Services

Fire safety drawing reviews.

Fire safety drawing reviews

Early insight for safer, more efficient building design.

When a project’s scope does not necessitate a full, comprehensive fire strategy, early intervention is still critical. At Robson Frankham, we conduct meticulous fire safety drawing reviews to ensure your proposed designs align with the stringent requirements of Part B of the Building Regulations and all relevant supporting guidance.

What is a fire safety drawing?

A drawing review provides an early, preventative assessment of your architectural plans. It offers a highly cost‑effective way to confirm that your proposed design aligns with fundamental compliance requirements before construction begins or planning applications are submitted.

While many projects can be assessed by reviewing existing architectural drawings against prescriptive national guidance, this approach is not suitable for every scheme. In more complex developments, a bespoke fire engineering solution may be required to address project‑specific challenges. Where prescriptive guidance is appropriate, our fire engineers identify potential non‑compliances early, enabling your design team to make necessary adjustments while the design is still flexible.

Identifying potential non-compliances early

What We Assess

During a detailed drawing review, our fire engineers scrutinise your plans against the core requirements of the Building Regulations, including:

B1: Means of Warning and Escape – ensuring adequate travel distances, escape route widths, and safe egress for all occupants.

B2: Internal Fire Spread (Linings) – reviewing proposed wall and ceiling surface materials.

B3: Internal Fire Spread (Structure) – checking compartmentation, fire stopping, and the structural fire resistance of the building fabric.

B4: External Fire Spread – assessing the proximity to boundaries and external wall construction to prevent fire spreading between buildings.

B5: Access and Facilities for the Fire Service – verifying adequate vehicle access, firefighting shafts, and water supplies.

Strategic guidance and next steps

Our drawing reviews are designed to be a streamlined, cost-effective route to compliance for less complex developments or minor refurbishments.

Upon completion, we provide clear, actionable feedback to the design team. In the majority of straightforward cases, this review provides the reassurance needed to proceed. However, we are always transparent with our clients: in more complex situations, or where the design significantly deviates from prescriptive guidance, we will advise if Building Control or the Fire Service are likely to request a full fire strategy document.

If a project needs to be escalated, Robson Frankham can seamlessly transition the insights from the drawing review into a comprehensive fire strategy.