Speak to us today 0800 4488 593
Design, installation, commissioning, certification, inspection and maintenance for commercial and industrial buildings.
Addressable, conventional & wireless systems●System upgrades & replacements●ARC connections●Sprinkler monitoring & system interfaces
BAFE Certified
10 Years
Active FIA
Member
Commercial
Specialists
Prefer not to call? Complete the form and we’ll call you back.
Based in the South East, Whitton Electrical delivers commercial fire alarm systems across London and the Home Counties for offices, warehouses, factories, retail premises, healthcare, education and other complex commercial buildings. We also travel further across the UK for major and specialist projects.
Existing Commercial Fire Alarm Systems
Buildings change over time, but fire alarm systems are not always reviewed alongside them. Alterations, changing occupancy and ageing equipment can reduce the effectiveness of a system without creating an obvious warning.
Your fire alarm system may need reviewing if:
✓ Alterations, extensions or refurbishments have changed the building layout.
✓ Areas of the building no longer have adequate detection coverage.
✓ The control panel is obsolete or replacement parts are difficult to source.
✓ Ageing or unsuitable detectors are causing faults or repeated false alarms.
✓ Alarm audibility is poor in offices, warehouses, factories or plant areas.
✓ The system is not connected to an Alarm Receiving Centre.
✓ Interfaces with lifts, access control, smoke control or sprinklers are missing or untested.
✓ Maintenance, testing or system records are incomplete or out of date.
✓ The system has not been reviewed following changes to the building.
✓ The fire alarm category may no longer suit the building’s current use.
Clear scope and pricing, with no hidden extras or avoidable surprises.
Fire alarm expertise across factories, warehouses, offices, retail, healthcare and other complex commercial environments.
Addressable, conventional, wireless and hybrid systems, with monitoring and interfaces selected around the needs of the site.
Design and installation for new developments, fit-outs and extensions, alongside upgrades and replacement of existing systems.
One contractor for design, installation, commissioning, certification, inspection, maintenance and future system development.
Fire Alarm Case Study
Wardour Street, London
A mixed-use development on Wardour Street required replacement of an ageing fire alarm system that had reached the end of its operational life.
The building combined ground-floor retail space with seven storeys of occupied offices, creating different access, operational and fire-safety requirements across the premises. The replacement therefore needed to be completed without unnecessarily disrupting tenants, customers or normal building use.
Continuous fire detection also had to be maintained throughout the programme. The client required a modern replacement system that could be installed efficiently within the occupied building, minimise invasive cabling work and provide dependable protection across both the commercial and office areas.
Whitton Electrical designed and installed a BAFE-compliant wireless fire alarm system suited to the layout and operational requirements of the mixed-use development.
The wireless approach reduced the need for extensive new cabling and helped minimise disruption within finished and occupied areas. Installation and commissioning were carefully phased across the retail and office spaces, with access coordinated around the building’s normal activities.
The existing fire alarm system remained operational while the replacement equipment was installed, tested and brought into service. Once the new system had been fully commissioned and its operation confirmed, the redundant equipment was safely decommissioned.
This approach allowed Whitton Electrical to complete the system replacement while maintaining continuous fire detection and limiting the impact on occupants throughout the project.
Whitton delivered a modern, reliable and expandable wireless fire alarm system across the seven-storey office and retail development, with minimal cabling, limited disruption and continuous fire protection throughout the works.
Wireless system●Seven office floors●Ground-floor retail●Phased commissioning●BAFE-compliant delivery
The offices and retail units remained occupied throughout the replacement programme, with works planned to minimise disruption.
The existing fire alarm remained operational while each section of the new wireless system was installed and commissioned.
The completed system can be expanded and adapted as tenant layouts, occupancy and building requirements change.
The appropriate commercial fire alarm system depends on the building layout, occupancy, fire strategy and findings of the fire risk assessment.
Whitton Electrical can assess the premises and design a system around the required level of detection, evacuation arrangements and any necessary interfaces with other building services.
The final design may use an addressable, conventional or wireless fire alarm system depending on the size, complexity and operational requirements of the building.
Yes. Whitton Electrical can inspect, maintain, extend, upgrade or replace existing commercial fire alarm systems, including systems originally installed by another provider.
Yes. We provide fire alarm design and installation for new developments, commercial fit-outs and extensions, alongside upgrades and replacement systems for existing premises.
In some cases, yes. Existing control panels, detectors, call points, sounders, wiring and system interfaces can be assessed to determine whether an upgrade is practical.
Where equipment is obsolete, unsupported or no longer suitable for the building, a complete fire alarm replacement may provide a safer and more maintainable long-term solution.
Whitton Electrical will explain the available options rather than recommending replacement automatically.
Yes. New partitions, escape routes, tenant areas and changes in building use can affect the suitability of an existing commercial fire alarm system.
Whitton Electrical can review the revised layout and install additional detection, call points, sounders, visual alarm devices or building-system interfaces where required.
The alterations can then be tested, commissioned and documented as part of the updated system.
We work with addressable, conventional, wireless and hybrid fire alarm systems. The appropriate system depends on the building, its use, existing infrastructure and future requirements.
A conventional fire alarm system divides the building into detection zones and identifies the zone in which an alarm has occurred.
An addressable fire alarm system identifies individual detectors, call points and other devices. This provides more precise information about the location and status of equipment and can make fault finding and ongoing fire alarm maintenance easier across larger or more complex premises.
Where required, replacement works can be planned and phased so that the existing system remains operational while sections of the new system are installed and commissioned.
Yes. We can provide ARC connections and advise on the monitoring arrangement required for your premises.
Yes. Depending on the building and fire strategy, the commercial fire alarm system may need to interface with:
These interfaces must be clearly defined, correctly installed and included within the fire alarm commissioning and testing process.
A commercial fire alarm needs both regular checks by the building’s responsible person and planned servicing by a competent fire alarm contractor.
A different manual call point should normally be tested each week, with the result recorded in the fire alarm logbook. Any faults displayed by the control panel should also be investigated promptly.
Professional inspection and servicing should take place at approximately six-month intervals. Across the agreed maintenance programme, the engineer will assess the system equipment, power supplies, warning devices, controls and relevant interfaces to confirm that the fire alarm remains operational and suitable for the premises.
Yes. Whitton Electrical provides system commissioning, functional testing, cause-and-effect verification, handover documentation and certification for new installations, upgrades and replacement systems. We have maintained BAFE certification for more than 10 years and actively participate in the FIA, helping ensure our work reflects current fire-safety standards and technology.
Yes. Whitton Electrical provides planned commercial fire alarm testing, servicing, fault finding and maintenance.
Our engineers inspect the system, test relevant devices and functions, identify faults or deterioration and record any recommended remedial action.
Regular fire alarm maintenance helps confirm that the system remains operational, suitable for the building and capable of providing an effective warning when required.
Yes. Whitton Electrical has maintained BAFE certification for more than 10 years, demonstrating our competence in the design, installation, commissioning and maintenance of commercial fire alarm systems. We also actively participate in the FIA to keep our knowledge aligned with changing standards and fire-safety technology.
Whitton Electrical is based in the South East and regularly supports commercial and industrial clients across London and the Home Counties. For larger installations, major projects and specialist fire alarm work, our engineers can also travel further across the UK.