Move From Industry To Domestic

[New Venture!]

Hi all. Recently been made redundant after 20 years as an industrial electrical design/test/installation engineer. Looking at starting out on my own, specialising in small domestic jobs some people struggle to have fixed, along with some bigger stuff. Issue I'm finding is because I've been purely commercial (mainly three phase) all those years I'm being given some strange advice re registering with one of the "big three" regulatory bodies. (Do a 17 day domestic course!)

Any of you guys out there made a similar move, or any advice?

Cheers.

 

[Andy™]

best advice: stay away from domestic

 

[ProDave]

The issue is Part Pee. Something that doesn't trouble you doing industrial.

 

[Murdoch]

If you want to do domestic and carry out Part P type work, then membership of a scam is a necessary evil

Why don't you ply your trade around the smaller commercial buildings and companies - it strikes me that they often have a need and finding local, reliable, honest sparks can be a challange.

 

[Evans Electric]

Hi  New Venture   welcome to the Forum .

My background is  Industrial , commercial, domestic  but I do understand that , although basically a simple concept of 1 ph,   Twin/Earth radial circuits with the odd 2 way thrown in  ,  Domestic is really another world to what you are used to .

Its more regulated than anything in our trade TBH.  

Can I ask the following questions ?

I presume you have the basic qualifications for being an electrician ( Given your background) ?

Are you up to speed on domestic work ?   Bonding etc ,

Although many do not bother to join a scheme , we are supposed to be competent under Part P of the Building Regs and a scheme is the only way to prove this really.

More customers are looking for a registered spark these days .

You need to be registered to sign off new build work to Local Building Control  .

You are supposed to certify & register all your work with the scheme who will guarantee same .  ( Most of us have no interest in that side whatsoever)

To join a scheme ( who basically just want your money)  you need the following :-

1  Prove to be competent.

2  Have basic quallies for sparkying .

3  Have recent job to show .

4  Own test instruments    Loop Imp / Megger /  RCD / continuity.

5  Public liability insurance.

6  Have G&Gs 2382  for 17th edition Regs 

7  Own latest edition of Regs

8 Own Electricity at Work Regs 1989

9 A written H& S  document

10 Provision of written quotes

11 A complaints log

12   A good knowledge of Building Regs

13  Relevant  test & inspection documetation .

I doubt you need to do a 17 day course given your background , ( although that is exactly what they were designed for  NOT  for local milkman to become a sparks in 3 weeks) 

Anything else just post on here.

Edit :-  

As Murdock says , try to stick with what you know and are good at , commercial / industrial.   and Domestic as a second string.

 

[New Venture!]

Hi Evans Electrical. Thanks for the detail much appreciated. I have my 2382, 2394 and 2395 (and a few others) and have done some domestic work via Building Control for friends. (New consumer units, feeds to outdoor buildings). Managed to buy the test kit I used in industry so have a combined Fluke unit and a separate RCD tester along with various multi and clamp meters, 17th book and site guide.

Happy to do the 17 day course (local training centre runs one) if anyone who's attended one could give an opinion. Like your milkman comment! Kind of worrying to think that's all the training some sparkies have.........

Might just take the advice of Murdoch and ask around commercial. Have done some concert venue temp rigs, including one rock band who asked for 600 amps for sound, 1800 amps for lights!

 

[binky]

might be worth contacting Stage electrics?

for domestic you do need registrationto work effectively, and on the back of that get registered with Trading standards 'Buy with confidence' scheme or maybe evn Which? trusted traders.

 

[Andy™]

never bothered with the TS scam. never saw a need for it

 

[New Venture!]

Well, been an interesting few days. I've been checking out what potential customers would be willing to pay for electrical work, and it's not encouraging. One contact I made told me that his current "electrician/handyman" charges £75 per day!

Local college might have some lecturing work in a few weeks time, so think I'll hang fire on domestic for a bit.

 

[New Venture!]

At least (in my experience anyway) commercial customers are willing to pay a decent rate for electrical installations and fault finding. 75 quid a day makes no sense. Feel sorry for you domestic guys, I've been shielded all those years. The volts and amps may be bigger in industry, but the wages are of living levels!

 

[steptoe]

75£ a day!!!!!

WTF,

and thats a London price........

I couldn't live on that oop north here in the cheaper end of Manchester,,,,,,  :shakehead

Ive subbed a few days down south, London way at £200/day plus expenses and got them, so I have no idea where that bloke is at with his prices,

but, as has been said, some people have no bills to pay, and no idea how to charge, but I thought it was only round here that people were working for sub 80£/day

 

[Murdoch]

Well, been an interesting few days. I've been checking out what potential customers would be willing to pay for electrical work, and it's not encouraging. One contact I made told me that his current "electrician/handyman" charges £75 per day!

Local college might have some lecturing work in a few weeks time, so think I'll hang fire on domestic for a bit.

Now that's just stupid.............. unless you have the DWP topping up your wages a lot ....... which with the stupid tax credits system is very likely if you have kids.......

 

[binky]

having built a reputation, £200 per day is normal for my work and I live in a low wage area. Electrician / handyman = untrained muppet who thinks he knows how to do electrics.

 

[New Venture!]

Want a real sickener Steptoe? Few years ago I was on a job at a chemical plant and was chatting to a Chemical Engineer. He was there to sort out a waste discharge issue. He was on £3000 a day!!!

 

[Murdoch]

I was working alongside a Gas Safe chap yesterday who has just bought a car for £68K

 

[steptoe]

Want a real sickener Steptoe? Few years ago I was on a job at a chemical plant and was chatting to a Chemical Engineer. He was there to sort out a waste discharge issue. He was on £3000 a day!!!

:shakehead

the biggest problem with domestic is that

everybody 'thinks' they can do it

the country is full of 5day wonders that have NO idea how to run a business and are charging people 10£/hour

all you have to do is go in your local shed and you will see a load of idiots in work gear walking around with what are obviously their customers telling them what they need to buy etc,  :shakehead

 

[Sidewinder]

Down here agency is around £14-15/hr, same as subbies.

Muppets from £10 upwards.

Sparks £21-30 for reasonable guys.

Engineers, £35+ on agency and self employed, which is why I have issues raising my rates.

The idiots charging stupidly low rates (i.e. cheap employed wages) for self-employed/micro ltd. co. are just completely messing the market up for everyone.

 

[binky]

we suffer from ex-services, leave mob after having sat 5 week course with pension, and buy a shiny new van, then undercut everyone. Fair to say some have a good technical background, but many trade on being ex-services ergo trustworthy pillars of society....

This is why I have gone to great lengths to be registered and part of schemes like 'Buy With Confidence'  it's the only way to differentiate myself from the idiots.

 

[New Venture!]

Things looking better guys. Been offered a job to do the electrics on an extension. Buiding control really helpful, required form submitted. Nominated test company from BC also very helpful, so once job is finished I have my example job to show to whatever regulatory body I go with. Homeowner also willing to pay decent rate!

Only snag is, ceiling of extension has best part of 200 mm insulation in it, so unless I derate cables by hugh margin they will need to go in the 150mm safe zone.

 

[apprentice87]

Best of luck to you matey, at least you sound like you know what you are on about. I think you should do well, deserve to anyway...

john...