pharmacist wanting to re train as a domestic electrician

[pharmaleccy]

Hi everyone

I'm 35, been a practising pharmacist for nearly 10 years, but it doesn't really float my boat any more.

I bought a fixer-upper 6 years ago, put an extension on it and learn loads about the building trade on the way. I loved the hands-on aspect and didn't mind the hard graft.

Now I fancy a career change- I see myself doing domestic installations, rewires, fault finding, burglar systems, cctv, smart homes, electric car charging points, landlords safety reports and let property maintenance etc.

Ultimately, i want to keep a foot in both camps and still practice as a pharmacist part time, perhaps pulling in £20k a year (2 days a week), just enough to keep my head above water and clothes on the backs of my kids whilst i learn the ropes, but also so that i can also so that i can reject bad customers or jobs that give off a bad vibe. It helps that I have some savings to keep us going and the missus is also able to help financially.

Am i being realistic? What qualifications would i need?
Ive come across:

C&G 18th edition modules & exam
C&G 2365
ECS card

I assume i will need more than just the above?

I understand i will require indemnity insurance to practice on my own and also membership of napit/niceic if i don't want to pay fortune for notifying LABC.

I plan to join an electrician as a mate for about a year around 30hrs/week to learn the practical side of things. But will this be enough? Or do you recommend I start at the beginning as an adult apprentice? Im currently working 4pm- midnight so can use the bulk of the day to shadow a professional.

Many thanks in advance

 

[James]

If you can earn 20k a year on 2 days a week, it stands to reason that 50k is achievable for a 5 day week?

you will not come close to that figure as a domestic spark unless you are doing something that others can’t do.
high end connected living and home automation is a field that is up and coming but I still think for the first 5 years you will be looking at an income of 10 to 20k max.

best of luck in your venture but be realistic, it is harder than it looks!

 

[Dustydazzler]

As well as the electrical quals you will need lots of hands on experience, rewires are a good place to start. They are dirty , dusty , hard work but if you can do a full rewire then you are half way there to becoming a domestic goddess.
as for earnings it’s not unrealistic to earning £40-45k a year as a sparks, more in London. Buts it’s not your typical 9-5 day job. You will be out Saturdays doing quotes , Sundays doing paperwork etc.
there are some good YouTube’s guys like Nick Bundy , Delroy the sparks and artisans electrical which are worth watching to get a feel for a week in the life of a domestic

 

[pharmaleccy]

If you can earn 20k a year on 2 days a week, it stands to reason that 50k is achievable for a 5 day week?

you will not come close to that figure as a domestic spark unless you are doing something that others can’t do.
high end connected living and home automation is a field that is up and coming but I still think for the first 5 years you will be looking at an income of 10 to 20k max.

best of luck in your venture but be realistic, it is harder than it looks!

Thanks James.

Yeah I could possibly pull in £50k full time as a pharmacist, but i want to do something that I'm passionate about too, so it's more than just the money. Of course it matters a lot, but if I could charge £3k for a 5-day rewire, and materials and overhead costs £1.5k, then I've cleared £1500 that week. That's not too shoddy is it? I appreciate though that not every week will be like that.

Thankfully I'm a point in my life where I don't have to work flat out to make ends meet, and I'm currently working 3 days a week, so I also need something economically productive to do the rest of the time.

I'm in Bradford and demand for tradesmen is just through the roof with the amount of extensions, new build and alterations going on and there is a dearth of good quality tradesmen.

I'm prepared for the hard graft.

What do think of my plan to do the distance learning courses and be an electricians mate for a year? Would you recommend any other qualifications, courses and routes into the trade?

Many thanks

 

[pharmaleccy]

As well as the electrical quals you will need lots of hands on experience, rewires are a good place to start. They are dirty , dusty , hard work but if you can do a full rewire then you are half way there to becoming a domestic goddess.
as for earnings it’s not unrealistic to earning £40-45k a year as a sparks, more in London. Buts it’s not your typical 9-5 day job. You will be out Saturdays doing quotes , Sundays doing paperwork etc.
there are some good YouTube’s guys like Nick Bundy , Delroy the sparks and artisans electrical which are worth watching to get a feel for a week in the life of a domestic

Hi DustyDazzler, thank you for the info.

A good tradesman is never short of work and that's the important thing - the ability to carry on earning a living, whether I can command £50 to install a spurred power outlet or £25.

I have checked out the videos you mention. These guys are very good especially Thomas Nagy.

I also see it as an investment in myself and hopefully It can pay off if I decide to purchase run down properties to do up and flip. It would also be skill (both being self-employed and the trade) that I can teach to my two boys. I would hate for them to think that university is the only pathway to success.

And if I'm a giant failure as a tradesman, I can always fallback on my pharmacy qualifications, so aside from the time & money investment, I don't see any other significant downsides to pursuing this.

Everyday almost there is a new development or invention in this field, it seems endless the things an electrician could be doing (and charging for)

I'm at the stage now where I know my destination but I need to to plot the course.

 

[buzzlightyear]

you will be popping pills at night to try to keep you awake thinking have i made the write Course. lol.

 

[pharmaleccy]

you will be popping pills at night to try to keep you awake thinking have i made the write Course. lol.

No different to what I do already...

 

[buzzlightyear]

No different to what I do already..

Before you retire doing sparking will will be a halhoolick ask Tele. Lol.