dazsafc

Hello I am new to this Forum. I was an Electrician for about 8 years up until I was 24. I am now 33. and got sick of it and decided to work in Call Centres.. ( seemed very clean and cosy). Now Im thinking of Going back to Sparkying but working for myself. Maybe On nights only to see if it takes off...

My Questions are. The Qualifications I have is Part B And the AM1 and AM2 so im was Fully Qualified and 16th Edition... Do I need to upgrade to 17th or now and do I need to become Part P.

Also I have browsing this site and see that yer need a ton of certs to fill out, from Minor Works on to well I dunno. Do I need qualifications for these or is it a case of downloading the certs and learning how to fill them out.

I imagine I will need to buy a load of test equipment and pay to get them calibrated. Is 2nd hand of an auction site alright.

Any other advice need.

Cirrus

Yes, you will need to sit the update to 17th edition. I think this will be a 4 day course for you as you have been qualified for some time. You will need to be 'part P' to work in domestic premises and some form of membership with NAPIT/ NIC / ELECSA would be pertinent. As for the certs, you can download and use or actually use the body (NIC etc) forms / software that they have. As for 2nd hand testers - should be fine a long as you have it calibrated.

Shakey

If you are outside the update criteria (BS7671:2001 on your 16th edition cert) but have previously done the regs, there is no need to do a full regs course.

The requirement is that you sit the fulls regs exam

I teach update courses with 8 in a class, i have about a 50/50 split of people who sit the update course and and do the update exam, and those who do it and sit the full exam at the end of the day

You will ned to comply with Part P if working domestic, this either means joining a competent persons scheme (like Cirrus said) or just pre-notify your work and use the LABC for notifiable part p jobs

dazsafc

Would I still be able to work without these, If I had an intention of doing them in the very near future. Its just incase it doesnt take off . Maybe work without the extra qualifications for 3 months, although still doing the tests on each job and providing the correct certs. And then do the part p etc

Cirrus

You can work and still submit your certs to the LABC and you may also need to pre-notify them. It is also very costly at over £100 per submission I believe. If you do work and do not certify where needed then it is in contravention of part p of the building regs. That said, many people will let you work in their houses as a qualified sparks because they don't know any better if you get my drift

dazsafc

Yeah I see. I just read this....
Registration in these schemes, with the exception of CORGI, is not compulsory. However, if work is undertaken by a person who is not registered, it is necessary to submit a building notice for inspection.
So Does that mean I would have to say pay a £100 evertime say I change a Socket or plug. In other words I really need to do Part P Kind of course to be taken seriously

Shakey

i think you may be making the common mistake of believing that part P is a qualification - it isnt, and you cant 'get it' you can only comply with it

You should get your 17th qual, because after July any work you (design) and install will have to have 17th edition certs issued, the schedule of inspections is vastly different to the 16th edition version, plus of course many of the installation rules have changed

to join a competent persons schme you may have to prove you have knowedge of the building regs

Yuo can do this by sitting module 1 of the EAL Domestic installers course (Aplliacable building regs for domestic installations) or sitting the new C&G 2393, although i dont know anywehere that is delivering that - my company certainly has no plans to

dazsafc

Shakey Im almost getting my head around it. Is it that I really need to update (preferably in the next 6 months to the 17th. Then work as normal for 6 months, Then send all the certificates, i have done. It could be thousands though couldnt it. .... Then finally applied for a body to inspect 2 pieces work or....after 6 months apply to a self cert person scheme. I am getting myself confused now.

I think I have Cracked it, well almost! I have done shed loads of testing in the post, so I feel competent. So I would be OK To issue out Minor Works Cert's to the Customer is right. ie if its change of this that, and working on the original circuit. What about putting in say Showers (own Circuit) do them not constitue as a minor cert. and everything after that really should be Sent off to someone is that right. And if not the governing body(self person scheme) then the buildings place - and is it one at a time of a whole load of big jobs at the end of the month. What about Rewrires, would that again have to be sent off. Is it possible just to do all the testing and leave the completed forms with customer (unless her mortgage company required it).
And I after July To this Work I really should be 17th though

Ignore above. I was getting confused. Is it, for example, if I am with no body, I can still do say Rewires, or jobs installing more than 1 extra circuit, but will need to arrange for the LABC to come out and inspect it. Which I suppose would be OK if yer being paid 3500 and just had to shell out say 100 for kabc. What about minor certs. Do you give these to the Customer, Or Do you have to give one to the customer and send the rest in to the LABC

electricus

why not get one of these disc to help you along

eBay Seller: sp4rky317: Electrical Test Equipment, Business, Office Industrial items on eBay.co.uk

it would be a great help to you

Shakey

ok, you may be getting confused (and you are not the only one) into thinking that if something only needs a minor works cert (ie alteration/ addition to an existing circuit) then it is somehow 'outside Part P'

Work in a kitchen foe example could be monir works but still be notifiable to the LABC

notifiable and non-notifiable work do not go hand in hand with minor works and electrical installation certs.

Each job is treated as seperate entitiy

If you are doing notifiable work (even if you are going to issue a minor works cert) then you must pre-notify to he LABC at least 2 working days before commencement of job (except in an emergency)

you must then send them a copy of you completed certs (think its within 30 days)