newbieto pat testing

[Earthspike]

hi all thinking of offering pat testing along side my core business of domestic appliance repairs .I get a lot of my work from letting agents and I think this will help to provide me with some extra work.whats your thoughts ?

 

[oldtimer]

Well I do repairs for letting agents and I had to spend £800 tooling up for PAT last year then the 4th edition came out so although its paid for itself its going to get tougher as companies change their PAT periods and the big boys start looking around for work plus I only offer it as an as well service cos I would not make any money off it otherwise

 

[sportsparky1602]

We do pat testing, we have a few large offices that we test annually, the price per item Is low on these sorts of jobs! What would you be charging per item?

 

[MarkieSparkie]

All the best mate, but in the current climate you are going to find it tough going.

 

[Earthspike]

thanks for your input guys . what is the going rate for testing ? as I stated this is an add on service rather than my main source of income . any advice or comments are welcome thanks .

 

[telectrix]

some are charging as low a 50p/item. that's not a viable price if you are to do the job properly. a sensible charge would be £1.50/item, with a min. charge for a visit being around £50-£60.

 

[oldtimer]

All I am looking for is now that it pays its way in this current environment still don't like doing it but the nature of my business is I need to offer the service yes its paid for itself in the first year great but the only problem is that landlords now know they don't have to do it every year and now may decide to do it every 18-24 months thats fine by me as all I need to do now is calibrate it once a year and I am good to go

 

[evansjrraves]

people used to charge £3-4 per item back in the good days

 

[Earthspike]

Don't think ill bother doing it now I have looked a bit further into it It would appear that although is a requirement most landlords now ignore the issue as they see it as just another cost they can avoid . For me to spend the thick end of £1000 to get up and running it would require a lot of testing just to break even . As ever any views on this welcome

 

[oldtimer]

Well I spent £800 and to be honest I was thinking what a waste of money but I was proved wrong it ended up paying for itself in the first year and the knock on work I have had because I need to do PAT as well has helped but now I get the odd PAT then work &Pat so wont make millions but will turn a buck and yep think your right landlords are just ignoring it

 

[Earthspike]

I would still like to do it I do think it can generate work but just a bit wary of spending a lot of cash at the moment without any confirmed work . speculate to accumulate I guess .

 

[oldtimer]

I would still like to do it I do think it can generate work but just a bit wary of spending a lot of cash at the moment without any confirmed work . speculate to accumulate I guess .

Well that was my way of thinking I always knocked it back until I was getting too many calls saying well if you cannot do PAT as well forget it The Kewtech KT71 bundle cost £470 and is worth every penny good carry case leads etc £200 for a C&g 2377 not cos I needed it but urban myth from the PAT tester was if you aint got it your not qualified thats them getting me back for saying most PAT testers are not sparks also got a clover leaf converter from Flea bay for £4 where test company wanted £17+Vat then got a microwave tester and personal PAT and Microwave labels so all in just shy of £800.

Glad I got the KT71 mains unit not battery so the only upkeep is £40 calibration a year and as Trigger said Look after your broom.......................................... in other words dont throw the tester about at the back of your motor mines is left in the house and only comes out when I have a PAT job on

 

[Earthspike]

ok thanks for your input oldtimer ill not ditch the idea just yet . I was going to buy a metral tester I have used their test meters for years and really like them . speak soon .

 

[oldtimer]

Like everything else you have to evaluate it hence why I got the mains driven tester instead of the battery one as mate had one and said he rarely used and when he did he had to get batteries I will always be doing PAT on rentals so this suits me no download required not at 10-12 items a test electronic documentation other than that another string to the bow

 

[jamsey]

i deal with alot of holiday let companies down here in deepest darkest cornwall, i started with a letter through their letter boxes stating that pat testing was required in all commercial premises, pretty much none of them knew what PAT testing was and rang to find out, alot of letting agents dont know about it aswell, its a good foot in the door, i now do alot of eicrs because of PAT testing its all gravy at the end of the day