An AOV smoke vent over a stairwell runs from around 3,800 to 6,200 pounds installed in the Ipswich and Suffolk area, well above a comfort opening rooflight of the same size. The premium is not the vent itself but everything around it: a dedicated control panel with battery backup, a fire alarm interface, a hinge actuator to reach the specified free area, and proper commissioning proved with the alarm contractor. It is life-safety equipment, and it is priced and specified to a fire strategy, not chosen from a brochure.
What the price is made of
| Component | Comfort electric unit | AOV smoke vent |
|---|---|---|
| The vent and glazing | Base cost | Base cost, similar |
| Actuator | Chain, baseline | Hinge or spindle, for the large free area |
| Control | Standard receiver | Dedicated control panel |
| Backup power | Optional | Battery backup, commonly 72 hours, standard |
| Fire alarm interface | None | Interface with the detection system |
| Override | Handset | Ground-level break-glass or key switch |
| Commissioning | Set and test the unit | Proved to open on detection, alarm contractor present |
| Typical installed cost | From £2,900, new opening | £3,800 to £6,200 |
The control panel and battery backup
An AOV does not run off a domestic receiver. It has its own control panel, and the panel carries battery backup sized for standby in a fire, commonly 72 hours, so the vent works when the mains has gone. That panel and its backup are a significant part of the difference in price, and they are not optional, because fail-safe operation is the whole point of the equipment.
The hinge actuator
An AOV is specified by its geometric free area, the measured area of the actual opening, commonly 1 square metre for a stairwell. A chain actuator does not open the sash far enough to reach that, so AOVs use hinge or spindle actuators that swing the sash to a large angle. The hinge actuator adds 40 to 90 per cent over a chain on the actuator element. The reason it is needed is on the AOV smoke vent installation page.
The fire alarm interface and commissioning
The vent has to be wired to interface with the fire alarm so smoke detection triggers it automatically, and then it has to be proved to open on a genuine detection signal, with the alarm contractor present. That commissioning is a scheduled part of the job and a booked slot on top of the fit, and it is what makes an AOV a certified life-safety installation rather than just a big opening rooflight.
Why the range is wide. AOV pricing spans 3,800 to 6,200 pounds because the free area, the number of units, the roof type and the complexity of the fire alarm interface all vary with the building. The figure is confirmed against the fire strategy and the roof at survey, and then fixed. For commercial and communal work the specification is more involved, covered on the commercial smoke vent compliance page.
Lead time and days on site
AOV units run longer than comfort units, typically five to eight weeks from order because of the control panel and interface, and the installation is three to four days plus the alarm contractor’s testing. That is part of the cost picture, because it has to be planned into the conversion from the start rather than bolted on at the end. Retrofitting an AOV after the plasterboard is up is far more expensive and disruptive than building it in. Timings across electric work are on the how long it takes answer.
Why it costs more than you might expect
The instinct is to compare an AOV to a normal opening rooflight and wonder why it is nearly double. The honest answer is that you are not buying a rooflight that happens to open automatically. You are buying certified smoke ventilation: a control panel, standby power, a detection interface, an override for the fire service, a measured free area and a commissioning record for Building Control. Every one of those adds cost, and every one is there because the vent has to work in a fire. The fail-safe behaviour that comes with it is on the power cut answer, and the wider service on the electric skylight installation page.
Common questions
Why does an AOV cost so much more than a normal rooflight?
Because you are buying certified smoke ventilation, not just an opening rooflight. The price includes a dedicated control panel, battery backup commonly sized for 72 hours, a fire alarm interface, a ground-level override for the fire service, a hinge actuator to reach the specified free area, and commissioning proved with the alarm contractor. Each of those adds cost, and each is there because the vent must work in a fire. That lifts it to 3,800 to 6,200 pounds against a comfort unit from 2,900.
What does an AOV smoke vent cost to install?
From around 3,800 to 6,200 pounds installed over a stairwell in the Ipswich and Suffolk area. The range is wide because the free area, the roof type, the number of units and the fire alarm interface vary with the building. The exact figure is confirmed against your fire strategy and the roof at survey, and then fixed. Every installation carries a 10-year workmanship guarantee.
Can I save money by fitting a normal opening rooflight instead?
Not where an AOV is required. If your fire strategy specifies an AOV, a comfort rooflight will not meet it, because it lacks the control panel, battery backup, detection interface, override and measured free area that make the vent work in a fire. Substituting one is not a saving, it is a life-safety failure that Building Control will not pass. Where no AOV is required, a standard opening unit is of course fine.
Get a fixed price for an AOV
Send us your fire strategy or the specified free area and control arrangement, along with the roof type and where the stairwell sits. We install to that design, work with your alarm contractor and Building Control, and give you one written price covering the vent, the control panel and commissioning, fixed after survey with a 10-year workmanship guarantee.
Request a fixed quote for AOV smoke vent installation across Ipswich, Suffolk and north Essex.
Thinking about this job? We survey across Ipswich, Suffolk and north Essex and give you a fixed price before any work starts, with a 10-year workmanship guarantee.