Smoke Detector Replacement and Installation Cost in Vancouver

Smoke alarm installation in Vancouver costs a $99.99 service fee per visit, plus $64.99 to $109.99 for each alarm we supply and install. A condo with two smoke/CO combo alarms comes to $289.97 to $319.97 before GST, and evenings and weekends cost the same.

I'm Richard. I run The Smoke Alarm Doctor and I do every job myself. Here's exactly what you'd pay. Not sure who to hire? Read who to call to install smoke detectors.

What does each smoke alarm cost installed?

Every job has one service fee. On top of that, you pay the installed price of each alarm we supply. The installed price includes the alarm itself. For expired or failing alarms, see smoke alarm replacement and repair.

All prices are before GST. You can total your own home with the quote builder.

What do I get for the $99.99 service fee?

The $99.99 service fee is charged once per visit, not per alarm. What you get:

• I come to you. Travel is included anywhere in our Lower Mainland service area. There's no call-out charge.
• Labour to take down the old alarms and put up the new ones.
• Every alarm tested before I leave. On hardwired systems I test the interconnect too.
• A written record for every alarm: location, type, manufacture date and test result.
• Old units taken away, and a 30-day workmanship warranty.
• Same price 10am to 8pm, every day. No evening or weekend surcharge.

How much for a condo, townhouse or house?

Strata high-rise condo, 2 combo alarms. One in the hallway outside the bedroom, one in the living area. With Kidde: $99.99 + 2 × $109.99 = $319.97. With BRK / First Alert: $99.99 + 2 × $94.99 = $289.97.

In some Vancouver towers, the in-suite detectors are part of the building's fire alarm system. That isn't residential work, so I leave it alone and point you to your strata.

Burnaby house with a basement suite, 4 smoke alarms and 2 combos:

You bought 4 alarms yourself. $99.99 + 2 × $29.99 = $159.97.

Battery changes only, 6 alarms. $99.99 + 6 × $4.99 = $129.93. I test every alarm while I'm there.

Is there a package for replacing every alarm?

Yes. The Full House package covers a typical house in one visit: 3 hardwired smoke/CO combos for the bedroom areas and fuel-burning appliances, plus 3 hardwired smoke alarms for hallways, stairs and living areas. The service fee is included. Here's what a replacement visit involves.

The math for Kidde: $99.99 + 3 × $109.99 + 3 × $69.99 = $639.93. For BRK / First Alert: $99.99 + 3 × $94.99 + 3 × $64.99 = $579.93. BRK's newest models: photoelectric sensing with a sealed 10-year lithium battery. Older ionization-only models are being phased out.

Both packages include testing every alarm, interconnect, disposal of the old units and the 30-day workmanship warranty. Bigger or smaller home? Load the package in the quote builder, then add or remove alarms.

Seniors and veterans: ask for 10% off when you book. It's 10% off the job total (service fee and alarms, before tax) for seniors 65+ and veterans. Just mention it in your booking request.

How much does it cost to replace a smoke detector?

Replacing one expired smoke alarm is the $99.99 service fee plus the new alarm at its installed price. A sealed-battery Kidde smoke alarm is $99.99 + $69.99 = $169.98. A hardwired Kidde smoke and CO combo is $99.99 + $109.99 = $209.98. The old alarm is removed and disposed of, and every unit is tested. Add more alarms on the same visit and you only pay the fee once. Prices are before tax.

Do you charge extra for evenings or weekends?

No. We book from 10am to 8pm every day, and a Saturday evening costs the same as a Tuesday morning. Same-day or next-day visits are available when the schedule allows.

We're not an overnight or emergency service. If an alarm is sounding and you smell smoke, get everyone outside and call 911.

Should I pick Kidde or BRK / First Alert?

In most homes, the alarms already on your ceiling decide it. Hardwired interconnected alarms should be one brand on the same interconnect, so we match your home's existing brand. I test the interconnect after install.

Every alarm we carry is photoelectric. Both brands come hardwired, and Kidde also comes in 10-year sealed-battery models for spots with no wiring. Our photoelectric guide explains why. If you have BRK units that are due, see replacing BRK / First Alert alarms. Adding carbon monoxide protection? See CO alarm installation in BC.

Selling, renting out or legalizing a suite?

Listing a home, turning over a rental or legalizing a basement suite are all good times to replace old alarms. The written record gives your buyer, tenant, insurer or inspector the dates on one page.

If an alarm just won't stop chirping, a $99.99 visit can be booked on its own. See beeping smoke alarm repair. Strata councils and landlords with several units can get volume rates through our strata and landlord service. For everything else, start at smoke alarm installation in Vancouver.

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