When designing a TI or remodel

TI and Remodels

When an engineer designs a TI or remodel it is prudent to list the brand of the current fire alarm that will be added to or changed.

1. When Professional Engineers show a riser with the current equipment that is on the system including model numbers it will help the bidding process for adding equipment.

2. On a TI or remodel it is helpful for the Engineer to list the installing company from the first installation.

3. When a proprietary panel is used often owners will not be happy if they find out they are stuck with only one company that can sell them parts or service the alarm system. Many brands have several dealers while a few brands only have one dealer per state.

Specification issues.

1. When engineers include reasonable requirements in their specification rather than using a boiler plate spec it shows that they are a professional firm.

2. When there are outdated model numbers in an engineering specification for fire alarm it reflects poorly on the engineer. One example is a specification that requires replaceable strobe bulbs. When a strobe goes out you do not replace the bulb but the entire appliance.

3. Many boiler plate specifications require that a dot matrix printer be supplied and supervised. Normally this requirement is not only excessive but outdated since there is a memory in the panel as well as a record at the central station and most companies will not maintain a printer, the paper or the ink that is needed. Dot Matrix printers are getting harder to obtain and they are very expensive.

4. Many specifications will require excessive testing such as every month or weekly and that would need to be done with a service contract and State Law only requires one test a year although insurance companies sometimes will require quarterly testing. When a specification is written specifically for that project it shows the professionalism of the engineering firm.

5. If an engineer is going to use a boiler plate they should at least update the specification every 2 or 3 years with changing technology and specific situations on each job.