Making money

[graeme210375]

Is there still money to be made in a stand alone PAT testing business? I'm looking to set up part time and advertise. I do the odd bit here and there, but nothing substantial.
Do most of you do PAT along side other electrical work?
I will probably avoid large businesses as they want everything for nothing. Just small to medium businesses, offering high quality, reliable service at a reasonable price.
Any essential testing accessories, you guys and gals can't do without? I don't want to end up spending ££££'s on accessories that I'll never use.
Many thanks

 

[Octopus]

Anyone who thinks they can earn a living doing PAT testing is mad. I offer the service, but its mainly for small businesses in my locality and I use it as a marketing exercise as most office people will talk to you while you're doing it so you can promote sparking generally.

If you decide to do it, invest in a tester which can download reports to your PC, you'll need a few adapters and 110v kit too.

I reacon I get about £2K max revenue per year, but it all adds up and a number of my "landlord" clients need it too.

Don't forget to factor in calibration costs too per year.

PS I was contacted 2 weeks ago by a company needing 800 items done - the cheapest price they had been quoted was 70p per item. I rarely go below £1.75 and its dead boring too.

 

[graeme210375]

Thank you.

Only planning to do it p/t alongside another job.

I have a tester already, got it alongside a m/f tester from a retiring spark.

Calibration £35 pa. Tester has own built in check box facility.

There seem to be loads of accessories out there, some look home made and promise to make job quicker. Always wary of these promises, would prefer to do a proper, thourough job.

Will make my own 110v and 16a adapters.

The tester was missing the IEC test lead. Can I use any short IEC lead?

 

[oldtimer]

A year ago I took the plunge got tooled up even did the C&G course total cost £750 so far its more than paid for itself because I never did it to make money I did it to compliment the business as I got the phone calls saying can you change some lights and do a PAT test and I would say sorry its not worth me doing PAT and the reply was forget it then.
So now I have it I did a PAT test last Monday and got a job to replace a fan.

So will I make money out of it well before the COPs came out I would have said yes but not a lot but now with this risk assesment approach then Landlords and letting agents will officially do what they have done for years ie get a PAT test when the tenant changes or every 2 years.

Still hate doing though but on a cold wet day when your twiddling your thumbs then it pays the rent just dont depend on it to make a living

 

[MDJ]

I don't bother with it myself, like murdoch I do it locally but also for existing customers as a favour almost, I have found it a complete waste of time myself, however good luck, you may do well out of it.

 

[grantr37]

Anyone who thinks they can earn a living doing PAT testing is mad. I offer the service, but its mainly for small businesses in my locality and I use it as a marketing exercise as most office people will talk to you while you're doing it so you can promote sparking generally.

If you decide to do it, invest in a tester which can download reports to your PC, you'll need a few adapters and 110v kit too.

I reacon I get about £2K max revenue per year, but it all adds up and a number of my "landlord" clients need it too.

Don't forget to factor in calibration costs too per year.

PS I was contacted 2 weeks ago by a company needing 800 items done - the cheapest price they had been quoted was 70p per item. I rarely go below £1.75 and its dead boring too.

they probably got quoted £0.90p per item for PAT testing, contacted you, mentioned £0.70p per item hoping that you would say lower, if you said £0.65p per item or £0.60p per item they would then likely go to somebody else to see if they could get it down to £0.50p......eventually when they got a "NO" answer they would probably come back to you if you had been less than the "original" £0.70p and if you took it on they would probably not have paid you for a long time waiting for you to give a big discount for settlement, or just to write it off as a freebie.....