FIRE SPRINKLERS

[Michael Young]

I'm doing my research right now. I'm looking to purchase a 75,000 square foot apartment building.

There was a fire that gutted one unit and halfway enfulfed two others. The majority of the building was untouched by the fire, but there is smoke damage.

The problem. Although the fire was VERY contained, the fire marshall will not release the building unless a fire suppression system is installed.

Estimate for the first suppression system = $1.6 million
value of the building when it was purchased 6 years ago: $750K

So the previous owner took his insurance check and scrambled

with my plumbing license, I can take a short class and get my endorsement to install the sprinklers. So the question is... would I be able to work on the building in sections? For instance - the first floor = zero fire damage. Why not focus on just one wing on the first floor? (right at 10,000 sf per wing). so the entire first floor will give me 24 apartments and would need very little to make them rent ready. basically do it in sections. Is that possible with fire sprinkler layouts

 

[hj]

Not likely to happen. Just becauses no one is living on the upper floors does NOT make them "safe" against fire damage. Fire systems are installed to prevent what MIGHT happen, not what should happen.