How much does a lifeline cost?

The cost of a lifeline is a recurring issue in the residential and private sector where, generally, whoever decides to install a fall arrest system is also whoever pays for the intervention.

To answer this question, first of all, it is necessary to make an amendment: it is impossible to give a single answer, the same for everyone, since the factors that determine the cost of a life jacket are different and have a different nature. These include:

roof area;
roof morphology;
type of device installed;
access to the building and the roof;
further regional and/or municipal regulations

But let’s take a practical example to better understand how the cost of a life jacket is calculated.

Starting from a common situation, let’s consider a building with a 20-metre long double-pitched roof, in reinforced concrete, finished in pantiles and with access from a skylight, schematized alongside.

In this case, the cost of the lifeline, turnkey, for safety, including design, installation and documentation, is around €2,400 (VAT excluded), divided into around €1,500 for material and €900 for design and installation. (prices updated to 2023)

As expressed above, this value may vary according to the factors described above which we will now analyze in detail.

SQUARE SIZE AND MORPHOLOGY: While it is almost obvious that the cost is directly proportional to the square footage, it is a little less so due to its morphology. In fact, geometrically more complex and less linear roofs require more material (and consequently more installation time). This is the case with posts, bevel gears, pendulum effects and so on. A cortura of the same size but with a C-shaped plan could increase the price by up to 70%.

TYPE OF DEVICE INSTALLED: The finishes of the roof, such as the corrugated steel sheets, require technologically more advanced and more expensive devices which, at the same time, however, guarantee a lower aesthetic impact and lower probability of infiltration. A cover of the same size but finished in insulated corrugated sheet would lead to an increase of about 60%.

TYPE AND STATE OF CONSERVATION: the support structure of the roof plays a fundamental role. With recently built wooden or reinforced concrete roofs, problems are generally not encountered. On the contrary, walls and hollow blocks or heavily degraded roofs do not allow effective fastening, which involves the use of special and impactful devices that can increase the cost by 3 times as much.

LOCATION OF THE BUILDING AND ACCESS TO THE ROOF: In this case it is necessary to consider whether it is necessary to rent lifting work platforms or not, increasing the cost of the installation by about 20%.

ADDITIONAL REGIONAL AND/OR MUNICIPAL REQUIREMENTS: in some regions, such as Tuscany, it is necessary to draw up the technical report of the roof signed by a qualified technician with the attached calculation report on the fixings and the support structure. This service generally costs €800 for standard coverage.

In summary, there is no direct answer to the question “how much does a lifeline cost” as it is necessary to take into account a whole series of factors that determine the final price and which cannot be defined a priori.

However, our technical staff will be happy to answer your questions and/or draw up a quote without any kind of binding commitment by filling out the form below.