Sprinklers cost on average about $350 per head fitted.

Sprinkler installation costs a few thousand dollars, even in large homes.

The average cost of a house fire without sprinklers in New Zealand is $42,000.

You will need one sprinkler head for every standard-sized bedroom, dining room and lounge. A large or open-plan room will require more than one head. Sprinkler head costs vary from model to model, but a good concealed head costs about $50.

Sometimes, the pipes in your home or water connection at the mains will not let in enough water to allow the sprinklers to operate. In this case, a larger diameter water connection or pipes will be required.

If you are building a new house, this is a relatively inexpensive exercise as you will need to get pipes and a connection with or without sprinklers. In an existing house, you will need to factor the replacement of your current pipes or connection into the cost.

If your house is in a rural area, or one with low mains pressure, you may also need a pump to increase pressure to the sprinkler heads.

You will also need to have an early fire warning system in place. We recommend you install a hard-wired smoke alarm.

A plumber has to have specific qualifications to install home sprinklers. Find plumbers in your area

Check out another frequently asked question.