How Much to Charge for Fire Extinguisher Inspections
Annual fire extinguisher inspections typically run $10–$25 per unit, with six-year maintenance at $25–$45, hydrostatic testing at $30–$75 depending on cylinder type, and recharges from $25 for a small ABC unit to $75+ for CO2 and K-class. Most solo techs hold a site minimum of $75–$150 so small buildings cover the drive, and the deficiency repairs found during inspection usually earn more than the inspection itself.
Per-unit rates
- Annual inspection — $10–$25 per unit
- Six-year maintenance — $25–$45 per unit
- Hydrostatic test — $30–$75 by cylinder type and size
- Recharge, ABC dry chem — $25–$50
- Recharge, CO2 — $40–$75
- Recharge, K-class / clean agent — $60–$150+
- New unit supplied and installed — $75–$250 by type
Site charges
- Site minimum — $75–$150
- After-hours or occupied-building work — premium rate
- Multi-floor or high-rise access — additional time
- Emergency or same-day response — its own rate
The inspection isn’t the product
The annual is really just a door opener; the deficiency work is the business. A route of buildings inspected at $15 a unit turns real money through six-year cycles, hydros, recharges, and the units that fail.
Price the annual to keep the account, and don’t discount the corrective work just to match it.
Charge for the drive, not just the work
Compliance work spreads across a lot of small sites, so density is basically the whole profit model. Cluster your route by geography and month, and hold the site minimum on anything that doesn’t fit.
Raise the rate at the renewal
Twelve-month cycles make annual increases easy and expected. A stated rate, sent before scheduling, rarely gets questioned, because the customer’s alternative is finding a new tester and re-explaining their whole building to them.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the per-unit inspection price so low?
Because it's a volume line, not the product. The inspection gets you into the building; the six-year work, hydros, recharges, and deficiency repairs are what the visit is actually worth. Price the inspection to win the account and price the rest correctly.
Should I discount for large unit counts?
Modestly, and only past a real threshold — a hundred units in one building genuinely costs less per unit than ten in ten suites. Never discount unit count across separate addresses; each address is a separate trip.
What's a reasonable site minimum?
$75–$150 for most local routes. Your minimum should cover drive time, the visit, and paperwork — if a four-extinguisher suite doesn't clear it, the minimum is doing exactly what it's for.
How do I raise prices on an annual account?
At the renewal, in writing, with the new rate stated before you schedule. Annual compliance work is the easiest place in the trades to raise a price, because switching testers costs the customer more than your increase does.