performed by the residential plumbing contractor than a stand-alone fire sprinkler contractor.

With the current state of our economy and the market conditions, most plumbers will be happy to accept the challenges and opportunities this new legislation brings to their doorsteps. But, what is it they say about no free lunches? Business related considerations such as licensing and insurance must be addressed and proper training must be obtained to ensure this work is performed correctly. Fire Smarts and Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors (PHCC) association are working together to deliver training programs geared to take experienced plumbers and add the skill set for residential fire sprinkler installation. As you consider this opportunity for your business invest in training to understand these systems and the codes that govern them. While these systems are pipe and fittings, there life safety application includes requirements and liability beyond typical domestic plumbing.

Bob Caputo is a Fire Smarts Faculty member with more than 25 years experience in the fire protection community. He has been an instructor since 1989, teaching seminars for NFPA and the American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA). He holds a Certified Fire Protection Specialist (CFPS) designation, fire sprinkler contracting licenses in multiple states, and serves on the NFPA 13 Installation and NFPA 25 Committees.

Webinar presentation will educate plumbing contractors on piping and sprinkler material requirements and acceptable options for residential fire sprinkler systems.

A new webinar has been prepared by Fire Smarts, LLC on behalf of the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors – National Association (PHCC) to educate plumbing contractors across the nation on the types of sprinklers and types of piping available for fire sprinkler systems. The webinar is part of the online training offered by the PHCC.

The “Types of Piping and Sprinklers for Residential Fire Sprinkler Systems” webinar will be presented by fire protection industry expert, Stephen Leyton, on May 19, 2010 at 3:00pm EST. Mr. Leyton will educate participants about the differences between commercial and residential material requirements as found in the NFPA 13/R/D standards, the acceptable residential material choices available, their preferred application, and the cost impact considerations when selecting the most appropriate sprinklers and piping type for a particular residential sprinkler system.

“With the recent addition of residential fire sprinkler requirements into the International Residential Code, there is no question that these systems will become a standard component in new home construction across the country,” said Ryan J. Smith, President of Fire Smarts, LLC. “There is a need and an incredible opportunity for plumbing contractors to assist in providing these services.”

The “Residential Fire Sprinklers Market Growth and Labor Demand Analysis” published by Fire Smarts, LLC in September 2008, projects that over 7000 additional positions for sprinkler installation will be needed as residential fire sprinkler requirements are adopted and widely enforced across the country over the next decade. An adequate amount of skilled labor is essential to ensuring that residential sprinkler systems can be properly and cost-effectively installed. A growing number of industry experts agree that plumbing contractors play a critical role in the successful implementation of residential fire sprinkler code requirements.

“There is a lot of interest by PHCC members in this new market,” said Skip Pfeffer, PHCC’s President. “We cannot afford to lose this market—especially in the current economy. I encourage all PHCC members and potential members to participate.”

Registration is open to all interested parties. For more information and to register for this webinar visit https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/938041146 . This webinar is another residential fire sprinkler educational and training opportunity that is being offered by the PHCC in partnership with Fire Smarts.

About PHCC: The PHCC – National Association is the oldest trade association in the construction industry and the premiere organization for the plumbing, heating and cooling professional. Since 1883, PHCC has been the leader in promotion, advancement, education and training. Today PHCC has more than 4100 contractor members from open and union shops, who work in the residential, commercial, new construction, industrial and service and repair industry segments.

About Fire Smarts, LLC: Fire Smarts, LLC is a leading provider of fire protection educational and training resources. The company operates the home fire protection resource website, Residential Fire Sprinklers .com ( http://www.ResidentialFireSprinklers.com ), frequently publishes articles and reports on the latest industry developments and utilizes its team of Fire Smarts Faculty members to create custom training solutions for contractors, fire and building officials, and business organizations based on NFPA standards.

Fire Smarts seminar presentation at the PHCC West Convention in Napa Valley, CA on May 13, 2010 will educate plumbing contractors on the recent adoption of residential fire sprinkler requirements in California.

A live seminar has been prepared by Fire Smarts, LLC on behalf of the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors (PHCC) to educate plumbing contractors on the recent adoption of the 2010 California Residential Code which includes the 2009 International Residential Code with fire sprinkler requirements. This seminar is part of the educational training being offered at the 2010 PHCC West Convention in Napa Valley, CA.

