Can the cost of a Legionnaires’ risk assessment change after inspection?
Yes. The cost of a Legionnaires’ risk assessment can change after inspection if the site, water systems, access requirements or assessment scope differ from the information used for the initial estimate.
The quoted cost of a Legionnaires’ risk assessment is usually based on the information available before the assessor attends. Following inspection, the final fee may be revised if the work needed to produce a suitably evidenced assessment is materially different from the basis of the original quotation. A professional quotation should explain what has changed, why it affects the work involved and whether the client must approve the additional cost before it is incurred.
An initial estimate may cover the assessor’s time to review the relevant water systems, inspect the premises, speak with responsible personnel and prepare the assessment report. The inspection can then establish that further professional work is needed to make the assessment complete and reliable. This might include:
- reviewing additional records, schematics, monitoring logs or maintenance information;
- assessing separate parts of a property that were not included in the original brief;
- carrying out more detailed examination of higher-risk equipment or water outlets;
- allowing additional time to clarify unclear responsibilities between landlords, managing agents, occupiers and contractors; or
- preparing separate findings for distinct buildings, systems or responsible persons.
These activities are not automatically remedial works. A risk assessment identifies hazards, evaluates the risk and records the control measures required. It may recommend cleaning, disinfection, monitoring changes, maintenance or water testing, but those activities are normally separate services unless the quotation specifically includes them. The cost of implementing recommendations should therefore not be confused with the fee for producing the assessment.
Inspection can also confirm that no adjustment is necessary. If the assessor finds that the information supplied was accurate and the agreed assessment scope is sufficient, the original fee may remain unchanged. A change should not be presented simply because the assessor has attended the site; it should relate to identifiable additional work or a documented difference between the original brief and the conditions found.
Before approving a revised price, the client should ask for a clear variation showing:
- the original assessment inclusions and exclusions;
- the findings that have led to the proposed change;
- the additional tasks, personnel or report sections involved;
- whether testing, sampling, drawings or remedial work are included or priced separately; and
- the revised total and any assumptions on which it depends.
For larger commercial or industrial premises, it is useful to agree the assessment boundaries in writing before the inspection. This can include the buildings covered, water systems to be reviewed, records to be supplied, personnel who will be available for consultation and the format of the final report. Clear boundaries reduce the risk of disagreement when the assessor identifies work beyond the original brief.
The final assessment should reflect the conditions that affect exposure to Legionella and the effectiveness of control measures, rather than being limited to a checklist completed from incomplete information. If the inspection reveals a significant issue, the assessor should record it in the report and explain the recommended action. Any urgent safety concern should be communicated through the appropriate responsible person rather than being concealed by keeping the assessment within an original price.
When comparing quotations, ask whether the price is fixed for the stated scope, an estimate subject to confirmation, or based on an agreed day rate. Also check whether a return visit, report revisions, laboratory analysis and follow-up advice are included. This makes it easier to distinguish a legitimate change arising from new findings from a quotation that was too vague at the outset.
Blue Fish Water Management Ltd can advise on the information and agreed boundaries needed to establish a suitable assessment brief. Its wider water hygiene services include risk assessments, UKAS-accredited water testing, compliance audits, monitoring, training and remedial works, but each should be identified separately where it forms part of the proposed work.
A higher Legionnaires’ risk does not, by itself, justify a higher risk assessment fee. The assessment price relates primarily to the professional work required to inspect the site, evaluate the water systems and document the findings. A serious hazard may lead to more urgent recommendations, but the cost of carrying out those recommendations is separate from the assessment fee unless additional assessment work is specifically required.
This distinction is important when reviewing an inspection outcome. Ask whether the proposed price change reflects extra assessment activity, such as examining an overlooked system or producing further technical findings, or whether it relates to measures needed to control the risk. Keeping those costs separate makes the quotation easier to assess and prevents remedial expenditure being presented as an unavoidable part of the original assessment charge.
Discuss your Legionnaires’ risk assessment scope
If you need to clarify what should be included in a proposed assessment, speak to Blue Fish Water Management Ltd about defining the scope and separating assessment work from any follow-on services. Request advice based on the buildings, systems and records relevant to your site.