1 year on but have questions..

[Karl91]

Hi guys,

So been in the job for a year now, I have done 1st fixing and a lot of ducting in that time, all in residential new builds.

The problem is my friends & family have been asking me to do jobs for them in their houses (outside lights, extra sockets, 2 way switching etc). I feel like because I've only worked in new builds I wouldn't be the most confident doing jobs in someones house as I have no experience. I keep thinking how would I do things like lifting up carpet & floorboards, drilling through walls, drilling holes in the ceiling etc without ruining the house! I also feel a bit silly being an electrician & not being able to confidently say 'yes i can do that for you'.

I have been thinking of ringing up smaller firms in my area as I would be able to do a wider variety of electrical work and gain more confidence.

Any advice from you guys would be appreciated!

Thanks

 

[Pat H]

Tagging along with somebody doing domestic work would help but then again they know they are training up their competition...
I just think of it as my own house and how would I want to deal with it. Sometimes my way isn't the cheapest or quickest and if a customer wants a shortcut and is happy then all's good.

 

[Midwest]

OP I don't how these schemes work now for trainees/apprentices. Are you working for a company as trainee or apprentice?

 

[westward10]

Don't work for friends and family.

 

[Midwest]

Don't work for friends and family.

Only if its a love job

 

[FatAlan]

I've a few friends and family that would like various bits of work done. My moto is going to be ... practice on friends and family ;-). I'll let you know this time next year if I have any friends left.

 

[Karl91]

OP I don't how these schemes work now for trainees/apprentices. Are you working for a company as trainee or apprentice?

I'm a trainee, not doing a 'proper' apprenticeship as i'm not doing the NVQ just the city & guilds.

 

[sparksburnout]

I'm a trainee, not doing a 'proper' apprenticeship as i'm not doing the NVQ just the city & guilds.

I am a bit confused, how are you training then??

 

[Karl91]

I am a bit confused, how are you training then??

I'm employed by a company and doing my level 3 at college but i'm 25 so i'm not doing the 'traditional' apprenticeship route straight out of school

 

[Andy78]

Don't work for friends and family.

Or, if you must work for friends, make friends out of customers instead of making customers out of friends.

 

[sparksburnout]

I'm employed by a company and doing my level 3 at college but i'm 25 so i'm not doing the 'traditional' apprenticeship route straight out of school

If you are not happy "lifting carpets and floorboards" you are going to have a hard time. Have you thought of offering your services for free to an experienced guy who might need some help now and again? The practical side of this game can be just as challenging as the theoretical side. Do you have a practical background?

 

[Karl91]

If you are not happy "lifting carpets and floorboards" you are going to have a hard time. Have you thought of offering your services for free to an experienced guy who might need some help now and again? The practical side of this game can be just as challenging as the theoretical side. Do you have a practical background?

I'm happy to do it I just don't know how to do it confidently as I have no experience & won't get any doing new builds is what i'm saying. That looks like what I may have to do.

 

[westward10]

Do you actually want to do domestic work, we all have our niches and domestic certainly isn't one of mine.

 

[Karl91]

Do you actually want to do domestic work, we all have our niches and domestic certainly isn't one of mine.

As I have plans to start on my own one day I think it would be useful! I see it like the bread & butter of the business for a spark

 

[westward10]

I have never found pleasure in domestic work it can be hard graft for little gain.

 

[KennyKen]

Commissioning.. all day long.. $75 an hour. Treated like royalty here. I personally do not like the Domestic side of our trade.. rather leave that to the Grafters.

 

[Midwest]

I'm employed by a company and doing my level 3 at college but i'm 25 so i'm not doing the 'traditional' apprenticeship route straight out of school

Who or what is the company about. The one I did my apprenticeship with, did domestic, commercial & light industrial. It made me decide on the industrial side of things, but I got a balance of work in my 'informative years'. In my final sparkying years, I've dropped back to domestic.

 

[telectrix]

cutting and lifting floorboards is not difficult. it's the junk underneath that causes problems.like wet-pants's pipes tight up to the boards. them weetabix sheets can cause trouble as well. it's all down to getting experience.

 

[freddo]

it's the junk underneath that causes problems.

Don't forget all the junk on top of the floorboards, carpets, beds, bookcases....

 

[uksrevivor]

Hi and welcome
Confidence is the thing have confidence in yourself and you will be fine. Carpets are easily removed although a pain start from one corner and pull up remove the poxy carpet grippers spikey buggers them and will tear your hand to shreds lol. Get a good board lifter bar and a multitool to cut boards to suit, always try and cut boards centre of joist so you can screw back in place. Get a wide bolster chisel to push carpets back under skirting and over carpet grippers. You will gain experience by shadowing an electrician who deals in domestic properties and try to focus on houses that are lived in rather than new builds. Every house is different from the next and the experience will only come from doing the work. Search youtube for videos on removing floorboards, carpets, Drilling through walls and chasing out walls e.t.c there is a lot of information out there.
Good luck and enjoy your work.