Doing work without a qualification

[thereballer]

Hi all.

I'm an experienced electrician that can pretty much wire a house etc. The down fall is I do not have any qualifications. In today's world people say it is experience over qualification.

I'm self employed but in the computer world as in I repair hardware. I hate it and wish to go back to what I love: electrical work.

Can I take on small jobs such as adding extra sockets, light switches etc in someone's home without any qualifications (for the time being)? Yes I would form a ltd company and get me public liability insurance. Currently I bought the BS 7671 17th edition book (Green) and I'm going through it but I need to make money while I work. I need someone to tell me if I can do small jobs until I take the £150 exam.

Thanks!

 

[kingeri]

Well in order to do work in folks homes, you need to be ​competent.​ If anything goes wrong and you end up in court, qualifications may go a long way to prove that you are. In order to do notifiable work, you realistically need qualifications in order to join a Part P scam. You could carry out small non-notifiable jobs so long as you are doing proper testing and issuing certs, but I'd definitely get a few bits of paper under your belt ASAP.

 

[KAS1]

Sorry, but you are not an experienced electrician you've no qualifications, you can't even do the most basic (wire a house) so leave the electrical work to the experts. Another wind up I fear lol

 

[thereballer]

Sorry, but you are not an experienced electrician you've no qualifications, you can't even do the most basic (wire a house) so leave the electrical work to the experts. Another wind up I fear lol

A morning laugh I am well experienced ( 4 years) with other qualifications but not from this country. Yes I'm not experienced in this country but I assume the standard is the same.

Well in order to do work in folks homes, you need to be ​competent.​ If anything goes wrong and you end up in court, qualifications may go a long way to prove that you are. In order to do notifiable work, you realistically need qualifications in order to join a Part P scam. You could carry out small non-notifiable jobs so long as you are doing proper testing and issuing certs, but I'd definitely get a few bits of paper under your belt ASAP.

Thanks! I'll "run" through the bs 7671 book and get that cert before I advertise myself.

 

[thomas-1981]

Yes I'm not experienced in this country but I assume the standard is the same.

It's not the same.

 

[Octopus]

A morning laugh I am well experienced ( 4 years) with other qualifications but not from this country. Yes I'm not experienced in this country but I assume the standard is the same.


Thanks! I'll "run" through the bs 7671 book and get that cert before I advertise myself.

Google Elecsa, Napit and NICEIC, get their numbers, then call then. They should be able to tell you if your "overseas" qualifications have any standing in this country.

If not, you need to understand their requirements, then embark on spending the time and money to achieve the necessary.

As for "assuming" the standards are the same - I doubt this is true.

 

[thereballer]

Well said. I'll do some Googling with the above. Thanks.

 

[Guitarist]

I've got loads of experience in building work, but I'd never sell my services as a builder...
This thread makes me sad.

 

[thereballer]

I've got loads of experience in building work, but I'd never sell my services as a builder...
This thread makes me sad.

Explain why you say that.

 

[RWJ]

It's the old I can do electrics they are easy

just connect brown to positive and blue to negative then green and yellow to earth

Can't be as hard a puters

echo "yeah right";

 

[trev]

I'm an experienced electrician that can pretty much wire a house etc.

You're not! An experienced electrician can "pretty much wire a house" in his/her sleep! You are what is known as a chancer

 

[thereballer]

You're not! An experienced electrician can "pretty much wire a house" in his/her sleep! You are what is known as a chancer

Nothing is wrong with your opinion on something you've never encounter with before. You don't know me so how can you say I cant wire a house, say a three bedroom? Anyway I know what I can and cannot do so no harm towards me.

 

[trev]

Nothing is wrong with your opinion on something you've never encounter with before. You don't know me so how can you say I cant wire a house, say a three bedroom? Anyway I know what I can and cannot do so no harm towards me.

I've encountered many a chancer in my time and can spot them from a mile away when blindfolded. By your own admission "I can pretty much wire a house" you are not fully conversant with the most basic aspect of the electrical trade. No harm will probably come to you but can you guarantee that no harm will come to your customers because you have no clue as to what you are doing? I can guarantee the safety of my installations when I walk away from them.
For pity's sake man you can't even be bothered to take a five week wonder course, at least then you'd have SOME little clue.
At best you're a wind up merchant (albeit a pretty poor one) at worst you're a danger.

 

[thereballer]

So tell me. What is SO different wiring an American home 110v; 220v most texas homes with the British home? Rocket science???? You all think im a college pal never touched a wire before or dont know the different wires to use in a circuit? You all make me laugh.

 

[Plonker 3]

Hi all.

I'm an experienced electrician that can pretty much wire a house etc. The down fall is I do not have any qualifications. In today's world people say it is experience over qualification.

