If you’re thinking about installing or upgrading smoke alarms in your home, then this page is for you. Here we’ll dig through your options and the prices you can expect to pay.
Technology has moved forward in leaps and bounds since the first commercial smoke alarm was sold in the 1950s.
While you can still install standalone, simple devices that detect smoke and carbon monoxide, you have many more options including how you want to be alerted when there’s a fire.
App-enabled systems have already saved several homes from fire damage, even when the homeowners were away from the property.
Dogs Set Fire to House and a Nest Smoke Alarm Automatically Calls the Fire Brigade
On 5th February 2018, a homeowner’s dog accidentally set fire to a kitchen after stealing a pancake that was left on the gas stove.
The dog’s paw triggered the ignition switch which started a small fire.
Fortunately, the homeowner had installed a Nest smoke detector which automatically sent an alert to both the local fire brigade and the homeowner, who was at work when the incident happened.
No one was injured, the brigade safely removed the dogs, and the fire was quickly extinguished.
Without an alert system, the outcome would have been very different.
The homeowner also had a Nest camera that captured the entire incident:
A smoke-filled home with a fire in the kitchen. Watch the video here.
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Your Options
The way we see it, you have three options:
Option 1 – Battery Powered Smoke Alarms
Battery-powered smoke detectors are cheap, often sold in packs of two and are incredibly easy to install, usually in less than 10 minutes.
Because they aren’t hardwired to the mains electrics, if the battery dies, the detector won’t work.
Some battery-powered systems can be daisy-chained together so when one is activated, all of the alarms in the home are triggered. Other systems can be interconnected wirelessly to achieve the same result.
Option 2 – Wired Systems
Wired smoke alarms are the preferred option as they’re powered from the mains electricity supply and have a battery as a backup.
For larger properties we suggest daisy chaining the alarms together so you’ll hear an alarm wherever you are in the home.
Option 3 – App-Enabled Smoke Alarms
App-enabled smoke alarms will send a message directly to your phone. You can even silence the alarm from the phone if you know it’s not a serious incident.
Nest is a popular option as they also sell other products that can be linked to the smoke alarm, such as a camera and thermostat.
Smoke Alarm Installation Cost
The prices displayed in the table below are based on our research into smoke alarm costs, use this as a guide when sourcing quotes.
All prices include installation and VAT unless otherwise stated. We assume they are installed by a local electrcian:
| Item: | Price inc VAT: |
|---|---|
| 2 x battery alarms (DIY installation) | £30 |
| 2 x battery alarms, not connected | £150 |
| 2 x wired alarms, interconnected | £300 |
| 2 x Nest battery alarms | £350 |
| 2 x Nest wired alarms | £450 |
| Compare Prices From Local Electricians: | Get a Custom Price Here |
FAQs
Q) What is the cheapest option?
A) Independent battery-powered alarms are by far the cheapest option. Fully wired and connected alarms cost more to install.
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Q) How much work is involved with a wired system?
A) Power is usually taken from a lighting circuit or a consumer unit (fusebox). If the smoke detectors are to be linked together, a separate cable will be required to daisy chain them together. This work involves lifting floorboards and going into the loft. Thus the installation takes much longer than a battery-powered system.
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Q) Can I have a battery-powered system that’s app-enabled and linked to the other smoke alarms, so they all go off at the same time?
A) Yes. Nest offers this option with their latest smoked detector; it’s easy to install, no wiring needed, you have complete control via your iPhone or Android device, and all the alarms are linked together.
Get a Quote
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This guide was written by Danny Woodley and was last updated in April 2022.
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