In short: A protected escape route is the stair, landing and hall that lets everyone get out if there is a fire. Across Highland, the work is planned around Scotland’s HMO rules and the standards the local council publishes.
- Nation
- Scotland
- Pricing region
- Scotland
- Postcode areas
- IV, PH, KW, PA
- Main towns
- Inverness, Fort William
What do escape routes, emergency lighting and fire stopping in Highland involve?
- Glazing upgrades in doors and fanlights
- Final exit door with thumb-turn
- Removing fire risks from the route
- Emergency lighting to the route
- Upgrading or boxing in under-stair cupboards
- Fire-resisting plasterboard to walls and ceilings
Which rules apply in Highland?
- The tolerable standard requires interlinked smoke alarms in the main living room and circulation spaces and a heat alarm in the kitchen; licensed HMOs must meet the council’s higher standard.
- A building warrant may be needed for a change of use or for installing a fire alarm system; check with the council’s building standards service.
- Landlords must also be on the Scottish landlord register, renewed every 3 years.
- Councils set HMO fire standards through licence conditions, often including emergency lighting in larger HMOs.
Scottish councils set their own HMO licence standards and planning policies. Every HMO needs a licence, so check the council’s standards before you design the layout.
How much do escape routes, emergency lighting and fire stopping cost in Highland?
| Item | UK typical | Local guide | Per |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected route upgrades: fire-resisting linings, fire stopping, lighting (three-storey house, our estimate) | £2,000 – £6,000 | £1,900 – £5,700 | house |
| Emergency light fitting, installed (our estimate) | £150 – £350 | £140 – £330 | fitting |
| FD30S fire door leaf into an existing frame, with seals, closer and hinges, fitted | £300 – £600 | £280 – £570 | door |
Typical time on site: 3–8 working days. For a figure for your house, try the guide-price tool.
Escape routes, emergency lighting and fire stopping by town in Highland
Questions about escape routes, emergency lighting and fire stopping in Highland
Why do you photograph the fire stopping?
Because it is hidden once the work is finished. Photos are evidence for you, the council and future surveys.
Does every HMO need emergency lighting?
Not every one. Guidance tends to expect it where the escape route is long, complex or has no borrowed light, which is more common in larger houses.
Do you carry out escape routes, emergency lighting and fire stopping across Highland?
Yes, across the whole of Highland, including Inverness, Fort William.
Who licenses HMOs in Highland?
Highland council licenses HMOs in its area. Every HMO in Scotland needs a licence.
Other HMO services in Highland
- HMO fire safety upgrades in Highland
- Fire doors in Highland
- Fire alarm and detection systems in Highland
- Large HMO conversions (7+ sharers) in Highland
- Licence condition and schedule-of-works in Highland
- Commercial and above-shop to HMO in Highland
- Rewires and EICR remedials in Highland
- Sound insulation in Highland