Domestic Electrician

[rugbylad]

Does anyone think it would be worthwhile me doin a domestic installers course and setting up on my own as a domestic installer including PAT testing etc...

Any feedback would be appreciated!

 

[telectrix]

you don't say what quals you have or your experience. but haqving said that, any course which will help you earn is worth doing. but shop around, some courses are rip-offs.

 

[johnboy6083]

search the froum archives mate, and i think the answer is no. i want to start up on my own, and im a fully qualified electrician with experience in domestic, commercial and industrial environments, with all of my own toolds, drills and test equipment ect. Im not chancing it just yet, as the work isnt there. bear in mind that when you start out, you have so many costs, and also you wont take on decent jobs straight away because of your inexperience. get yourslef an apprenticeship mate, learn the trade thoroughly, and then you have a better chance of making a living from it. i beleive that the domestic market is saturated.

 

[RWJ]

Just be warned that there are so many domestic installers and sparks out of work the domestic market is cut throat..
Wouldn't want you spending out 2.5K + and not getting any jobs.
We don't do domestic any more (apart from working for landlords, orbit etc) we can't afford to when a DI can do it for £8 an hour cash in hand

 

[rugbylad]

well im almost 26, and ive worked for an electrical firm on and off for the last 7years, i attended college back when i was 17ish but failed my first year due to starting it months late and the boss said "oh it doesnt matter, you have a job here all the time", being a youngster i thought id hit jackpot to be honest. im most comfortable with domestic work and i really enjoy it, dont really enjoy commercial or industrial work.
im sick of being in the firms pocket so want to get out of always working for him when and if he needs me.
currently been unemployed for 5 months due to people wanting qualifications etc.

 

[SMB]

After being unemployed for 6 months you will be amazed at what assistance is out there for you in regard to college courses (or that was the case for me anyway). Go have a chat with your job centre.

All the best.

 

[RWJ]

Well if you've the experience then a 2330 / 2357 (or what ever they call it now) would be far better. It would allow you to get work with a firm....

Then again there are plenty of experienced and qualified (2360, 2382, 2391) sparks on the dole...

So I have no idea lololo

 

[rugbylad]

Thanks people for your feedback, im sure ill get my head round it

 

[RWJ]

Best of luck whatever you decided to do!!

 

[oldtimer]

One thing you need to learn is that you me and everybody else is just a number 26 years ago when i got my approved grade after 6 hard years in Industrial / Commercial I thought is this it so I retrained in alarm systems then HVAC controls and moved in to building maintenance now I work for myself doing electrical and alarm repair work on domestics I would say that I am not lucky because luck has nothing to do with it what you need to do is get educated because every day is a school day as far as I am concerned and remember yes all these skills help your employer but mainly it helps you. I take it you are graded as a sparks mate well thats good but now you not your employer needs to go the extra mile and get yourself qualified yep I know you are thinking I have wasted 9 years but its never too late so the best of luck to you stick in and if you fail well its better try and fail rather than talk about it and never get their.

 

[ian.settle1]

well im almost 26, and ive worked for an electrical firm on and off for the last 7years, i attended college back when i was 17ish but failed my first year due to starting it months late and the boss said "oh it doesnt matter, you have a job here all the time", being a youngster i thought id hit jackpot to be honest. im most comfortable with domestic work and i really enjoy it, dont really enjoy commercial or industrial work.
im sick of being in the firms pocket so want to get out of always working for him when and if he needs me.
currently been unemployed for 5 months due to people wanting qualifications etc.

How many times has that been said to people who don't get their qualifications then later find themselves out of work and can't get a job because they don't have the qualifications.

 

[rugbylad]

Yea totally understand where your coming from there.

I also have a baby on the way so im wanting to get sorted ASAP so i can provide the best for him/her

This is the course im leaning towards, minus the 17th edition of course, please comment if it seems a rip off or not worthwhile

Domestic Electrical Installer TS4U-50: Diamond

 

[DoBBY]

To be honest this annoys me rugby lad. The domestic installer scheme should not be available in my opinion. All qualifications must be in place before anyone can start up as an electrician. I have spent thousands of pounds and time gaining all my quals and schemes like this let part time sparks start up on their own. It really does annoy me. If you failed your first exam 2330 Level 2...which is the basic one, in my opinion the 2330 level 3 would completley eat you up and baffle your head...along with the 2391.

 

[oldtimer]

To be honest this annoys me rugby lad. The domestic installer scheme should not be available in my opinion. All qualifications must be in place before anyone can start up as an electrician. I have spent thousands of pounds and time gaining all my quals and schemes like this let part time sparks start up on their own. It really does annoy me. If you failed your first exam 2330 Level 2...which is the basic one, in my opinion the 2330 level 3 would completley eat you up and baffle your head...along with the 2391.

Dobby as I have said before Darwins Law kicks in with things like this and yes I agree this Part P thing although remember I am Scottish so we dont have it up here and speaking to Select we never will but as I said if Rugbylad is committed then fine but it is no use going for domestic quals he needs the lot if he has a family to support

 

[Adam W]

From what I've heard the DI courses are soon to be discontinued, so it's difficult to say how long they will be recognised for - it seems a bit of a gamble to spend your life savings on something soon to become obsolete, particularly if it isn't going to help you get a job.
I suppose the main thing to consider would be what this course is going to teach you - nobody can take that away from you.

 

[Dean182]

The price for that course is insane. Where do they pull these figures from?

 

[Johnny-G]

All these courses and qualifications may or may not give you a good domestic basis but I sometimes wonder if people forget that to make a living as a domestic electrician the main thing you need, and hardest to get, is enough work.
There's probably 1000's of newly qualified lads who hit a wall as soon as they've done all the upgrades & repairs for their friends & families.