The “California Residential Fire Sprinkler Requirements” live seminar will be presented by fire protection industry expert, Stephen Leyton, on May 13, 2010 at 10:45am PST. Mr. Leyton served as Chair of the installation committee for the California State Fire Marshal’s Residential Sprinkler Code Adoption Task Group and Co-Chair of the ICC Ad-Hoc Committee on Residential Fire Sprinklers. Mr. Leyton will educate participants on the residential fire sprinkler code changes in California and provide an understanding of the process that led to these changes. Participants will also hear from Uponor and Lubrizol representatives about the piping material options being used for one- and two-family residential dwellings.

“With the recent addition of residential fire sprinkler requirements into the International Residential Code, there is no question that these systems will become a standard component in new home construction across the country,” said Ryan J. Smith, President of Fire Smarts, LLC. “There is a need and an incredible opportunity for plumbing contractors to assist in providing these services.”

The “Residential Fire Sprinklers Market Growth and Labor Demand Analysis” published by Fire Smarts, LLC in September 2008, projects that over 7000 additional positions for sprinkler installation will be needed as residential fire sprinkler requirements are adopted and widely enforced across the country over the next decade. An adequate amount of skilled labor is essential to ensuring that residential sprinkler systems can be properly and cost-effectively installed. A growing number of industry experts agree that plumbing contractors play a critical role in the successful implementation of residential fire sprinkler code requirements.

“There is a lot of interest by PHCC members in this new market,” said Skip Pfeffer, PHCC’s National President. “We cannot afford to lose this market—especially in the current economy. I encourage all PHCC members and potential members to participate.”

Convention registration is open to all interested parties. For more information and to register for the 2010 PHCC West Convention visit http://www.caphcc.org/phcc-west-convention . This seminar is another residential fire sprinkler educational and training opportunity that is being offered by the PHCC in partnership with Fire Smarts.

About PHCC: The PHCC – National Association is the oldest trade association in the construction industry and the premiere organization for the plumbing, heating and cooling professional. Since 1883, PHCC has been the leader in promotion, advancement, education and training. Today PHCC has more than 4100 contractor members from open and union shops, who work in the residential, commercial, new construction, industrial and service and repair industry segments.

About Fire Smarts, LLC: Fire Smarts, LLC is a leading provider of fire protection educational and training resources. The company operates the home fire protection resource website, Residential Fire Sprinklers .com ( http://www.ResidentialFireSprinklers.com ), frequently publishes articles and reports on the latest industry developments and utilizes its team of Fire Smarts Faculty members to create custom training solutions for contractors, fire and building officials, and business organizations based on NFPA standards.

Training seminar being presented on April 27-28th in Hanover, PA and on April 29-30th in Camp Hill, PA will educate participants on the NFPA 13D and IRC P2904 requirements for designing and installing fire sprinklers in one and two family homes, including townhomes.

A live 2-day residential fire sprinkler training seminar has been prepared by Fire Smarts, LLC to educate participants in Pennsylvania on the IRC P2904 and National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 13D standard that covers the installation of sprinkler systems in one and two family homes. This seminar is being hosted by R.F. Fager & Company at their Hanover, PA and Camp Hill, PA training facilities.

This Residential Fire Sprinkler 2-Day Training will be presented by fire protection industry expert, Bob Caputo, CFPS, CET, on April 27-28th in Hanover, PA and on April 29-30th in Camp Hill, PA. Mr. Caputo will educate participants on how IRC P2904 applies to multipurpose residential sprinkler systems and provide a chapter-by-chapter discussion on the NFPA 13D standard to gain an understanding of water supply requirements, system layout options, system component requirements and installation tips and best practices for residential fire sprinkler systems.

“With the recent addition of residential fire sprinkler requirements into the International Residential Code, there is no question that these systems will become a standard component in new home construction across the country,” said Ryan J. Smith, President of Fire Smarts, LLC. “Pennsylvania was the first state to adopt these new requirements and now proper training is critical to ensure that these life safety systems are designed and installed correctly.”

