hELPLINK ELECTRICIAN

[tanglewood]

Has anybody on here ever worked for or know of anybody who has worked for Helplink(based in Leeds, but nationwide workforce. Main work doing boiler wiring. Any info appreciated.

 

[GLENNSPARK]

no.

google em up...see if anything comes up about them (working practices, how they treat contractors/employees etc)...

 

[BoredSparky]

I work for them

 

[MDJ]

I work for them

Chocolate fire guard comes to mind!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[BoredSparky]

Chocolate fire guard comes to mind!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Meaning?

 

[MDJ]

as in very helpful, about as helpful as a chocolate fire guard, a bit more info required in other words apart from I work for them lol

 

[BoredSparky]

Well ask a question then! I have answered the original question, 'has anybody worked for or know anybody who has worked for helplink'
Answer- yes, me, what would you like to know?

 

[MDJ]

the question was quite clear, any info appreciated, as you work for them then really a bit of info regarding what type of company they are, what they do, how many they employ, how do they treat their employees, basic stuff really, get a grip man

 

[SirKit Breaker]

I know one of their surveyors, and he has no complaints other than he sometimes has to do evening and weekends. I have never heard anything bad about them, and i have never had out to do with them either, but i don't think they fall into Mr Electric territory, and they are wanting to employ Sparks, not subcontract or Franchise, as far as i am aware.

Cheers……………Howard

 

[BoredSparky]

They are a heating company, they do.....heating! Employ around 80 sparks nationwide, probably 5x that in wet pants, treat employees about as good as any other big company these days.
Basic pay is 600 p/w, plenty of o/t.
I am currently sat in a hotel (paid by company) having worked a12hour shift and made £320! And working tomorrow!

 

[MDJ]

Good man, well put

 

[BoredSparky]

All you had to do was ask!

 

[BoredSparky]

Forgot to say, work from home, van, fuel card, phone, ipad, job n knock

 

[Steve65]

I've worked for them in the past. Nothing bad to say about the company. They're all a nice bunch at head office. Pay was around £120 per day (8-5pm) but there is a lot of travelling. I did the best part of 30,000 miles in just under a year.

You get a company vehicle and fuel card. I believe they give you the option of being PAYE or self employed but all the Sparks I spoke to were self employed.

You're paid weekly and they deduct tax at 20% at source.

You'll be doing 2 boilers a day from a simple combi to an 'S' Plan. Wiring them up is simple but the problems start when you find that there's no power run for it or bonding is not up to scratch if any at all. None of this you know about until you get there or you phone the Gas Fitter the morning of the job to ask him, so trying to get the second job done (which could be an hours drive away) can mean a late finish.

I left because of the amount of travelling and the low pay for the hours worked. I often left home at 6.30am to be on site by 8am and not getting home until gone 7pm.

It filled a gap for me personally but they'd need to increase the wages to even tempt me to go back.

Any other specific questions then feel free to ask.

 

[Farmelectrics]

Sounds good to me any jobs going lol

 

[tanglewood]

Forgot to say, work from home, van, fuel card, phone, ipad, job n knock

Thanks for reply. Probably just about to start with them, did you have to go to Leeds to pick up van etc.. Did you have a meeting with anybody before you started. I have just had conversation with area manager, he asked a couple of simple questions (what does grey wire on 3 port valve do) one about equipotential bonding and that was it. Any more info on selection process would be appreciated.

Cheers

 

[tanglewood]

Hi Rizla

very helpful reply. Pretty much the same here about filling gap. Just wanted to know a bit more about selection process really. Upto know i have had conversation on phone with area manager, he asked a couple of simple questions, and he basically said when can you start? surely there must be a bit more of a selection process.

Cheers

 

[Steve65]

When I had my induction course, I think I did a simple 10 question paper exam. For example, it showed a pictures of different earthing arrangements and you had to put down which was which.

It's not even a course. I did mine when the manager came round to my house. It took half an hour maybe and most of that was spent going through paperwork making sure you understood what was required. I didn't go to Leeds to pick up my van as there was one more local but I did go to Leeds to pick up my PPE, and work tops etc. and meet the Senior manager but it was very informal.

They are short of Sparks, especially in the South but basically, if the Area Manager says yes, then head office aren't going to argue. If you can wire up different boilers then there's no reason why you won't get the job. Even if you struggle with them, get a copy of the Honeywell Wiring guide (version 16) and that has every heating system that you are going to be doing. As I've said before, you'll be doing mainly combi and Y plans. Very few S plans.

Most of the boilers are Worcester Bosch with Vaillant, Ideal Logic and the odd Baxi thrown into the mix. Controls are normally Honeywell but it depends what the Surveyor recommends. Most stats are wireless and you just have to go through the controls with the client at the end of the job.

Hope this helps.

 

[tanglewood]

Hi Rizla

Very helpful thanks. I was doing sub contract work for 2 years for a different company installing solar PV electrics, including mounting inverters etc etc.. 2 in a day was rarely possible, and as part of the package i was installing AHC controls as well ! Got fingers burnt a bit so weary about subbing work. As you know we have a duty of care as electricians to ensure that the installation is safe(bonding etc) Hence my questions.
If you dont mind me asking, how often is there not an existing fused supply locally to boiler/wiring centre and correct bonding. I do understand that the boiler installs are replacement units so there should be a fused spur there, but just curious. Many thanks for your replies so far

 

[Steve65]

Alot of the time there is a fused spur there or the old boiler was run off a plug top, so you'd need to convert a single socket or add a fused spur from the exisitng socket.

They also want the fused spur next to the boiler, so when you had an existing one upstairs in the airing cupboard next to the wiring centre, you had to install one downstairs instead where the boiler was, typically in the kitchen.

It just adds more time to the job and is a pain but I guess 1 in 3 jobs might need some additional works carried out from my experience anyway.

Bonding was probably the biggest hinderence if it wasn't there or needed to be upgraded as that could add a couple of hours to the job if routing it was difficult which of course meant it put you behind for your second job. A word with your Electrical Planner and he/she would either tell you to complete the first job or re book you to go back if it meant not getting to the second job.

Most of the time bonding is in place but they will want it in 10mm even if you say you could prove otherwise using the adiabatic equation but that was what we were told here in the South. If you're working up North your Area Manager might have a different take on things but ask him these questions and see what he says.