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Tom,
Local fire codes regarding sprinklers vary at the local and state level. Sprinklers may not be required for your new chapter house because of this.
I share your concern that a non-sprinkled chapter house may not be the right way to go. Cash however, is always a concern when building. Sprinkler systems are nothing new. The technology has been around for well over 100 years. The cost though of installing a sprinkler system, even new construction is quite expensive. Insurance discounts will offset the initial install cost.
In lieu of a sprinkled chapter house you should look into a monitored fire alarm system. This type of system will consist of smoke and heat detectors located throughout the house tied into a fire alarm control panel. The system is monitored by a UL listed central station. In the event of a fire, the fire department is dispatched by the central station. I'm sure that your local fire code will mandate at least this type of protection. Cost for this type of system may only be a few thousand dollars, vs tens of thousands for a sprinkled house.
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