The “Residential Fire Sprinklers Market Growth and Labor Demand Analysis” published by Fire Smarts, LLC in September 2008, projects that over 7000 additional positions for sprinkler installation will be needed as residential fire sprinkler requirements are adopted and widely enforced across the country over the next decade. An adequate amount of skilled labor is essential to ensuring that residential sprinkler systems can be properly and cost-effectively installed. This applies to sprinkler system designers, installers and the fire/building officials responsible for enforcing the code requirements.

“There has been a lot of interest from our customers in the emerging residential fire sprinkler market,” said Barry Wiseman, Branch Manager of R.F. Fager & Co. “We are proud to host this event and bring this important residential fire sprinkler training to our customers and the surrounding community.”

Training registration is open to all interested parties. For more information and to register visit:

April 27-28, 2010 – Hanover, PA – http://www.firesmarts.com/training/rfs-pa-4-27-2010/

April 29-30, 2010 – Camp Hill, PA – http://www.firesmarts.com/training/rfs-pa-4-29-2010/

This training will involve extensive use of the NFPA 13D Standard. This open enrollment event is subject to minimum registration. Please do not make travel arrangements until your registration has been confirmed by Fire Smarts.

About Bob G. Caputo, CFPS, CET: Bob Caputo is a Fire Smarts Faculty member with more than 25 years experience in the fire protection community. He has been an instructor since 1989, teaching seminars for NFPA and the American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA). He holds a Certified Fire Protection Specialist (CFPS) designation, fire sprinkler contracting licenses in multiple states, and serves on the NFPA 13 Installation and NFPA 25 Committees.

About Fire Smarts, LLC: Fire Smarts, LLC is a leading provider of fire protection educational and training resources. The company operates the home fire protection resource website, Residential Fire Sprinklers .com ( http://www.ResidentialFireSprinklers.com ), frequently publishes articles and reports on the latest industry developments and utilizes its team of Fire Smarts Faculty members to create custom training solutions for contractors, fire and building officials, and business organizations based on NFPA standards.

The concluding part of a five part series focusing on the rapidly growing residential fire sprinkler market and why plumbing contractors are best positioned to capture this opportunity.

To view part four of the series visit “Residential Fire Sprinklers: Plumbing Contractor Competitive Advantage #2“

Multipurpose residential fire sprinkler systems combine fire sprinklers with a home’s plumbing, which means that a plumber can often easily install both. And with the 2009 International Residential Code requiring sprinklers in every new home, plumbing contractors now have an opportunity to significantly increase their revenue on every one of their residential plumbing jobs.

On September 21, 2008, the International Code Council voted to mandate fire sprinklers in every new one and two-family home. According to the Residential Fire Sprinklers Market Growth and Labor Demand Analysis published by Fire Smarts LLC, the sprinkler industry will require an additional 7,000 installers to meet this new demand. And although the mandate doesn’t take effect until January 1, 2011, more than 400 jurisdictions in the U.S. are already requiring residential sprinklers in new-home construction. As builders are required to install sprinklers in their homes, they’ll be looking for the systems and the contractors that best meet their needs.

As listed in the NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) 13D standard for the installation of residential fire sprinklers, there are two basic types of home fire sprinkler systems to choose from: multipurpose (combination) and standalone (dedicated). Standalone sprinkler systems are kept separate from a home’s plumbing by a backflow prevention device and are usually installed by a commercial sprinkler contractor. Multipurpose systems, on the other hand, deliberately integrate sprinklers into a home’s cold-water plumbing, which eliminates the need for a costly backflow preventer and enables the plumber, who’s already on the jobsite, to also install the fire sprinklers.

ADVANTAGES OF MULTIPURPOSE SYSTEMS
For the HOMEOWNER, a multipurpose system means no backflow preventer and/or check valve, which eliminates the maintenance and inspection costs of those devices. A multipurpose system also offers homeowners peace of mind, since each time they turn on a cold-water plumbing fixture, they know fresh water is also available to their fire sprinklers.

For the BUILDER, specifying a multipurpose system means that the trusted, licensed plumber can also install the fire sprinkler system while on the job site. This means that the builder doesn’t have to worry about establishing a new relationship with another contractor and doesn’t have to be concerned about scheduling another trade on the job.

