Why do commercial sparks bash house bashers?

[Grant1987]

More so these days, yes. It all depends on the work and conditions, though. Industrial can be tough and much 'dirtier' than domestic.
As a contractor, I used to do work at a silver recovery plant, installation of new machines and services, as well as maintenance. Methods of recovery involved chemicals and the burning of x-ray plates. Never worked in worse condition, working on the burners...black as the ace of spades and absolutely shattered every night. Fault finding on breakdowns was a nightmare, everything covered in black dust and mostly in awkward spots behind the units......plus the almost unbearable heat, whilst masked up.

I’ve just read through all of these posts and I’m currently a domestic spark (house basher) insult that is. I went from commercial/industrial about 10 years ago and I was clueless at domestic and was taught how to install in the domestic environment I’ve never looked back since with work and £££ to be earned I’ve just done a 2 bed upstairs flat Rewire with my work colleague/friend and earned nice amount for 8 hours work. I then received a phone call from customer saying 2 of his neighbours want a Rewire from myself end of day money talks and this has been the case for past 10 years earnt significant amount more being domestic spark I’m comparison to commercial/industrial also I’ve had to sort out many faults of the com/ind spark could not find ?

 

[Grant1987]

I’ve just read through all of these posts and I’m currently a domestic spark (house basher) insult that is. I went from commercial/industrial about 10 years ago and I was clueless at domestic and was taught how to install in the domestic environment I’ve never looked back since with work and £££ to be earned I’ve just done a 2 bed upstairs flat Rewire with my work colleague/friend and earned nice amount for 8 hours work. I then received a phone call from customer saying 2 of his neighbours want a Rewire from myself end of day money talks and this has been the case for past 10 years earnt significant amount more being domestic spark I’m comparison to commercial/industrial also I’ve had to sort out many faults of the com/ind spark could not find ?

I’ve also contacted tomorrow’s job earlier on to tell them I’m not in work tomorrow only simple jobs of replacing couple lights and pre surveying couple of rewires due to my good days work today I’m relaxing with Jack Daniels and cola. Unlike the com/industrial sparks who are setting their alarm for 6am to ensure they are on time to get dirty and install 21mtrs of tray and walk about 2k during the day

 

[LukeD]

Domestic all the way.Just work for rich people .

 

[littlespark]

I would love to see some more industrial work, but there just isn’t the opportunity around here. Jobs would instantly go to the bigger companies.

Domestic or industrial. One is not better than the other, and as they say- variety is the spice of life.

Now agricultural. You can shove that.

Knee deep in the stinky brown stuff.. chickens pecking at your tools and the customers thoughts of health and safety is putting on a pair of socks with no holes.

 

[SparkySy]

What nooo! You can't bash the agricultural sparks! That is my main business, and I love it more than most seem to! I like the cows scratching on my MEWP making it bounce around! And being knee deep in ----! Or itchy barley in your boots/overalls. I would rather be outside than stuck in a building. And the kit I get to play on is much more fun than lifting floorboards and trying not to wreck Mrs Miggins new rug/carpet/wallpaper. Most weeks I get to play on at least a digger, telehandler or MEWP and sometimes a tractor! Yeah ok I do some domestic but only the jobs that I want to do or as part of my agricultural business.
As I have said before this is such a wide and varied industry, it's good to see as much of it as you can until you find the bit you like best!
Sy

 

[Grant1987]

What nooo! You can't bash the agricultural sparks! That is my main business, and I love it more than most seem to! I like the cows scratching on my MEWP making it bounce around! And being knee deep in ----! Or itchy barley in your boots/overalls. I would rather be outside than stuck in a building. And the kit I get to play on is much more fun than lifting floorboards and trying not to wreck Mrs Miggins new rug/carpet/wallpaper. Most weeks I get to play on at least a digger, telehandler or MEWP and sometimes a tractor! Yeah ok I do some domestic but only the jobs that I want to do or as part of my agricultural business.
As I have said before this is such a wide and varied industry, it's good to see as much of it as you can until you find the bit you like best!
Sy

I totally respect your post I was just aiming my post at the derogatory posts of sparks saying that domestic sparks are of little value we all carry out the same job and same goal. I also (used) to enjoy getting dirty and playing with the big boy toys cherry picker, boom, scissor lift but I also enjoy the domestic aspect so to all the newcomers of the industry try it all gain the experience and do what you enjoy. ?

 

[littlespark]

My anti- agriculture was of course tongue in cheek. Just a little Monday comedy.

I did everything as an apprentice. Just because of my rural location…. It was Mrs miggins on a Monday, Ten thousand chickens on a Tuesday… Windy hillside… well, you get my drift.


I think the “housebashing” isn’t exclusive to sparks. Every trade is pressured to be in and out as quick as you can…. Mistakes get picked up later.
It doesn’t make you a housebasher, it’s just the work is described as bashing.

 

[SparkySy]

Totally, mine was meant in jest somewhat! I do cover a broad range within the industry, including house bashing! Each to their own, I know a lot of sparks that hate ag work but equally I know many that hate domestic, everyone is different and will find their place in the industry, which is lucky really otherwise we would be in a right pickle!!
Much respect to everyone in our industry whichever sector they are in!

