Which certification body?

[Frimley111R]

Westarted an electrical contracting company and the end of 2017 our test of the business. It went well and we used 2 electricians who are NAPIT approved.

Now this year we are going for company certification via NAPIT, potentially, but this means that everyone who works for us as a contractor has to be NAPIT approved too which could limit our pool of contractors but as there about 10,000 members this isn't too much of an issue.

However NAPIT will charge us £280 to use every new NAPIT certified electrician so that they can check their work is up to standard, even though they have already gone through this!

I am therefore considering other certification bodies but am not sure which ones to consider.

Any help, much appreciated.

 

[Madocks]

Napits charges are for each QS.

If your firms name is on the paper, your QS has the inspection and is responsible for all sparks under him. He ensures the quality is up to scratch.

 

[buzzlightyear]

and the moral of the story is!

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

As far as i know you appoint a QS as with any scheme, the QS effectively takes ownership of the work and is responsible for ensuring the people doing it are competent and up to the task,
That is not to say there are not a lot of firms with just one or two qualified electricians and a load of mates or apprentices doing the hard graft as a way of maximising profits.
It is common to find a handful of electricians and twice as many labourers/mates on contracts.

 

[Leesparkykent]

NICEIC approved contractor. Its the most recognised and operates the QS system.

 

[buzzlightyear]

its the guy who signs off the work ,will cop it in the neck if not right.

 

[SparkyChick]

If I recall correctly, this is the electrical contracting firm (that I believe specialise in electric vehicle charging based on OLEV being mentioned as requiring them to be a member of a scheme) that doesn't actually have any electricians as employees?

The thread was last year and the consensus from peeps here was the OP should hire an experienced electrician to be the company QS.

 

[buzzlightyear]

well done sparky chick.

 

[Octopus]

What isn't fair, IMHO, is that a sole trader, like me, is charged the same as a company with 10 sparks ......

 

[buzzlightyear]

What isn't fair, IMHO, is that a sole trader, like me, is charged the same as a company with 10 sparks ......

yep.

 

[Leesparkykent]

What isn't fair, IMHO, is that a sole traders charged the same as a company with 10 sparks ......

Why? If one QS can't look after that many then what's the problem? I think it would be unfair if they were charged more than a sole trader. Why should the man with 10 sparks be penalised?

 

[buzzlightyear]

you can always ask for discount from your scam dealers.
I did got about £££££ off every year .

 

[Octopus]

Why? If one QS can't look after that many then what's the problem? I think it would be unfair if they were charged more than a sole trader. Why should the man with 10 sparks be penalised?

h

Because a company with a as can also employ and use untrained staff to do the work, meaning they will be cheaper ....

 

[Leesparkykent]

h

Because a company with a as can also employ and use untrained staff to do the work, meaning they will be cheaper ....

So can a sole trader...

 

[Octopus]

So can a sole trader...

maybe but most of us do not want to be VAT registered ....

 

[buzzlightyear]

So can a sole trader...

is that a cobbler working on his own !

 

[Dave OCD]

Cobbler Buzz.

 

[Leesparkykent]

maybe but most of us do not want to be VAT registered ....

Maybe not l but I find it very hard to see how even an electrician who's a sole trader can stay under the threshold in any 12 month period. £1600 a week on average.

 

[Octopus]

Maybe not l but I find it very hard to see how even an electrician who's a sole trader can stay under the threshold in any 12 month period. £1600 a week on average.

That probably is my weekly average , BUT, factor in all the bank holidays, holidays and the odd day off and hey presto, you are well below it...

 

[Dave OCD]

I've heard that some individuals when getting a bit near the threshold get the customer to buy the materials....

 

[Leesparkykent]

That probably is my weekly average , BUT, factor in all the bank holidays, holidays and the odd day off and hey presto, you are well below it...

I done two newbuild houses last year. One at 39K and another at 35K which TBH if i was a sole trader I could of done on my own. These two jobs alone would of taken me to within 10K of the threshold. I suppose it's which end of the markets you work in. I do a lot of new builds which being VAT registered makes me cheaper than Someone that isn't VAT registered.

 

[Leesparkykent]

I've heard that some individuals when getting a bit near the threshold get the customer to buy the materials....

Just go pound notes it's easier

 

[123]

h

Because a company with a as can also employ and use untrained staff to do the work, meaning they will be cheaper ....

They can employ untrained staff and do the work cheaper, but so can a rival idividual sole trader who will take cash and not issue any paper work.

A company doing it right with 1 QS and men on the cards...will have more overheads and most like some not on the tools workers, and possibly an office. So if anything they should be more expensive.

That's not taking into account VAT, which regardless of company size will have an effect depending on who you are working for. New Builds and Commercial a non VAT trader has to add it onto materials and can't zero rate it

 

[Midwest]

Maybe not l but I find it very hard to see how even an electrician who's a sole trader can stay under the threshold in any 12 month period. £1600 a week on average.

You wanna take a look at my books.

 

[Octopus]

They can employ untrained staff and do the work cheaper, but so can a rival idividual sole trader who will take cash and not issue any paper work.

So you are suggesting ALL VAT registered companies never take cash and not issue invoices ?

ha ha ha

 

[Octopus]

I've heard that some individuals when getting a bit near the threshold get the customer to buy the materials....

HMRC can decide which 12 months they wish to review ......... its not the tax year!

 

[Midwest]

The fact of the matter is, all the schemes have one fee (errh well NIC has tw0). So there's me earning a pittance and LSK earning millions, paying the equivalent fee.

I with Murdoch. Come the revolution.

 

[Octopus]

So there's me earning a pittance and LSK earning millions, paying the equivalent fee.

Took me a few seconds to work that out. Funny!

 

[Leesparkykent]

The fact of the matter is, all the schemes have one fee (errh well NIC has tw0). So there's me earning a pittance and LSK earning millions, paying the equivalent fee.

I with Murdoch. Come the revolution.

Yeah I wish mate....Far from it

 

[Frimley111R]

If I recall correctly, this is the electrical contracting firm (that I believe specialise in electric vehicle charging based on OLEV being mentioned as requiring them to be a member of a scheme) that doesn't actually have any electricians as employees?

The thread was last year and the consensus from peeps here was the OP should hire an experienced electrician to be the company QS.

Stalker!!! Lol. Of course hiring a QS is ideal but far from practical for a growing business. One day we may have one but this is not that day.