For the PLUMBING CONTRACTOR, whether installing PEX (cross linked polyethylene) or CPVC plumbing, a multipurpose system means an opportunity to make more money on every job by basically extending the plumbing into the ceiling and attaching fire sprinklers.

AS “EASY” AS PLUMBING
Multipurpose fire sprinkler systems use the same tubing (usually PEX or CPVC), fittings and tools that a plumbing contractor already uses to plumb a house. So, with some thorough, comprehensive basic training, the plumber can start making more money on every job. With a multipurpose system, the general installation process is straightforward:

1. House plans and some details on the home’s incoming water supply are provided by the contractor or home builder to a qualified sprinkler designer. That designer will use hydraulic calculation software to determine the layout of the fire sprinklers.

2. Securely run tubing (usually PEX or CPVC) in the ceilings to the designated sprinkler locations and mount threaded sprinkler fittings where indicated by the sprinkler plan.

3. Thread and properly tighten the sprinklers into the fittings.

4. Tee into the sprinkler tubing and drop down to feed the cold-water plumbing fixtures

5. Perform a simple flow test to confirm for you, and the inspector, that the system is operating as designed.

Although the basic process is pretty straightforward, every fire sprinkler installation can be unique and may require unique solutions. You may need to take into account certain considerations such as ceiling obstructions that may interfere with a sprinkler spray pattern, or insulating the tubing in cold-weather locations. In any case, your fire sprinkler layout designer and your system manufacturer can help you with any questions and concerns. And a system flow test after completing the job ensures the system is operating as designed.

In most states, it’s quite simple for a plumber to become a licensed residential fire sprinkler contractor. In some cases, however, licensing rules can make it very challenging for a plumber to install fire sprinkler systems. In these states, your options are to either meet the requirements to become a licensed fire sprinkler contractor, or work to change the licensing rules. In all cases, be sure to check with your local and state authorities to understand your jurisdiction’s licensing requirements and ensure that you are allowed to install sprinkler systems.

With lower material cost, ease of installation and reduced maintenance requirements, multipurpose systems have the competitive advantages needed to become the preferred system type in residential fire sprinkler installation. And, with multipurpose systems supplying both the domestic water and the fire sprinkler water, the plumbing contractor is the logical choice to professionally install these systems.

This concludes the five part article series focused on highlighting the residential fire sprinkler opportunity for plumbing contractors. Fire Smarts LLC, in partnership with the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association (PHCC) is developing resources and training programs specifically tailored for plumbing contractors to enter the residential fire sprinkler market.

Jayson Drake is a Fire Smarts Faculty member and Senior Product Manager for Uponor’s North American fire safety business. Uponor (formerly Wirsbo) is a leading manufacturer of PEX-based multipurpose residential fire sprinkler systems. Jayson has an engineering degree from Iowa State University and a MBA from the University of Minnesota. Jayson is actively involved in educational and training efforts to support installing contractors.

By BARBARA S. WILLIAMS – The Post and Courier

The good news is that a misguided attempt to reverse last year’s hard-fought national building code mandate for fire sprinklers in new residential construction has gone down to overwhelming defeat. It’s safe to say that when the committee and floor votes were taken late last month, no one in the Baltimore, Md., audience of several thousand was more elated than S.C.’s State Fire Marshal John Reich.

Reich describes the International Code Council’s reaffirmed commitment to the residential sprinkler mandate as ‘fantastic.’ Now, the question is whether homebuilder opposition to the mandate can be overcome at the state level. Expect to wait much of next year for the answer.

The prolonged process for adopting a new national building code in this state says the 2009 code won’t be up for approval until the middle of 2010. The comment period will end Dec. 2 and hearings will be conducted for another six months. It would then be up for approval by the S.C. Building Code Council. If there are no hitches, the new sprinkler mandate could go into effect as scheduled in January 2011.

But Reich is realistic enough to recognize that the homebuilder opposition that was recently thwarted at the ICC gathering in Baltimore will re-emerge in the state adoption process. While he appreciates the need to keep increases in construction costs at a minimum, he contends that the savings in lives and property to be gained by the $2 per square foot cost of sprinklers in single and two-family homes should be ‘a no brainer.’ According to Reich, some 400 communities already have new residential sprinkler requirements.

