More than bricks and mortar: fire safety for high value homes

With a single spark, generations of craftsmanship, character and irreplaceable treasures in your home could be at risk. When a fire takes hold, it threatens far more than bricks and mortar. 

Restoring the former glory of your home, especially a heritage or bespoke built property, could be a long and costly process. Could you replace period joinery, high-end finishes, heritage stonework or original plasterwork? 

At a glance:

• High‑value homes face unique fire risks due to age, layout and specialist materials.
• Early detection and regular maintenance are critical to prevention.
• Escape planning is more complex in large or heritage properties.
• Specialist insurance and restoration support is essential for recovery.

Protecting large and complex homes

Your home is unique, and your plan to preserve it from fire damage should reflect that.

Fire prevention comes first

Protecting a large or multi‑level home starts with strong fire‑prevention measures. In properties where scale, heritage features or complex layouts can increase risk, taking proactive steps to minimise potential ignition sources is essential. Focusing on prevention from the outset helps safeguard both your home and the people in it, reducing the likelihood of a fire long before detection systems are needed.

Essential fire safety steps in your home

There are essential steps to take to improve fire prevention. These include:

• Reduce the risk of electrical faults: if you live in a heritage property with old wiring, regular electrical inspections are especially important whilst ensuring that any reported defects are addressed promptly.
• Switch off and unplug unnecessary electrics at night or if unattended: With multiple rooms and outbuildings to think about, it’s easy for appliances to be left running unnoticed. With lithium‑ion batteries now a leading cause of household fires, simply switching off and unplugging what you don’t need is an effective way to reduce the risk in your home.
• Check roof spaces and voids: Regularly inspect roof spaces and hidden voids - particularly in older properties - as these areas often contain concealed timber structures or stored items where a fire could spread undetected.
• Handle heat safely: Keep your open fireplace or wood‑burning stove well maintained to avoid soot build up. If you need to carry out any hot works or use heat-producing tools, take extra care to avoid accidental fires. 
• Boiler servicing: All types of boilers require regular professional maintenance and having them serviced annually is essential to ensure they continue to operate safely and efficiently.

Together, these measures help protect the character and comfort in a home where every detail matters.

Protect your home with early detection 

Early fire detection is vital - particularly in large, multi‑level homes where fires can spread quickly and protecting life is always the top priority.

Consider having linked smoke alarms installed: when one alarm detects a fire, they all go off together. These should be fitted to all floor levels including cellars and roof spaces and in any room where you leave appliances plugged in, including outbuildings and less frequently used spaces.

An expert can help you create an escape plan

Caring for a home you love means protecting every detail that makes it yours. Bringing in a fire safety expert, ideally someone who understands historic or larger buildings and the preservation of craftsmanship, can give you priceless peace of mind. 

They’ll help you map out a clear, simple escape plan that works with the quirks of your home which could have multiple floors, winding staircases, and layouts shaped by years of extensions. And because guests or less familiar occupants may not know your home as well as you do, those plans should be effortless to follow when it matters most.

Ultimately, it means you can feel confident that everyone in your home - whether they know it well or not - has a clear, reliable path to safety when every second counts.

Take action now 

The key to protecting your home - and its unique character - is to take action now.  

Sarah Humphreys from Premier Alarms, a partner of NFU Mutual, says:

“Too often we see clients wanting to protect their premises once the metaphoric horse has bolted, and the common theme is always an aching wish to have addressed fire protection earlier”. 

Fire damage can be incredibly costly - at NFU Mutual we’ve seen individual fire losses exceed £1 million, which is why regularly reviewing and documenting everything from fine art to everyday valuables is essential to avoid the added risk of underinsurance.

If you own a listed building, it’s important to make sure your buildings insurance reflects what it would actually cost to rebuild it to conservation standards. The best way to do this is to have a professional rebuild cost valuation carried out and update your sum insured accordingly.

Preserving character and value

Smoke and the water used during extinguishing can cause extensive secondary damage, often spreading well beyond the original incident. Once the flames are out, the fire service will assess the building and advise you of any structural or safety concerns.

Seek professional guidance as soon as possible

Get in touch with your insurer as soon as you can. For heritage and large homes where preservation is paramount, restoration can be delicate, detailed and time consuming. Having specialists who understand the complexities and who can guide you gently through each step brings real reassurance when you need it most.

Bespoke Home Insurance is tailored to high-value homes

Specially designed to protect high-value homes, estates and manor houses, NFU Mutual Bespoke Home Insurance is tailored around you and your property. With a deep understanding of the realities of recovering after a serious fire, NFU Mutual is here to help you prepare, protect and recover – every step of the way.

Taking some time to review your fire safety arrangements could offer greater peace of mind. And if you’d like guidance tailored to your home, speak to one of our specialist Agents today. 

Home fire protection: key questions to consider

• Would a fire in any part of your home - including less-used spaces and outbuildings - be detected quickly?
• Do your escape plans reflect the size, layout and complexity of your property?
• Are your home’s original features and valuable contents fully documented, valued and insured?