Hampshire wholesaler recommendations.

[Mr. Anderson]

Hi guys

I'm starting out on my own within the next few weeks and need to buy absolutely everything from scratch. It would be great to find a local wholesaler to fill my van with test equipment, tools and materials and hope that you might be able to recommend a quality team to help me out. I'm based in Havant, Hampshire.

Cheers,
Chris.

 

[mickys86]

Why do you want to put all your eggs in one basket and get everything from one person??


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[mickys86]

Also, just to clarify. Correct me if I'm wrong and I will apologise but the fact that you are looking for something as basic as hand tools to start up your own business tells me that you haven't had a single days experience??


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[Mr. Anderson]

I'm not saying that's what I'll do BUT if I can find a good place then why not if they've got the right stuff priced hopnestly and look after you?

 

[topquark]

Mainly domestic, commercial, industrial, or a mix.

 

[Mr. Anderson]

Also, just to clarify. Correct me if I'm wrong and I will apologise but the fact that you are looking for something as basic as hand tools to start up your own business tells me that you haven't had a single days experience??


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Correct, I'm fresh from gaining my qualifications. Is that a problem?

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Mainly domestic, commercial, industrial, or a mix.

All three.

 

[topquark]

TLC for domestic, they do smaller commercial stuff but not larger commercial/industrial.
CSE (based in Southampton) for larger stuff.

There are plenty of others to choose from:
Wilts (Fareham)
CEF (Fareham)

Local Electrical Wholesalers in Portsmouth | iHampshire

 

[trev]

Domestic, commercial and industrial with no on the job experience? I wish you the best of luck mate because you're going to need it

 

[stef]

Hi guys

I'm starting out on my own within the next few weeks and need to buy absolutely everything from scratch. It would be great to find a local wholesaler to fill my van with test equipment, tools and materials and hope that you might be able to recommend a quality team to help me out. I'm based in Havant, Hampshire.

Cheers,
Chris.

I can think of TLC and WF, with the latter you have to be patient though.

 

[mickys86]

Correct, I'm fresh from gaining my qualifications. Is that a problem?

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All three.

I'm not having a go. But I am 29 yrs old. Also fresh out of college except I was doing one day a week for an electrical company who have now taken me on full time. A word of warning is that you are in for a massive shock. On the tools is no comparison to college. No matter how good you are.

 

[stef]

Well, he has to make a start somehow. However, on his own as a fresh starter on an industrial site...

 

[Adam W]

One of the problems with buying all your tools in one go without any experience is you don't know what you'll need. You might buy a pair of bolt cutters expecting to do loads of basket work in commercial properties, then never do any. Likewise you might splash out on a wall chaser and then never use it.
Sure I can tell you what I use, but you might not like the way I do things.
For instance when I started I bought a pair of wire strippers like we used at college. I used them about twice then tried cable shears and never went back.

Loads of people swear by Makita gear, but personally I don't rate it. It's alright, but I wouldn't buy it myself.

 

[Mr. Anderson]

Domestic, commercial and industrial with no on the job experience? I wish you the best of luck mate because you're going to need it

Thank mate. Part of the "luck" I'll have is due to the fact that for the first year this won't be my main income. My plan has been (whilst gaining my qualifications) and still is to work around my main employment to gain experience as I couldn't and can't afford to drop my main job to get on site experience. I guess we all come into this game in different ways.

Cheers topquark and stef for the tips.http://www.electriciansforums.net/users/14766/

 

[Mark_Burgess]

Hi guys

I'm starting out on my own within the next few weeks and need to buy absolutely everything from scratch. It would be great to find a local wholesaler to fill my van with test equipment, tools and materials and hope that you might be able to recommend a quality team to help me out. I'm based in Havant, Hampshire.

Cheers,
Chris.

A one stop shop will be screwfix.

Or TLC and Edmundsons near screwfix. There is a CEF at Downley Road just off New Lane. (good luck on that one)

Most of my tools are bought at trade shows over the years or Elliotts in Fratton for power tools.

 

[trev]

Thank mate. Part of the "luck" I'll have is due to the fact that for the first year this won't be my main income. My plan has been (whilst gaining my qualifications) and still is to work around my main employment to gain experience as I couldn't and can't afford to drop my main job to get on site experience. I guess we all come into this game in different ways.

Make sure you're aware of your limitations because you will have them even if you don't know it yet. I've got nigh on 30 years since I qualified and there are still some things I won't even think about never mind look at. The one thing that your courses has definitely not given you is experience, you're using clients property to get that while being unsupervised as opposed to the traditional method of being an apprentice and having a mentor. It might be an idea to "buddy up" with a local established spark for a while so you can cut your teeth as it were.
As I said, good luck

 

[Mr. Anderson]

I'm not a total nob with tools and know brands that I like. I've got a lot of good "DIY" tools and will replace/buy as required. I just want to get a nice set of commonly used tools.

As for going out with someone I've offered my time, free of charge, but no one will take me on. I'm assuming they're concerned I might try to take their customers.

Limitations. You're right, I'm not too proud to say something is beyond me but I will look at any job and then do my homework on it to improve my skills even after I've told the customer it's beyond me at this time. It's the only way to improve ones knowledge.


Mark... CEF no good?

 

[Mark_Burgess]

No they are not, pricing is out of this world, I have been working a few doors down, if I need stuff I will to into portsmouth.

 

[DurhamSparky]

best of Luck.....

you will need it!!!