Among those is Prince George’s County, Md., which has had such a requirement in place for 15 years. A recent study of the results by sprinkler advocacy groups along with the University of Maryland shows that of the 13,494 house fires during that period, there were 101 deaths and 328 injuries in homes without sprinklers.

In homes that were sprinkler protected, there were no deaths and six injuries. During that time, sprinklers were activated 245 times in homes where 446 people were present. Property loses in sprinkler protected homes were said to be cut dramatically.

No one knows the value of sprinklers more than city of Charleston Fire Chief Thomas Carr, who formerly was chief of the Columbia County, Md., fire department, which was among the pioneers in the sprinkler mandate. He took over the reins of the Charleston Department after the deaths of nine firefighters more than two years ago in the horrific Sofa Super Store fire where, according to investigators, sprinklers could have saved lives. Unlike residences, most commercial properties are required to have sprinklers. The Sofa Super Store predated that mandate.

That tragedy, along with a fire at a North Carolina beach house where seven S.C. college students lost their lives, finally got legislative attention. The beach house had working smoke detectors but no sprinklers. But rather than strengthening old and imposing new sprinkler mandates, lawmakers passed an incentive package that has yet to implemented in any South Carolina community.

Carr’s plan to take that package to City Council this fall has been delayed until early next year, but he made it clear through a spokesman that it is no less a priority.

Four Charleston firemen were among the 71 S.C. fire and building inspection officials in Baltimore last month working to keep the ICC’s residential sprinkler mandate in place. According to reports, only a two-thirds vote at a May ICC conference can remove the mandate from the national code, now considered virtually impossible.

To read the full article click here.

Part four of a five part series focusing on the rapidly growing residential fire sprinkler market and why plumbing contractors are best positioned to capture this opportunity.

To view part three of the series visit “Residential Fire Sprinklers: Plumbing Contractor Competitive Advantage #1“

When the 2009 International Residential Code (IRC) arrives, with it will be the highly publicized requirement for all single family homes to have fire sprinkler systems installed in them. Previously we discussed the market and individual growth potential for residential plumbing contractors this new code will create. If we have convinced you, a residential plumbing contractor, that in fact, this opportunity is viable; the question now is, what next? Certainly questions of capital, resources, training and tools all fill the list. But, if you are like me, you are asking, “How do I sell this?” How do I convince my existing homebuilding client that, not only am I capable of providing both services, but it will be less expensive than two separate contractors doing the work?

To start with, let’s admit that most everyone would agree that it should cost less to get everything you need from one source, rather than to get only one thing you need from one source at a time. A quick glance at the popularity and success of big retail such as Wal-Mart or Best Buy will validate that. And while it may seem obvious that bundling services is cheaper than buying them separately, it is harder to distinguish this when the amounts that are being compared are relatively low. For instance, you normally don’t drive to a specialty battery store to buy AA batteries that cost $6.50 when you can get the same brand at the grocery store for approximately the same price or usually within a $1 while you are buying your groceries. The batteries at the battery store may even be less expensive (not likely, but possible) however, when the retail price of batteries is not that much to begin with, who is going to drive all over town to save a dollar. And while costs are always a strong part of decision making, the residual savings that you get by not spending the time to make the extra trip to the battery store will most likely outweigh the cost difference between the two stores supplying the batteries. Not to mention the convenience and stress reduction of having one more item off your “to do” list.

Now equate this example with those contractors vying for the installation of a residential fire sprinkler system. You have the fire protection contractor acting as the specialty store and the plumbing contractor acting as the “all in one” store. If an average tract home is 2500 square feet and the higher end of installed costs for a fire sprinkler system are $1.50 square foot, the installed cost would be $3,750. If the average sales price for this size tract house falls into the mid $200 thousands the fire sprinkler system would represent approximately 2% of the cost. The question is “can a plumbing contractor provide this system for less than a fire protection contractor?” While geographic factors such as unions will skew the numbers somewhat, it would be safe to answer this question with a resounding “yes”. The first and most obvious reason is the combination or overlapping of insurance, tools and resources. It would be very difficult to compete with a workforce that is trained to install toilets and sinks as well as risers and fire sprinklers, especially when many of the tools and materials used are the same. A second factor that would make this option even more definite would be if the fire sprinkler system is a multipurpose or combined type system. Meaning a system of valves and piping that feeds both domestic and fire sprinkler demand all together. The reduction in coordination issues alone would make this a very attractive choice for any home builder.