I'm self employed but in the computer world as in I repair hardware. I hate it and wish to go back to what I love: electrical work.

Can I take on small jobs such as adding extra sockets, light switches etc in someone's home without any qualifications (for the time being)? Yes I would form a ltd company and get me public liability insurance. Currently I bought the BS 7671 17th edition book (Green) and I'm going through it but I need to make money while I work. I need someone to tell me if I can do small jobs until I take the £150 exam.

Thanks!

Please clarify, the "pretty much " statement as that says you are quite sure if you can actually do it.

 

[Plonker 3]

So tell me. What is SO different wiring an American home 110v; 220v most texas homes with the British home? Rocket science???? You all think im a college pal never touched a wire before or dont know the different wires to use in a circuit? You all make me laugh.

BS7671 will be what you work too here, in the States I imagine they have there own version which will be nothing like ours.

Now that is the difference.

 

[Sharpend]

In that case why don't you come clean as to what these other qualifications are and what level of experience you have?
Anybody can come on too an open electrical forum spouting conflicting information but the facts remain you have either got it or you haven't so lay your cards on the table then you may get some serious advice.

 

[trev]

Ok then, tell us the necessary steps in properly designing a domestic electrical installation since you know so much about it. You can then tell us how to go about inspecting and testing it to make sure it is safe to energise. Perhaps you could tell us why the test procedure is in the order that it is, after energising what tests are then required and why.
There you go, some nice easy questions to start you off considering you're so au fait with "pretty much wiring a house"

 

[thereballer]

I don't need to prove myself. I only came here to know the legal requirements before doing work in this country. As I got the answers I needed: get the bs 7671 which seems to be the uk standard of things and other regulatory body etc

Yes I do sounded like I don't know Jack but that's how I speak When I'm home ill get back to the other questions.

 

[Plonker 3]

You do know that BS7671 isn't a readers digest how too book dont you, and actually a technical document

 

[telectrix]

some jumping to conclusions on this thread. partly the OP's fault for not giving any info on what/if his US qualifications are. must remember that americans are reluctant to give out info. reds under the bed and all that.

 

[Johnuk]

I thinks hes gone lol

 

[mk1rob]

So tell me. What is SO different wiring an American home 110v; 220v most texas homes with the British home? Rocket science???? You all think im a college pal never touched a wire before or dont know the different wires to use in a circuit? You all make me laugh.

The basic principle of electricity flowing from A to B through a cable may be the same but the regs are massively different and much stricter in the UK. This is what you need to learn via various courses. Theres a lot more to it than knowing what cables to use for each circuit.

Have a read of this:
Description of Part P and its requirements.

 

[Octopus]

Can you imagine if we went and started working in France or the USA I bet they wouldn't allow it!

 

[Burnt Fingers]

I have pretty much rewired mine. I just have not finished it yet.

 

[adamroche144]

I have my full lvl 3, took 4 years training then working on the tools for another 2 years after i was qualified just for the experience and to learn tricks of the trades, 2 years out on my own and only now i would class my self as experienced.

 

[JohnLogan]

I have my full lvl 3, took 4 years training then working on the tools for another 2 years after i was qualified just for the experience and to learn tricks of the trades, 2 years out on my own and only now i would class my self as experienced.

Im new to these forums myself and this was the 1st thread i seen. I agree with adamroche144, i served a 4yr apprenticeship and have been qualified now for nearly 10 years. I too would say that only recently i would refer to myself as experienced. OP IMO is either a bad troll or dangerous guy.

 

[Thomas123]

As others have stated, your by no means an electrician, and no means experienced! You can pretty much wire a house and you think you can call yourself an experience electrician? You are a joke!

 

[Burnt Fingers]

I think there is a certain amount of stuff that can be done safely by unqualified people these days, as long as they have reasonable skills and a high level of common sense - such as changing a switch or a socket, maybe a light fitting or a fan. However I have had to do an NICEIC course to prove my competence to do just that....Accessory Changing......It now takes 15mins to change a socket and loop/polarity test and then 45 mins to complete a MWC. However house rewires - anyone that attempts it is nuts.

 

[Guitarist]

I think there is a certain amount of stuff that can be done safely by unqualified people these days, as long as they have reasonable skills and a high level of common sense - such as changing a switch or a socket, maybe a light fitting or a fan. However I have had to do an NICEIC course to prove my competence to do just that....Accessory Changing......It now takes 15mins to change a socket and loop/polarity test and then 45 mins to complete a MWC. However house rewires - anyone that attempts it is nuts.

Many householders think exactly that, then when you get called in because something isn't working, you find that they simply "thought" they knew what they were doing. A little knowledge... and all that.