Cost guide
What drives the cost of a modular plant room
There is no list price for a prefabricated plant room. Each one is engineered to a duty and a site and priced per project. These are the factors that move the price, and how to get an accurate quotation sooner.
Pricing
Why there is no price list
Two plant rooms with the same output can differ widely in cost. One may be a single boiler cascade on a level yard with a gas supply already in place; the other may need 2N redundancy, an acoustic enclosure, full BMS integration and a large crane over a live building. A figure quoted without those details would not survive the first technical query.
We price from real information. At an early stage we can give a budget against stated assumptions, then firm it up as the design develops.
Cost drivers
The factors that move the price
Output and plant
The duty and the choice of heat or cooling source, whether boilers, heat pumps, hybrid or chilled water, set the size of the unit and much of the cost.
Redundancy
Duty and standby, N+1 or 2N. A 2N design duplicates whole systems; a concurrently maintainable layout adds valves, bypasses and space.
Enclosure
Standard insulated cladding, or acoustic, fire-rated and bunded construction, finish and colour.
Controls and BMS
Standalone cascade controls, or full BMS or EPMS integration with a points list, alarms and remote monitoring.
Gas and electrical supplies
Whether the existing supplies can carry the load, or need upgrading. Utility works are confirmed as included or by others.
Base and connections
Plinth or steel grillage, distance to the building, pipe and cable routes, and flue height.
Transport and lifting
Unit size against road transport limits, one module or several, crane size, access route and any road closures.
Testing and documents
Witnessed factory testing, the level of commissioning required, O&M manuals and as-built drawings.
Programme and site conditions
Shutdown windows, out-of-hours working, phasing and the constraints of working on a live site.
Comparison
Prefabricated or site-built: where the difference sits
Compare the whole project, not the plant price alone.
| Cost element | Prefabricated plant room | Site-built plant room |
|---|---|---|
| Plant and pipework | Similar plant; fabricated under cover in a workshop | Similar plant; fabricated in place on site |
| Building | Enclosure is part of the unit | Needs a plant room within or beside the building |
| Site time | Set-down and connections | Full installation on site, alongside other trades |
| Shutdown | Short, planned changeover | Old plant removed before new plant goes in |
| Programme risk | Fabrication runs in parallel with site works | Exposed to site access, weather and trade sequencing |
| Transport and lifting | Planned delivery and crane lift | Loose deliveries of plant and materials |
FAQ
Plant room cost questions
Related: packaged plant rooms, packaged boiler houses, modular boiler rooms, what to send for a quotation.
How much does a modular plant room cost?
There is no list price. Each plant room is engineered to a duty and a site and quoted per project. Send the duty, energy source, redundancy, site and programme and we will give a budget against stated assumptions or a firm quotation.
Are prices quoted with or without VAT?
Prices are quoted excluding VAT unless stated.
What is normally included in the price?
The quotation sets out the scope: typically design, enclosure, plant, pipework, electrics and controls, testing, delivery, connection and commissioning. Items such as the base, incoming utility supplies and builder's work are confirmed in writing as included or by others.
Is a prefabricated plant room cheaper than a site-built one?
It depends on the project. The plant itself costs much the same either way. The difference sits in site time, preliminaries, the length of the shutdown, the building space a site-built plant room uses and programme risk, so the comparison should be made on the whole project, not the plant price alone.
Can the cost be phased?
Yes. Headers, flues and electrical capacity can be sized for a future module, so plant can be added as the load grows rather than bought on day one.
How can we get an accurate price sooner?
Send the duty, redundancy, energy source and supply capacity, drawings or specification, the site and access, and the programme. The list of what to send for a quotation covers the detail.
Enquiries
Need a budget or a quotation?
Send the duty, the site and the programme. We will come back with the assumptions we are working to and a route to a firm price.