What’s work and pay like in Belfast?

[Guernseysparks95]

Hi guys, looking for some feedback from electricians living in Belfast (carrickfergus) area.

Looking at potentially migrating to that area within the next year so was looking to see what’s work like up there and what’s the salary like? I currently live in guernsey.
I did a 5 year apprenticeship before going onto do my AM2 examination and have now been qualified for 2 years. I currently work in commercial but have done most of my time so far in domestic.

So feedback would be great!

Cheers

Guernseysparks

 

[Risteard]

Pay will be nothing like what you're used to in Guernsey. I say that having worked in Jersey in the past.

To be clear I don't live near Carrickfergus, but I wouldn't expect it to be generally that highly paid. (Perhaps working for the right company you might be lucky.)

 

[rewireIT]

Dreadful if job sites are anything to go by.

If i remember rightly there's someone from that neck of the woods on here and they're only on like £12/hr fully qualified. I can't imagine being an apprentice or something there and only having just over minimum wage to look forward to. It's the same in some European countries, France for example pays like 1700 euros a month. Awful.

 

[Dustydazzler]

We all need to move to NZ or Australia , where all sparks are liscensed ( think GasSafe for sparks ) and they get 170-190 dollars per hour On-site. A guy I was chatting to on a good day can make 1000 dollars a day on-site as the rates are set by the sparks and becuase you need to hold a license companies / contractors can't just ship in cheapo labour from outside.

 

[rewireIT]

We all need to move to NZ or Australia , where all sparks are liscensed ( think GasSafe for sparks ) and they get 170-190 dollars per hour On-site. A guy I was chatting to on a good day can make 1000 dollars a day on-site as the rates are set by the sparks and becuase you need to hold a license companies / contractors can't just ship in cheapo labour from outside.

Aye but a crate of 12 bottles of beer is like $60

 

[nicebutdim]

Dreadful if job sites are anything to go by.

If i remember rightly there's someone from that neck of the woods on here and they're only on like £12/hr fully qualified. I can't imagine being an apprentice or something there and only having just over minimum wage to look forward to. It's the same in some European countries, France for example pays like 1700 euros a month. Awful.

I've seen an agency offering just under £14, for what appeared to be a social housing maintenance contract, and asking for 5 years experience and I&T qualification, but that ad has been up for months on end.

Earnings here are generally much lower than GB average, although that's offset by much lower cost of living. I'd expect an average site rate in Belfast to around £22 - £25, but obviously much depends on the company and each individual employed - I know a few guys earning unbelievable hourly rates as their employer doesn't want to risk losing them. Unlikely that any time served spark would be grafting for £12/hr, but I guess anything is possible - there was a member from Essex who claimed to charge something like that working self-employed in the domestic sector.

 

[MJPD29]

They won’t be anything like Guernsey. Likely 18-25 on the cards depending on experience, considerably more in more specialised maintenance roles. All depends what you’re doing and how good you are at it, I know a select couple who are charging 600 a day and are booked up until next year, but that’s in specialised fields.

Who in their right mind moves to Carrickfergus?

 

[nicebutdim]

Who in their right mind moves to Carrickfergus?

The question I've been wanting to ask

 

[Risteard]

They won’t be anything like Guernsey. Likely 18-25 on the cards depending on experience, considerably more in more specialised maintenance roles. All depends what you’re doing and how good you are at it, I know a select couple who are charging 600 a day and are booked up until next year, but that’s in specialised fields.

Who in their right mind moves to Carrickfergus?

Perhaps he decided after a few too many renditions of the song ... "I wish I was in Carrickfergus, only for nights in Ballygrant."

 

[Guernseysparks95]

The question I've been wanting to ask
[/QUOTE

Haha thanks for the feedback guys, average wage is 24-26 over here, subs about 30 an hour..

Guernsey is ridiculously expensive to live, not much left here for young buyers here anymore and are very limited to what they can do. I have a mortgage, although it’s lovely it’s very crippling lucky to get a 3 bed house over here for less than 600,000 and then you have the cost of living…

Have family up there and have been a few times and they live in a nice area, so just exploring options! Haha

 

[MJPD29]

You’ll get a 3 bed semi in Belfast and surrounding area for a just over a third of that, property here is considerably cheaper.

 

[DPG]

You’ll get a 3 bed semi in Belfast and surrounding area for a just over a third of that, property here is considerably cheaper.

There's a 3 bed detached just gone for £160k not far from me. Nice estate, house built in the 1980s. Just wants a kitchen, bathroom and bit if a tidy up. Someone got a bargain there.

Plus the people are friendlier in Yorkshire! You need to move further afield

 

[nicebutdim]

There's a 3 bed detached just gone for £160k not far from me. Nice estate, house built in the 1980s. Just wants a kitchen, bathroom and bit if a tidy up. Someone got a bargain there.

Plus the people are friendlier in Yorkshire! You need to move further afield

Property here is (relatively) expensive in desireable areas of Belfast and surrounding areas - especially to the south.

Move a short distance further out and prices become much, much lower. 5 or 6 years back £120k would buy a brand new semi within easy commute of the city.