Domestic courses question, don't beat me.

[Enduro73]

Hi All
I'm new here and need some guidance on training to compliment my job.
I'm a self employed kitchen fitter that's looking into the hated domestic course so I can do my own electrics and sign off. I have a few reasons for this which I won't bore you with.
I fully understand that I will be very limited in knowledge gained by these courses, but i simply just want to limit myself to what's required for my kitchens. The biggest jobs that will occur is the consumer unit change and upgrading the earth bonding, I know there the most important.
With my knowledge being limited, should I survey a kitchen and think I could potentially hit a snag, I would book an electrician. One of my old electricians whom I'm friends with has offered to be a helpline and even bail me out if things go ---- up.

I know these courses get slated for teaching slap dash cowboys that don't give a ---- about their quality of work or their customers. I'm not like that, I'm overly conscientious. This is one reason of wanting to do it myself, sparks I've used don't think like me and I've had enough. I dare say there are amazing sparkies out there but I've had no luck.
Reading about me and my work, do you guys think it's worth me doing?

The money I would spend I would get back in 12 months, so cost isn't an issue.
The course supplier is Electrical Courses For You.

Thanks for any help or beatings.

 

[Barnaby Stedman]

oh ok hahahaahahahahaha
i thought you were poking fun at me for some reason
sorry abt that
i hadnt noticed the duplicate thread

 

[Enduro73]

I understand the frustration of you guys reading a common thread, I've read older posts but they didn't relate to me, it was all for people starting a new career not a practicing tradesman.
I will read the advice given and have a think.

 

[stuarth]

@Enduro73 your welcome to message me if you want any info etc

 

[Enduro73]

Thanks Stuart, I may take you up on that later. Just heading out.
Can I ask, are you a fully trained sparky or someone like me thats done the quick fix?
Cheers mate

 

[MJPD29]

Sorry, beatings are the customary welcome and unavoidable

 

[Enduro73]

Just go easy on the size of the stick

 

[AJshep]

I've never done a short course but I believe they were originally designed for trades people like yourself, If you work to a high standard then it may not be too much if a problem. What gets my back up is that lot of training providers abuse the course and mislead the trainees in to believing they are electricians, some people come out with wasted money, some just don't care and start rewiring peoples houses. Its like anything though, some are good, some are bad. Depends on the person.

You mentioned consumer unit upgrades on most of your kitchens......
In my opinion this is where you could become unstuck. If the wiring is old I personally always offer to install new circuits for a kitchen and add an additional CU. Just be aware that changing a Consumer unit make you responsible for everything connected to it so everything needs testing fully before undertaking these works, a dodgy circuit shouldn't be reconnected to a new consumer unit unless its safe, if you change the Consumer unit and then find a problem (missing earth/ tripping RCDs) than legally its down to you to rectify it.. For free !

 

[Enduro73]

Ah fair enough. Is that how you get round it, just an add on for the new circuit so as to not have to test the whole house?
The only pain I can see there is running in a new kitchen ring when the cu is at the opposite end of the house.
From memory we've only had an issue once and he had to tear the place apart to find the fault, skirting board nail

 

[stuarth]

Not fully trained, but have started on 2365-2 in my "spare" time

 

[Enduro73]

Fairplay Stuart

 

[Andy78]

For £6k I'm sure you could get "properly" qualified. Just a thought.

 

[Enduro73]

Course 1700
Digs 700
Food and fuel 300
Time of work 2100, 3 weeks
Kit, books etc 1000

 

[Enduro73]

Only want to do what I need for my kitchens, not interested in fully sparky

 

[Andy78]

Only want to do what I need for my kitchens, not interested in fully sparky

In my opinion unless you know the full crack behind the job you can't really understand the smaller jobs fully.

Best of luck though, you seem focused. Just be aware of your limitations and take full advantage of any mentoring you can get.

 

[magnoliafan89]

Wait.....We have to actually do learning for this job?!?!

 

[a-z electrics]

Only want to do what I need for my kitchens, not interested in fully sparky

My two pennoth,,
From someone who got trained on one of these courses 8 yrs ago and now do most domestic sparks jobs - it takes a long time to get anything like fully clued up on how to tackle some of the cans of worms that emerge from doing a full installation/replacement CU. I am also technically sound as i am a qualified engineer with many years experience in the aerospace industry; it helps enormously if you understand some physics, maths and electrical theory, especially power and realise the dangers that can potentially unfold..
i would agree that if you are conscientious but want to stick with kitchen work then by all means do the course, they're not all bad, and your part P assessment but then just do the necessary sparks required for the kitchen, nothing else; if you need to run a new circuit for a kitchen then just do that, you don't need to replace everything else.. later on with some experience you may well want to branch out to expand if that attracts.. best of luck!

 

[Charlie_]

I will train you up for £3000 and put you in for a c&g exam at the end of the 3 weeks..
I’m sure there is plenty of electricians out there that would be happy to train you up for what you will be paying..

Actually, you could come and install my new kitchen and redo all my electrics at the same time.. I will supervise and educate at the same time and I will still only charge you £3000?

IMO you don’t need to be wasting your time and money on those short courses

 

[ruston]

I will train you up for £3000 and put you in for a c&g exam at the end of the 3 weeks..
I’m sure there is plenty of electricians out there that would be happy to train you up for what you will be paying..

Actually, you could come and install my new kitchen and redo all my electrics at the same time.. I will supervise and educate at the same time and I will still only charge you £3000?

IMO you don’t need to be wasting your time and money on those short courses

An offer to good to refuse.

 

[Andy78]

Only £2995 at Andy training enterprises. That includes food and board too.


(Own tent required but free pitch provided)

 

[ruston]

Ten to one he would learn more than on the course.