The third and not so obvious reason would reflect the nature of tract housing itself. Tract housing is all about volume and typical construction. I have termed it RPTV which stands for “Residual Profit on Typical Volume”. This represents profit that is not readily measurable, but is made as the result of “production line” thinking. It could be characterized as savings made from repetitive activities that require very little effort on your part or that of your clients. It can apply to the services you currently provide for your tract home builder, but can also apply to his services as well. The typical nature of this type of construction produces less and less supervision with each home built. I can attest to this first hand. While growing up in the homebuilding industry I experienced the transformation of our family business from tract housing to full custom homes. Without diverting into a dissertation on the differences, suffice it to say, it can be summed up in one word… Volume.

Let’s say the average cost of the plumbing contract for our 2,500 square foot tract home is $15,000 and the fire sprinkler system is $3,750. The total cost for each service without profit is $18,750. If both the plumbing contractor and the fire sprinkler contractor apply a 10% markup, the total price to the client is $20,625. Now, if you are a plumbing contractor providing both services it would be reasonable to expect your price to be at least 2% lower than this as your fixed expenses are now spread over a larger amount of revenue. This would put your sell price at approximately $20,210 which is a savings of roughly $415 to the client per house. Now, consider that your 10% profit per house should actually increase as your crews become more and more proficient with the installation of both systems, along with savings on bulk materials. When you multiply that profit over a couple of hundred homes a year the decision to expand your services to include fire sprinkler systems becomes much easier.

Do not forget, just like everyone else in the construction industry, home builders are looking for ways to do more or get more with the same amount. And if they do agree to pay more money it has to be towards something that they know will help them stand out from their competition. Tract home pricing is very competitive with margins averaging 8% to 10% at best. So other marketing tools are used. Usually these types of things come in the form of “buyer options”. This is where the buyer of the home may want to add certain options to the basic home he is buying such as a refrigerator, washer/dryer or upgraded carpet. The big difference is that these options are not “required” by codes or standards. The fire sprinkler system, on the other hand, is required by code and therefore is a hard cost that the home builder must account for. While he is looking for “bang for the buck” he is equally looking for companies that are going to make his life easier. Meaning, fewer coordination issues, no more sub-contractors than what he is already working with and someone who is managing their work without his supervision. By using an “all in one” plumbing contractor for both services he eliminates one more company he has to go into contract with, he needs only one phone number to deal with issues for either system, and there are fewer invoices to process, which keeps his overhead from increasing.

Trust me when I tell you, home builders put a high price on their time and how it is spent. They don’t want to deal with coordination problems or issues regarding permits or scheduling conflicts. They just want it done, on time, on budget and with attention to the same quality expected in custom home building. Home builders today are looking for every advantage they can find to either lower costs or provide more value for the same price. If domestic plumbing and fire sprinkler services are packaged up by a single source contractor, they will take a long hard look at the single source price. With a competitive price and the reduction of administrative expenses, there is real value to the home builder in getting there plumbing and fire sprinkler systems from the same “store”. Show the home builder how this works for them with the pricing in your own neighborhood and I am confident you will be successful as a single source provider.

In Part 5 of this series, “Residential Fire Sprinklers: Plumbing Contractor Competitive Advantage #3”, Jayson Drake, will discuss why multipurpose systems are the future of residential fire sprinklers, why plumbing contractors are uniquely qualified to install these systems and how this creates a clear competitive advantage.

Steven Scandaliato is a Fire Smarts Faculty member and Principal at SDG, LLC, a fire protection design and consulting company. With over 23 years of fire protection engineering, design and project management experience he holds a Level IV certification from NICET in Fire Sprinkler Layout and serves as a member of the NFPA 13, 101 and 5000 committees.

Fire sprinklers help to reduce the carbon footprint of properties through the entire cycle of construction. They reduce carbon dioxide emissions from fires, reduce the amount of burned or non-recyclable building materials going to landfills, save energy on rebuilding after fire, conserve water, and reduce diesel fuel usage in heavy fire suppression equipment.

