Domestic Installer earnings

[jaypatel33]

Hi,

I have been thinking for a while now to do the 17th edition course and start working as a DI. My family business (brother and father) have a gas and heating company with a rather large customer base, and the plan was to put my name out there and start working on domestic electrical jobs. There is also a former electrician that is working with us, and I have done installs with him and will do some more work with him before doing the course.

I have been looking on this forum and others and a common complain is that course like the 17th edition, part p etc are dumbing down the industry and flooding the market with these guys and hence jobs are hard to come by and due undercutting very little profit. I just wanted to ask, how true is this? It seems there is a lot of hate towards these course becuase a true spark has spent 3-4 years training so not sure how true this it.

Should also add, I already have a part-time job, which I plan to keep, so this will be part-time as well, also I live and work in NW London.

Thanks for the help.

 

[uksparks]

I guess my only comment on this is, yes it depends ho you speak to, not very Electrical Trainee is a cowboy, but equally experience goes a long way, but on the other hnd you have got to start somewhere.

You know yourself which route you ate going to go down, you either spend years or weeks doing one or the other. If you do the short version, do it, you will probably do it regardless of what people say as its a quick way in the door as it were. Does it make you a competent person, probably a million miles from it so no.

If you do a long multi year course, the consensus on here and elsewhere is that you are more likely to be respected than if you cheat your way in, on the other hand you can chea your way in and build up your knowledge and slowly earn respect from others when you can prove yourself to be worthy.

Theres no point in me beating the topic to death again and being rude, do as you see fit, it's your life and you only live once so it's your call but don't expect people to be nice when you tell them you did it in 5 weeks as generally speaking people don't take to kindly.

On another note, yes there's millions of electricians and people that call them self one, but it's not affected me and my ability to get enough business to stay busy and most I speak to claim to be busy.

 

[amlu]

even if you do your course you need plenty of experience to go and work on your own. 2 years working as a mate, or maybe bit more, at least.
then for first couple of years dont expect to make much profit. after that it should get better if you know what

 

[MDJ]

Any chance you can repost this on Friday? we love a good banter on a Friday

 

[2na]

I wouldn't do it unless you are willing to work for peanuts. Domestic installers are cheap and plentiful, and they won't last long in the industry. All the decent work goes to real electrical companies that can solve problems alone and don't need to post on here to get a job finished.

It's not only about the qualifications, I worked in the industry for 15 years before starting my own company, and due to the amount of contacts I got to know, I have lots of work and always will.

good luck and please make the long term choice.

 

[Kate]

I wouldn't do it unless you are willing to work for peanuts. Domestic installers are cheap and plentiful, and they won't last long in the industry. All the decent work goes to real electrical companies that can solve problems alone and don't need to post on here to get a job finished.

It's not only about the qualifications, I worked in the industry for 15 years before starting my own company, and due to the amount of contacts I got to know, I have lots of work and always will.

good luck and please make the long term choice.

Ummm....thanks?!?!?!

 

[Engineer54]

I guess my only comment on this is, yes it depends ho you speak to, not very Electrical Trainee is a cowboy, but equally experience goes a long way, but on the other hnd you have got to start somewhere.

You know yourself which route you ate going to go down, you either spend years or weeks doing one or the other. If you do the short version, do it, you will probably do it regardless of what people say as its a quick way in the door as it were. Does it make you a competent person, probably a million miles from it so no.

If you do a long multi year course, the consensus on here and elsewhere is that you are more likely to be respected than if you cheat your way in, on the other hand you can chea your way in and build up your knowledge and slowly earn respect from others when you can prove yourself to be worthy.

Theres no point in me beating the topic to death again and being rude, do as you see fit, it's your life and you only live once so it's your call but don't expect people to be nice when you tell them you did it in 5 weeks as generally speaking people don't take to kindly.

On another note, yes there's millions of electricians and people that call them self one, but it's not affected me and my ability to get enough business to stay busy and most I speak to claim to be busy.

Oh but they are, just by pure definition, all are under trained, under qualified, and totally lack experience. So what else would you call them??


As for the OP he should stick to gas/heating or whatever. So the family plan was for you to do a so-called DI course and do all the families business electrical work, and take advantage of any other work coming their way!! Not really that interested in how competent you'll be, just so long as you can self certify legally for the family business... Does he also think anyone can become a gas/heating fitter in 17 days / 5 weeks too?? Unless you intend to go about doing things properly by going to college etc, which i'm sure don't, forget it!! There are far too many chancers out there now, doing god only knows what in peoples homes!!