 

[DoBBY]

All these courses and qualifications may or may not give you a good domestic basis but I sometimes wonder if people forget that to make a living as a domestic electrician the main thing you need, and hardest to get, is enough work.
There's probably 1000's of newly qualified lads who hit a wall as soon as they've done all the upgrades & repairs for their friends & families.

Correct but its about getting out there and proving that your service is better than your competitors. Its about not sitting back and feeling sorry for yourself, a good marketing strategy and most of all self belief. There's enough work for all of us out there.

But the fast track schemes should not be available. You should have to really earn your tag as a spark

 

[domestic spark]

here here

 

[domestic spark]

blood how much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOW my god!

 

[RWJ]

All these courses and qualifications may or may not give you a good domestic basis but I sometimes wonder if people forget that to make a living as a domestic electrician the main thing you need, and hardest to get, is enough work.
There's probably 1000's of newly qualified lads who hit a wall as soon as they've done all the upgrades & repairs for their friends & families.

Exactly..... As my previous point about it ALREADY has become cut throat out there.
People are now buy the kit of screw**** or even ebay then wanting to pay an electrician (no matter how qualified) £8 per hour to install. DI's are biting their hands off for the work!!!!

 

[RWJ]

there's enough work for all of us out there.

disagree

but the fast track schemes should not be available. You should have to really earn your tag as a spark

totally agree

 

[DoBBY]

So you think that unfortunately, colleges are putting to many people through courses? I think you may be right.....

and thats my exact point on why all quals should be gained, because the harder ones put you a cut above the rest in terms of competancy.

I do sincerely believe theres enough work out there. The problem is in our game if the installations work people seem to think everything must be o.k and never call out a spark until things stop working. The industry will hit boom times again, I am 100% confident in that.

 

[SMB]

Rugbylad.....

Before you even think about parting with all that money, as I suggested earlier, go and talk to your job centre about the help they can offer at your local college in regard to electrical courses. You might be plesantly surpised.

Good luck mate.

 

[Adam W]

Rugbylad.....

Before you even think about parting with all that money, as I suggested earlier, go and talk to your job centre about the help they can offer at your local college in regard to electrical courses. You might be plesantly surpised.

Good luck mate.

The amount of help you get seems to depends on where you live. "Postcode lottery" if you like. Up north they seem to get money for tools, 17th edition, other courses, CSCS etc etc but down south we'd be lucky to get BFH.

 

[VoltzElectrical]

here is my two pennies worth and i welcome any thoughts. Firstly, as far as I know, as it now stands, you do NOT need to be a qualified electrician to do domestic work. You need to be registered with a scheme (cough) provider. The most they are asking for is 17th edition, and to prove COMPETENCY through a couple of jobs. This course that you propose to do is OBSCENE and should not be considered. Sell a kidney instead.

There will always be jobs for good electrician's mates. Stuff the domestic and get into commercial/ industrial and let your work show how good you are. You should be on at least £10 an hour doing that. And before you all contradict me, I know a good few people who RUN jobs and don't have their full ticket, and a some on £15 p/h because they are reliable, and competent. Larger firm will have their own qualifying manager to test etc.. and all you have to do is show up on time and work. Working for yourself is hard work. There is a lot to be said for letting someone else do al the running around, drumming up work, pricing/ tendering, buying materials, paying people, doing VAT/ PAYE/ Monthly returns. Go to work, get paid, go home. LIVE.

There will always be work for good electrician's mates. They do a good job, and deserve respect. They have a grading, and pay rate from the JIB to reflect the part they play in the whole industry.

Good luck. And please don't waste you're money on that course. PLEASE.

 

[oldtimer]

First of thats a hell of a lot of money but what I cannot figure out is you can self learn a lot of this for free but here is the catch some people sign up to these courses and expect to walk in joe public one day and walkout Sparky Joe the next dont get me wrong if someone wants to better themselves then fine but Darwins Law says only the determined will survive so i will say it again if you are thinking about this get yourself switched on and learn and that means switch off the telly and learn once you get into it you will learn self disaplin and advance from their if not the put telly on get yourself a cup of tea and some custard creams and let the books fall behinf the couch ie Darwins Law

 

[VoltzElectrical]

Old timer, you have some of it spot on. Learn it yourself at home. I'm interested on your opinion of what you show customers/ prospective 'employers' (in apostrophe because a person might be a subbie).

 

[oldtimer]

Old timer, you have some of it spot on. Learn it yourself at home. I'm interested on your opinion of what you show customers/ prospective 'employers' (in apostrophe because a person might be a subbie).

I dont think I am picking you up here show what ?

 

[augustusgloop]

Words of wisdom. Old timer. I like it.

 

[SMB]

Rugbylad already has 7 years experience....god knows what he thinks he is going to get out of that 48 day course for his 7K.

The mind boggles.

 

[VoltzElectrical]

I dont think I am picking you up here show what ?

You can learn a lot of it for free. I agree, and applaud this sentiment of self discipline. This is the sort of thing a person should do when they are on a course of accreditation to supplement guided learning. Or if they have a particular interest in a subject. My question was 'how does a person demonstrate, or prove, a level of training or competence?' Surely accreditation of some sorts is necessary?

 

[rmc86uk]

Go to work, get paid, go home. LIVE.

I totally agree, I can't understand why so many people are wanting to set up on their own. I don't think they understand the money and time it takes to run your own business. It kills me to go and work on site for a ten hours a day nevermind coming home and invoicing, chasing money, inputting test sheets! It scares me to think what it must be like for a contractor to find work for and pay lets say a 100 electricians a week plus support staff. That's why I leave that upto them and do as VoltzElectrical would do and turn up to work and get paid every week!