The carbon emissions are not solely from the fire itself; they are also from the billions of material needed to rebuild $14.6 BILLION in direct property loss following fires (2007 statistic from the National Fire Protection Association).

As a former volunteer firefighter in northern NJ, I remember a case in a neighboring community where a paint manufacturer’s fire had well over 4 million gallons of water applied to extinguish. There was a gully located approximately 50 feet from the building. The gully fed into a stream about a ¼ mile away and the fish were jumping OUT of the stream onto the bank because of the toxic, irritating material that was mixed in the water runoff from the firefighting operations.

Although codes may not require fire sprinklers in certain size buildings, fire sprinklers must be in all green construction projects to truly reflect this designation. I ask you – how can a green building, including single-family homes, be considered ‘sustainable construction’ if it is positioned to burn someday without the benefit of an automatic fire sprinkler system to suppress smoke and save materials?

Dominick Kasmauskas is the NY Regional Manager for the National Fire Sprinkler Association (NFSA) and Secretary to the NFSA Green Committee, as well as a member of the U.S. Green Building Council. After 32 years in the fire service as a Captain, NJ State Fire Instructor, and Fire Inspector, Dominick went on to gain experience in legislative matters. He is with the NFSA for over 8 years and is also an NFPA Certified Fire Protection Specialist and a NY Certified Codes Enforcement Official.

Getting home fire sprinklers added to the 2009 International Residential Code wasn’t easy. Opponents are still fighting to remove that requirement from the code, and NFPA and its allies have readied their arguments for hearings next month.

Code development hearings of the International Code Council set for Oct. 24-31 and Nov. 4-11 at a Hilton hotel in Baltimore will include the latest bout between advocates of residential fire sprinklers and their foes, notably the National Association of Home Builders. Four proposals to remove the requirement for home fire sprinklers in new one- and two-family homes from the 2009 International Residential Code will be considered at those hearings.

NFPA’s Fire Sprinkler Coalition has prepared seven pages of responses to the proposals, which are featured on pages 96-100 of this document. NFPA’s coalition says the arguments by sprinkler opponents are based on false statements and premises or misleading statements of the benefits sprinklers offer and their potential drawbacks. “The fact is that home fire sprinklers save lives and protect property from destruction by responding quickly and effectively to the presence of a nearby fire. In fact, the risk of dying decreases by about 80 percent when sprinklers are present. Sprinklers also reduce the average property loss by about 71 percent per fire,” according to the coalition.

NFPA urges ICC members to attend the hearings and vote no on the anti-sprinkler proposals.

Part three of a five part series focusing on the rapidly growing residential fire sprinkler market and why plumbing contractors are best positioned to capture this opportunity.

To view part two of the series visit “Plumbing Contractors Needed for Residential Fire Sprinkler Work“

Growing up in the home building business provides a very unique opportunity to learn about micro and macro economics without ever having to pay a single tuition bill. In fact, when taking these courses in college, I found myself arguing with the establishment most of the time, because not one of my instructors had ever experienced grossing $1 million one year and then struggling to stay in business with it for the next five. Mowing lawns to buy basketball shoes and cancelling family vacations, because interest rates changed as fast as the weather does. None of them had experienced living in a thriving community with great growth potential for several years to come and then see it completely stopped by a select group of community activists using a gas moratorium as a way to stop future growth. Now, several years later, ironically, a similar event has taken place, which is going to have one of the most significant impacts on the home building industry since 1.5 gallon toilets were mandated. Of course, I am speaking of the new IRC requirement for all new single and two family dwellings to have fire sprinkler systems installed.

The impact is estimated to be as high as $3 billion a year in potential revenue. Of course, there are those that are for this and those who are not. Nevertheless, it is here and the potential market that is now open to those who install fire sprinklers is also open to the plumbing industry as well. I say this because, contrary to many of the reports and articles written about this subject, the fire sprinkler industry is not large enough to absorb this type of demand. And, even with the pressure our capitalistic economy is currently feeling, demand for designers and installers of these systems is going to be very deliberate. So the question is, do you want to be a part of this market?

