Refurbishment projects are an essential part of keeping commercial buildings functional, modern, and competitive. From reconfiguring office layouts to upgrading services or improving aesthetics, these works can bring significant benefits. However, what is often overlooked is the impact these changes can have on fire safety. At Total Fire Group, we regularly encounter buildings where well-intentioned refurbishment work has inadvertently introduced serious fire risks. These risks are often hidden - out of sight above ceilings, behind walls, or embedded within design changes - and can go unnoticed without proper post-works inspection. Here are some of the most common fire safety issues we see arising from commercial refurbishment projects, and why addressing them is critical.
Breached Fire Compartments
Fire compartmentation is a fundamental principle of fire safety design. It ensures that fire and smoke are contained within a defined area for a specified period, allowing occupants time to escape and emergency services to respond. During refurbishment works, compartments are frequently breached to accommodate new services such as cables, ductwork, or pipe installations. Unfortunately, these penetrations are not always adequately fire-stopped upon completion. Even small gaps can significantly compromise the integrity of a compartment. In a fire scenario, these breaches allow smoke and flames to spread rapidly, undermining the building’s entire fire strategy. What’s needed: A thorough compartmentation survey post-refurbishment to identify and remediate any breaches, ensuring all penetrations are correctly sealed with tested fire-stopping systems.
Incorrectly Installed or Replaced Fire Doors
Fire doors are critical life safety components, designed to resist fire and smoke while protecting escape routes. However, during refurbishment, we often see fire doors replaced with non-compliant alternatives or installed incorrectly. Common issues include:
Gaps that exceed allowable tolerances
Missing or incorrect intumescent seals
Incompatible hardware or glazing
Poor installation affecting door alignment and closure
A fire door is only as effective as its installation. Even a certified door can fail if not fitted correctly. What’s needed: A full fire door inspection programme following any refurbishment works, ensuring all doors meet compliance standards and function as intended.
Changes to Layout and Escape Routes
Refurbishment often involves reconfiguring internal layouts including adding partitions, relocating workspaces, or altering circulation routes. While these changes may improve usability, they can have unintended consequences for means of escape. We frequently find:
Increased travel distances to exits
Obstructed or narrowed escape routes
Poorly positioned or missing signage
Changes that conflict with the building’s original fire strategy
Without proper review, these alterations can delay evacuation and increase risk to occupants. What’s needed: A reassessment of the building’s fire strategy and escape plan following any layout changes, ensuring compliance with current regulations and safe evacuation in an emergency.
The Overlooked Need for Post-Works Fire Risk Assessment
One of the most critical (and commonly missed) steps after refurbishment is updating the fire risk assessment. Under UK fire safety legislation, the “responsible person” must ensure that fire risks are assessed and managed. Any significant changes to the building, including refurbishment, should trigger a review of the existing assessment. However, in many cases, buildings continue to operate under outdated assessments that no longer reflect the current layout, occupancy, or fire protection measures. What’s needed: A comprehensive, updated fire risk assessment carried out by competent professionals, supported by targeted surveys such as compartmentation inspections and fire door assessments.
Why This Matters
Fire safety is not static. Every change made to a building, no matter how minor it may seem, has the potential to affect how fire behaves and how people respond in an emergency. Refurbishment projects introduce a particular level of risk because they often involve multiple trades, tight deadlines, and evolving designs. Without a coordinated approach to fire safety, critical elements can easily be overlooked. At Total Fire Group, we believe fire safety should be embedded throughout the lifecycle of any refurbishment project - not treated as a final checkbox.
Our Advice
If you are planning, undertaking, or have recently completed a commercial refurbishment, we strongly recommend:
Commissioning a post-works compartmentation survey
Carrying out detailed fire door inspections
Reviewing escape routes and fire strategy
Updating your fire risk assessment
Taking these steps not only ensures compliance but, more importantly, protects lives and property.
Final Thoughts
The hidden risks introduced during refurbishment are often invisible - but their consequences can be devastating. Proactive assessment and expert guidance are essential to ensure that improvements to your building do not come at the expense of safety. If you’re unsure about the impact of refurbishment works on your building’s fire safety, get in touch, our team would be happy to help.