 

[Petej999]

My anti- agriculture was of course tongue in cheek. Just a little Monday comedy.

I did everything as an apprentice. Just because of my rural location…. It was Mrs miggins on a Monday, Ten thousand chickens on a Tuesday… Windy hillside… well, you get my drift.


I think the “housebashing” isn’t exclusive to sparks. Every trade is pressured to be in and out as quick as you can…. Mistakes get picked up later.
It doesn’t make you a housebasher, it’s just the work is described as bashing.

There are many people who call themselves Sparks, when all they have done is house bashing after doing a short course.

 

[Intoelectrics]

Cause house bashers aren't normally sparks. They are pretend sparks. No Qualifications except they can get it passed off by a spark. Checked and tested. Bring a house basher to an industrial job. Like tray and basket and see how they fair. What about doing a three phase board.
I bet if a piece of unistrut hit they wouldn't know what it was.

This is not true! not all "house bashers" are the short course bodge it and scarper type!

I know good electricians who can only do commercial/industrial and are clueless when it comes to domestic and vice versa. A good all round domestic sparky has to do a fair bit of problem solving, fault finding and it can be hard graft if the house is occupied or an old building.

Yeah you may get the sparky who does nothing but new builds for housing companies, much like you get some sparkies that only do maintenance on commercial/industrial properties.

There are just levels of skill and capability, where as Tel mentioned, some folk have a better aptitude for certain aspects than others.

Either way, a good tradesperson takes pride in their work, is conscientious and leaves a job tidy, safe and (hopefully) with a satisfied customer.

 

[Grant1987]

There are many people who call themselves Sparks, when all they have done is house bashing after doing a short course.

There are many people who call themselves sparks. When all they have done is cut a few bits of metal and threaded a few nuts after being thrown on site by doing naff all.

 

[7029 dave]

I took a job on in a hospital just qualified back in the early 80's, the boss said to me you are taking this job on (yep no problem), all metal conduit work.
Found out the job was given to me because a much older experienced spark (on more money than me) could not do conduit work.
Dont tell me its only labourers work like someone once told me on here.

 

[ipf]

There are many people who call themselves Sparks, when all they have done is house bashing after doing a short course.

There are many people who call themselves sparks. When all they have done is cut a few bits of metal and threaded a few nuts after being thrown on site by doing naff all.

We know, in both cases....but it's a percentage not ALL of them.
Don't tar all with the same brush just because you come across crap work.

Standards have dropped in general, we should all know that, but fully qualified electricians, no matter what their field, usually know their onions......and should be respected for doing so.

 

[ipf]

I took a job on in a hospital just qualified back in the early 80's, the boss said to me you are taking this job on (yep no problem), all metal conduit work.
Found out the job was given to me because a much older experienced spark (on more money than me) could not do conduit work.
Dont tell me its only labourers work like someone once told me on here.

Complicated conduit can be an art work, with a hell of a lot of skill involved.

Some dunces still think 'sets' are for badgers and 'dog legs' for ...er.?...dogs? Elbows' at every 90, what a mess!

They have their occasional uses but in most cases the best use for an 'elbow' is a heavy nudge in the ribs.

 

[7029 dave]

Complicated conduit can be an art work, with a hell of a lot of skill involved.

Some dunces still think 'sets' are for badgers and 'dog legs' for ...er.?...dogs? Elbows' at every 90, what a mess!

They have their occasional uses but in most cases the best use for an 'elbow' is a heavy nudge in the ribs.

Very true lol the last bit was funny

 

[SparkySy]

I had a similar experience with an older spark when I was coming up through the ranks of a small firm, we were on a library and art Museum, all trunking and conduit very nice job! Anyway it turned out he could not bend tube for love nor money, he even struggled with marking it out correctly, but was great at the trunking work! I ended up doing the conduit work and he did all the trunking in the end!

 

[ipf]

I had a similar experience with an older spark when I was coming up through the ranks of a small firm, we were on a library and art Museum, all trunking and conduit very nice job! Anyway it turned out he could not bend tube for love nor money, he even struggled with marking it out correctly, but was great at the trunking work! I ended up doing the conduit work and he did all the trunking in the end!

Somebody else do the wiring? ??

 

[SparkySy]

Yeah a real electrician ?

 

[ipf]

Once left an apprentice to fix a conduit for a sensor in a school boiler house, 2 saddles up a wall and 3 across the ceiling. Got back about 3 hrs later to find it at a 10 degree angle fixed to the ceiling with the outside 2 saddles, the middle one fixed about 1'' to one side of the tube. I CAN laugh NOW!?
He was in the midst of taking it out, I must admit.

 

[Petej999]

I took a job on in a hospital just qualified back in the early 80's, the boss said to me you are taking this job on (yep no problem), all metal conduit work.
Found out the job was given to me because a much older experienced spark (on more money than me) could not do conduit work.
Dont tell me its only labourers work like someone once told me on here.

I took a job with a large builder in my home town Bath, most if not all of the so called Electricians on site were either labourers or Apprentices near the end of their time, it showed up when we had to wire the carpark lighting with SWA NON OF THEN KNEW HOW TO TERMINATE, got a rollicking for taking the time to show them how it was done, this was in the mid 70s got the Spanish Archer for the job going over time left and continued working as a maintenance Spark.