Before you answer, allow me to impart some observations that only someone in my position can share. First, I doubt anyone would argue with me about the significant differences there are between commercial and residential construction. Certainly this discussion alone would warrant several pages. However, when narrowed to the introduction of fire sprinklers to the home building process there are specific issues to consider. First, consider the fact that the plumbing industry can be characterized into three major groups. There are the large major mechanical contractors consisting usually of both HVAC and plumbing capabilities. These companies are found predominately on commercial types of projects, which require more than 2-3 man crews with construction schedules that can stretch out for months and many times years. Then there are those companies that concentrate on the residential markets. These would include multifamily as well as single family projects. These companies are usually much smaller than those involved in the commercial markets and tend to have smaller crews. The final group is those companies that have chosen to focus on the service side of the plumbing market. They are typically small to medium sized companies, less than 25 employees, and are structured to accommodate the general public’s plumbing service needs. They are not involved with new construction much, if any at all.

Of these three groups, it is the residential companies that are most prevalent and have the most opportunity to gain from the emerging residential fire sprinkler market. There are several simple reasons for this. First and foremost, they have the most to gain with the least amount of investment required. Let me explain. In residential construction, there are usually only five or six sub-contractors involved. They include the foundation, framing, mechanical, electrical, finish and painting contractors. Of course this will vary for several reasons, but for the purpose of this discussion these would be considered the core group for a home builder to contract with on a regular basis. Since the residential plumbing market is already very competitive the potential profit margins are very tight, especially when you consider the fact that average tract housing plumbing contracts only total $8 to $10k to begin with. So most residential contractors are looking for volume as well as the occasional custom home that comes along. Any chance one has to increase the base cost of their services means that while the actual margins may not increase, the amount of that margin allows opportunities for more rapid growth or internal capital improvements such as tools, trucks or even employee benefits.

Second, as long as I can remember, and my father before me and his father before him, every house that our family built had running water in it. What I mean by this is that plumbers have been on site for decades. Not so for fire sprinklers contractors. Plumbing contractors already have relationships built with current clients. They are familiar with home building trends, contracts and market conditions. The overwhelming majority of all fire sprinkler contractors in this country are commercial contractors. They do not have the years of experience with residential markets. Over the years, some have diversified into the residential markets but one thing is for sure, very few are capable, or for that matter, even want to participate in both markets. The reasons for this are the same reasons there are three groups of plumbing contractors. The bottom line costs are not as high as commercial construction and they have found that trying to accommodate both markets usually involves higher overhead which makes it harder to compete.

The third reason is the nature of the trade itself. It is pipe and water. Who better to adapt to this market than skilled labor that already knows how to work with the majority of the components involved with fire sprinkler systems. I have read several articles and reports from those on both sides of the residential fire sprinkler argument. And in response I say this: As a guy who started on his dad’s framing crew at age 14, going on to become the Vice President of the company and getting my Class A contractor’s license at age 21, only to end up as NICET IV fire sprinkler designer as well as a member of the NFPA committees that put the codes and standards for fire sprinklers into place, this is NOT hard. It will not take years of training and expense to merge the design and installation of fire sprinkler systems into an already successful residential plumbing contracting company.

While residential fire sprinkler systems have been required in select markets and geographic locations since the mid 1980’s, it has really only made its presence known in multi-family projects and even then it is fairly marginal. Today’s residential plumbing contractors have a very clear and distinct advantage coming into the residential fire sprinkler market. It would be prudent for them to consider this advantage as well as the education and training tools that are being made available by Fire Smarts and the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association (PHCC). 2011 when the IRC requirement comes into effect is not far off. And given the current economic conditions in the residential market, demand can only grow. Like my father always said, “people will always need a place to live”. For me, these are words to build a company by.

In Part 4 of this series, “Residential Fire Sprinklers: Plumbing Contractor Competitive Advantage #2”, Steven Scandaliato, SET, will discuss how plumbing contractors that provide both domestic water and fire sprinkler services have a competitive advantage by reducing the general contractor’s administrative burden, while increasing their own profit margin.

Steven Scandaliato is a Fire Smarts Faculty member and Vice President of Business Development of Telgian Corporation. With over 23 years of fire protection engineering, design and project management experience he holds a Level IV certification from NICET in Fire Sprinkler Layout and serves as a member of the NFPA 13, 101 and 5000 committees.