Can a legionella risk assessment price be fixed in advance?

A fixed price for a legionella risk assessment is a stated fee that remains unchanged for the agreed scope of work, subject to the assumptions and exclusions set out in the quotation. It is different from a budget estimate, which indicates an expected cost but may change as more information becomes available.

Before accepting a fixed-price quotation, the client should check that it identifies:

• the premises or parts of the premises covered;
• the water systems, assets and outlets to be considered;
• the site activities included, such as inspection, staff discussions, document review and photographic records;
• the format and level of detail of the written assessment;
• any follow-up discussion or revisions included in the fee; and
• items specifically excluded from the price.

This detail matters because a quotation can appear fixed while relying on broad assumptions. For example, a price may be based on access to particular plant rooms, the availability of existing schematic drawings, or the expectation that one assessment will cover a defined group of similar systems. If those assumptions are not recorded, it can be difficult to establish whether a later request is a variation or part of the original service.

A properly prepared quotation should also explain how changes will be handled. If the assessor identifies work outside the agreed scope, the client should be told what has changed, why it affects the fee and what additional work is proposed. A variation should be approved before that additional work is carried out. This gives the responsible person an opportunity to accept the revised cost, amend the requirements or seek further clarification.

The following items commonly need separate consideration unless they are expressly included:

• additional buildings, systems or areas not identified at the quotation stage;
• repeat visits caused by unavailable access or incomplete information;
• specialist surveys or investigations beyond the risk assessment itself;
• water sampling and laboratory testing;
• urgent remedial work or engineering alterations; and
• substantial revisions required after changes to the water system or premises.

A fixed assessment price does not normally mean that remedial measures are included. The assessment may identify control weaknesses, maintenance issues or further investigation requirements, but the cost of correcting them should be stated separately unless the quotation specifically combines both services. Keeping assessment and remedial costs distinct makes it easier to understand what has been purchased and to compare proposed actions.

Information supplied before pricing can improve the accuracy of a fixed quotation. Useful material may include existing risk assessments, schematic drawings, asset registers, water treatment records, temperature-monitoring information, details of stored water systems and records of previous incidents or remedial work. The assessor may also need to understand how the premises are occupied and managed, particularly where water systems are shared between tenants, departments or buildings.

There are also practical terms to confirm, including the quotation's validity period, payment arrangements, the expected assessment output and whether the price includes a review meeting. These commercial details do not change the technical scope, but they help prevent different interpretations of what the fixed fee covers.

Blue Fish Water Management Ltd can provide tailored advice on defining the scope and documenting the assumptions behind a legionella risk assessment price. Where the available information is incomplete, the more appropriate approach may be to identify the information needed first or present clearly separated options rather than describe an uncertain figure as fixed.