rewire choosing between 2 unregistered firms to do the job

[new2021year00]

Hello thanks for reading - I am having a 3 bed semi rewired and narrowed it down to 2 electricians.

Both a not on any register as far as I can see.

One will do the work in 3 days (3 people doing long days) and get it signed off under the Third Party Certification scheme

The other says he will do it in 7 days (2 people working) He is down as an electrician on the NICEIC for his friends company (a NICECI approved contractor) and they will come out to sign off.

He says it is just a way of signing off the certs until he get registered, Its completely normal practice. He also wants the NICEIC to inspect the job as part of him joining

Either that or I can give you a non NICEIC certificate then once im registered with the NICEIC I will reissue you a certificate using the NICEIC certification form.

 

[Strima]

Alarm bells are ringing for both options. I would personally go with an established and registered company for these works.

I've lost count the amount of threads on here where people have been in a similar situation and have had a complete nightmare getting the paperwork sorted out and any remedial works completed. With a registered company they are fully insured and will have scheme warranty in place.

 

[SJD]

In both cases, there is a risk of a certificate never arriving, and the work not ever being notified to Building Control. You could perhaps suggest you will pay the final balance/portion when the Building Control certificate turns up (done online, it is by email next working day after notification) - this might flush out who was never actually going to bother with notification!

 

[new2021year00]

I was going down that route bank transfer on satisfactory completion.

is it the 'normal' industry thing getting people who work for firms to essentially do a rewire like this?

I was getting quotes over £4k for NICEIC / NAPIT companies I had out

 

[telectrix]

it's common fo a spark applying for niceic to do a job like a rewire and have it for his/her assessment, then notify once joined. it's a chicken and egg situation, whereby he/she needs to do a job for assessment but current rules bar him/her for notifying until a member of niceic ) or one of the other leeches).

 

[mattg4321]

I was going down that route bank transfer on satisfactory completion.

is it the 'normal' industry thing getting people who work for firms to essentially do a rewire like this?

I was getting quotes over £4k for NICEIC / NAPIT companies I had out

That’s probably because that’s what it costs if multiple reputable and established companies have quoted.

You try to penny pinch and frankly you’ll get what you pay for and deserve.

Sorry if that comes across as harsh but it’s almost certainly the truth. If it seems to good (cheap) to be true...

 

[telectrix]

£4k for a 3 bed semi is about right for an empty house. if lived in then I'd add at least £1K to that,

 

[Mike Johnson]

Ask if you can pay by Credit Card so you can use their insurance if you don't get your certificate.

 

[Julie.]

As Tel has said, the process is that an electrician completes their training and apprenticeship, then in order to become registered they have to then present a portfolio of work to their assessors.

This appears to be the situation certainly for the one guy, and potentially the first company, although the company situation doesn't ring quite right to me.

So I think the second guy is in the process of completing his portfolio and is looking to do a "showhouse" quality job to present to his assessor.

It is up to you of course, but I would suggest speaking to the second guy, confirm this is the case, and ask that you may contact his company - ask them what is his quality of work. If he is looking to complete his assessment he should be very open to letting you know how his work is.

Often the best apprentices/workers look to leave a company and set up on their own.

Draw up a "contract" - basically an agreement in writing indicating that payment will not be made until you receive the installation certificate and confirmation that the local authority has been notified (part p notification).

 

[telectrix]

payment will not be made until you receive the installation certificate and confirmation that the local authority has been notified (part p notification).

I'd be more inclined to agree on a % ( 10%?) retainer to be held untill cert. and notification is provided. Usual practice on a rewire is a % upfront, stage payment after 1st fix and again after 2nd fix. witholding the total amount of the price would make most of us walk away. so many customers try and wriggle out of paying, even after obtaining a CCJ, difficult to get paid without further costs for High Court Writ.

 

[Mike Johnson]

10% retention against any sub-contractor is normal on most construction projects by the main contractor.

 

[Pretty Mouth]

Not every electrician who isn't registered is a cowboy, and being registered doesn't automatically mean an electrician isn't a cowboy.

I'm not registered, and use a 3rd party certifier to notify work. Personally, I don't bill my customers until they have receipt of notification (though I don't tend to do larger jobs such as rewires). Ask your chosen company for their insurance certificates, qualifications, check their internet reviews (the bad reviews say more than the good ones) and ask for references. This should help weed out the wrong'uns

 

[streamer]

I would go with the second one where his friends company will sign it off. If he's going to use it as his assessment then he should make a good job of it.

 

[ipf]

Not every electrician who isn't registered is a cowboy, and being registered doesn't automatically mean an electrician isn't a cowboy.

True, but it would be interesting to see what percentage of the actual cowboys are registered. Might be a bit on the light side, I feel.

 

[IAmSparkytus!]

Interesting for me that the OP mentions the spark saying he can do the work but can't sign it off. I'm a qualified supervisor for the company I work for and my NICEIC inspector told me that this would allow me to sign off any work I carry out for myself as well (not that I do any).

 

[DPG]

Interesting for me that the OP mentions the spark saying he can do the work but can't sign it off. I'm a qualified supervisor for the company I work for and my NICEIC inspector told me that this would allow me to sign off any work I carry out for myself as well (not that I do any).

Interesting. I didn't think that was allowed.

 

[loz2754]

My NICEIC area engineer used to moan about not being able to sign off work on his own house!

 

[ipf]

My NICEIC area engineer used to moan about not being able to sign off work on his own house!

If you mean you’re NICEIC inspector.......now there is a real case for HIM sorting YOU out with the tea and biscuits. ?

 

[7029 dave]

My NICEIC area engineer used to moan about not being able to sign off work on his own house!

Demonstrates the madness of it all.!