 

[Alexandrer]

I agree I went to REACTFAST I had 10 years’ experience prior but no qualifications.
I had to work hard and gain much more experience before I got respect.
Lucky that my work partner has 25 years’ experience and dam good at his job.
Most of the guys that took the course with me never fitted a plug socket never mind a consumer unit and they thought they would know everything in 6 weeks. Every time I questioned the tutors about the integrity of the course they just said do not worry as long as you pass experience will come later I am just here to see that you pass.
But most guys would pass and then left to do installations with what they have learned! Good job I had previous experience.
There is no way one can learn to become an electrical installer in 6 weeks never mind become an electrician. My advice is that if you are looking for a career in electrics please do not go the fast root its expensive, inadequate and misleading, unless you have the knowledge and want a crash course just to get your 17[SUP]th[/SUP] edition etc. maybe!!…

 

[i=p/u]

I got my siste to add plug to my extension lead , and she got right connections.

 

[odawire]

I wouldn't do it unless you are willing to work for peanuts. Domestic installers are cheap and plentiful, and they won't last long in the industry. All the decent work goes to real electrical companies that can solve problems alone and don't need to post on here to get a job finished.

It's not only about the qualifications, I worked in the industry for 15 years before starting my own company, and due to the amount of contacts I got to know, I have lots of work and always will.

good luck and please make the long term choice.

What a load of complete bo**ox, are you saying a DI cant be a real company, if all they do is domestic?

 

[SparkyJoe]

theres some 100% ****e qualified sparks out there as well lol (and they always seem to work for agency's lol)

 

[Welchyboy1]

Running a successful electrical business is only about 60% being a good spark, its usually the other 40% that most electricians fail at

 

[Kate]

Running a successful electrical business is only about 60% being a good spark, its usually the other 40% that most electricians fail at

Love it!! Yea I fail at least 30% of the 40%.

Im too nice for my own good. Get walked over by builders. Especially when it comes to payment.

 

[UNG]

Hi,

I have been thinking for a while now to do the 17th edition course and start working as a DI.

A course that is how to read a book which is what the 17th edition regs course is will not turn you into a DI in a few weeks

What does the former electrician you are working with think of your idea he is obviously a "former" electrician (or was he DI) for a reason

 

[MDJ]

Love it!! Yea I fail at least 30% of the 40%.

Im too nice for my own good. Get walked over by builders. Especially when it comes to payment.

Your not alone my fellow South western Spark, I bloody hate builders, if you ever fancy a cupper sometime I will bore you stiff for hours about tales of wow regarding late payments LOL.

 

[brightspark11]

Hi,

I have been thinking for a while now to do the 17th edition course and start working as a DI. My family business (brother and father) have a gas and heating company with a rather large customer base, and the plan was to put my name out there and start working on domestic electrical jobs. There is also a former electrician that is working with us, and I have done installs with him and will do some more work with him before doing the course.

I have been looking on this forum and others and a common complain is that course like the 17th edition, part p etc are dumbing down the industry and flooding the market with these guys and hence jobs are hard to come by and due undercutting very little profit. I just wanted to ask, how true is this? It seems there is a lot of hate towards these course becuase a true spark has spent 3-4 years training so not sure how true this it.

Should also add, I already have a part-time job, which I plan to keep, so this will be part-time as well, also I live and work in NW London.

Thanks for the help.

I did one of the Domestic installer courses two years ago. I passed everything, achieved part p certification and started a business. I tried advertising in local papers and found that most of the replies were from other papers asking me to advertise with them! Overall my return from advertising was £20 of profit for every £100 spent on advertising. I tried spending two days handing out leaflets with no return at all. I started a website and had no replies. I am on the NICEIC website as a domestic installer and have had no business from it. I am also on the electrical safety register ditto.

After six months I took a job in a factory and did some work for my collegues- my best customers so far.

If anyone is thinking of becoming a domestic installer I would strongly advise them to test the market in their area. Simply place a dummy advert in your local paper. if anyone actually calls you, ask about the job they want doing and tell them you have broken a leg or something like that. It's a bit naughty but it will only cost a few pounds and could save you thousands - I found out the hard way. Of course you could be sitting on a gold mine in your area!

Wholesalers can be a bit unfriendly towards domestic installers but if you know what you need and pay cash they tend not to ask.

As for experience- yes you do need to know how a house is put together and they don't teach this on most DI courses, but if you are a keed DIY enthusiast and can lift floor boards and safely work in a loft then you should be ok for most jobs. The important thing is to refuse and job that you are not confident you can do.

Business skills - don't ask me!

good luck if you decide to go ahead.