NICEIC Certification Scheme Joining NICEIC

[Monkeyblaine]

Hi guys, I've recently taken the plunge to start out on my own and enjoy the world of being my own boss. I have recently registered with NIC and have my assessment in the next 6 weeks. I want to do my best and make sure I'm very prepared for any unusual (if any) questions I may be asked. I have also got my amendment 3 exam booked in, hopefully this will brush my knowledge up further. My question to you lovely people is, is there anything you would recommend me do before my assessment I.e any real key parts of BS7671 or guidance note 3 which is a common trip up for people. I understand I'm not as experienced as some of you guys but please believe me when I say, I want to be the best I can be and take my profession very seriously, so any advice from people who remember when they were slightly green and wanted to progress would be great fully received. I also get extremely nervous with people watching over my shoulder, so the more prepared I can be, the better.

Thanks in advance.

Matthew.

 

[Leesparkykent]

If you get asked a question you don't know, just say you would have to refer to your regs book. Nothing wrong with this as this is what you would do in a real situation.

 

[Anthony S]

Just be your self, they want your money and won't make it difficult for you.

 

[Guest125]

Had ours in November.

Things he looked for were legible circuit charts fitted, electrical safety inspection labels and then asked us to re-test 5 circuits to check that the results were the same as were on the certificate.

He also made a big thing about having a system in place to prove your tester at least once a month. He was not interested in a calibration certificate that was 3 months old.

He did not try and trip me up at all and was fine.

Obviously he will be checking insurance certificates and that you have all the right books. If you are doing PAT testing make sure you have the Code of Practice for In-service Inspection & Testing of Electrical Equipment which we got caught out on but he was ok that he witnessed me purchasing this in front of him on the web.

The job I took him to had been added to by another firm after we had finished. They put a new sub-main in and protected the cable with the wrong OCPD and also left the blanks out of the board. I was lucky that we had put enough information on our EIC that it was clear exactly what we had installed and he accepted that this was an addition after the fact.

So make sure that your certs/reports are crystal clear in what you are testing. The more info the better.

 

[bf03yvd]

3 years later. How did you get on ? If your now fully qualified, the boot will be on the other foot lol

 

[bf03yvd]

What's the criteria for doing this ? I'm with tradesgateway, and wondering if they do the same thing or is it the same thing ?

 

[Monkeyblaine]

Extremely helpful and has made my nerves settle... Slightly haha. I'm a bit of a baby when it comes to this sort of stuff. Thanks guys. Really appreciate it. I'll let you know how I get on haha.

 

[Monkeyblaine]

One more thing. I have a job in an industrial unit where I have installed a power circuit for an office, which is fed from a sub main off the buildings original supply. Obviously I haven't tested entire factory as it is huge and that's not what I was there do to, I have obviously tested the circuit I installed and the submain DB which is feeding it and all is well. They won't ask me about the parts of the system which I'm not responsible for, will they?

 

[Leesparkykent]

One more thing. I have a job in an industrial unit where I have installed a power circuit for an office, which is fed from a sub main off the buildings original supply. Obviously I haven't tested entire factory as it is huge and that's not what I was there do to, I have obviously tested the circuit I installed and the submain DB which is feeding it and all is well. They won't ask me about the parts of the system which I'm not responsible for, will they?

you still have to make sure bonding, main earthing conductor, ocpd for the sub main,etc is up to scratch.And in the agreed limitations comment box just put the name of the circuit. For example 1st floor office sockets only.

 

[Engineer54]

One more thing. I have a job in an industrial unit where I have installed a power circuit for an office, which is fed from a sub main off the buildings original supply. Obviously I haven't tested entire factory as it is huge and that's not what I was there do to, I have obviously tested the circuit I installed and the submain DB which is feeding it and all is well. They won't ask me about the parts of the system which I'm not responsible for, will they?

Unless you are registering for ''Approved Contractor'' status, they are only interested in domestic work you have carried out!! as the buckshee title goes ...DI = Domestic Installer!!

 

[Monkeyblaine]

I have registered for Approved Contractor.

 

[Leesparkykent]

I have registered for Approved Contractor.

Have you got to show them 5 installs?

 

[Monkeyblaine]

Have you got to show them 5 installs?

Yes 5 installs.

 

[Leesparkykent]

Yes 5 installs.

You will be alright mate it's not that bad honestly, just take the inspector for a fry up and supply him with plenty of brews ;-)

 

[Monkeyblaine]

You will be alright mate it's not that bad honestly, just take the inspector for a fry up and supply him with plenty of brews ;-)

Haha. Great advice. Thanks.

 

[Guest125]

Yes 5 installs.

We got away with 1 big install.

 

[Leesparkykent]

We got away with 1 big install.

I wish I did. for my initial assessment I got dragged round 5 jobs.

 

[Engineer54]

I have registered for Approved Contractor.

Things must have changed then, as i was under the impression that you needed to have been operating as a company/sole trader for 3 years before being able to gain Approved contractor Status!!!

 

[Anthony S]

Things must have changed then, as i was under the impression that you needed to have been operating as a company/sole trader for 3 years before being able to gain Approved contractor Status!!!

They cut to the cloth to suit, they don't want to turn away custom.

I remember you had to produce 5 jobs and if you didn't you had to pay for another inspection.

 

[Guest125]

My NIC engineer made it clear that 1 was ok to visit but the risk of non-compliance was much higher if there was an issue.

Things are changing. We had the ECA in this week and they said that inspections look like moving to every 3 years. The NIC bloke said the same last November to me.