ELECSA or NIC

[eddielarge]

Hi i am currently NIC registered but keep reading on here about everyone joining elesca, is there a reason.
Is it because its easier to get on than the NIC.

Please Please tell me why ELESCA over NIC im honestly interested and always open to change.

Or is it that its a cheaper option.

I do all work from domestic to commercial and it is written into many contracts i do that i must be NIC,

So how do ELESCA members get around this.

I understand on domestic you can explain there is no difference , But if i tried that on a big contract i simply wouldnt get the job.

Please tell me the advantages of ELESCA

Eddie

 

[cbw]

I think you probably answered your own question!

I am Elecsa and have yet to lose a contract because of it, however all my literature has Elecsa logos on it so would not get calls from nic blinkered people.

I looked at all options, and nic wre actually quite unhelpful on the phone, quite the oposite with Elecsa.

I have used the tech help a couple of times, very informal (Not sure if thats good or bad?) and they have been absolutaly brilliant.

Just my experience....oh and one of the ladies that answers the phone has the sexiest voice!!!!!

 

[eddielarge]

CBW thanks for reply but apart from the helpline girl having a sexy voice u have not given any reason.

the NIC blinkered people are lambeth council, and they will only accept NIC certs for the 4 month pir testing contract we are doing.

Do u do commercial work or domestic,

What are the positives to ELESCA apart from the helpline?

 

[dickie]

I have been with ELECSA now for over 4 years & find them very helpful easy to get along with ie technical help & assesments etc also better valve for money than NIC.
NIC did not seem as friendly when I contacted them
I use the ELECSA logo on all my letterheads & find now that is becoming more of a recognised name in the industry.
Well happy with them & can recomend them

 

[eddielarge]

Dickie

I agree that the nic are a bunch of stuck up ----s on the phone, So the main thing is that it is cheaper?
I want to ditch the money grabbing nic , but 30% of my customers request NIC.

And also a lot people ring asking for nic pir reports for the sale of their house.

I really want to dump the NIC because they are money grabbers but cant get enough positives about ELESCA TO JUMP.

 

[kung]

I too am NIC but from what i can gather Niceic are there for customer where as Elecsa seem to be there for contractor so might change next assessment

 

[dickie]

eddie
understand what your saying but ELECSA 's name seems to have become more recognised since there amalgamation with the ECA
NIC have been around for a long time & seem to have been the industry standard
but I feel ELECSA & now catching fast because of the more friendly & professional approach to their members & membership numbers increasing all the time.
I can only speak as I find what do other members think

 

[Phil]

a mate of mine has been with them both. he has just had his first assessment with elecsa. one of the jobs he submitted needed altering, the assessor asked him to take photographic evidence of it afterwards and email it over to him. if it had have been the it would have been a re-visit charged for. he is well impressed and they actually answer the tech phone when he needs it. its a shame when the councils think registration they only think one name, but thats good advertising for you. it maybe worth you speaking to your customers before you make the move as 30 percent is a lt of half days

 

[SirKit Breaker]

I have been with ELECSA now for over 4 years & find them very helpful easy to get along with ie technical help & assesments etc also better valve for money than NIC.
NIC did not seem as friendly when I contacted them
I use the ELECSA logo on all my letterheads & find now that is becoming more of a recognised name in the industry.
Well happy with them & can recomend them

Ditto, mate. the only difference is i didnt waste a fone call to NIC

 

[flukey]

i thought elecsa charges were exactly the same amount as nic

 

[roukel01]

Don't forget, ELECSA only cover the domestic Part P side of things, if you want to cover your industrial side, you also have to join their big brother the ECA.

Never having any experience with the NIC, do you join the domestic installer scheme and then pay extra to be fully NIC compliant?? if so, do the costs work out about the same as joining ELECSA/ECA??

I've been with ELECSA for years now, get the same assessor every year and I've never had a problem with them.

 

[eddielarge]

Thank you ,

So elesca is basically for house bashers, That explains why you all say you never have a problem with people asking for NIC, because joe public basically just want cheapest and wheather its NIC OR ELESCA.

 

[garyinderby]

Being new to all this, i asked a lot of questions to a lot of people before deciding who to join. money wise didnt seem to be much difference. so it was down to what i wanted from the scheme.

so i have joined ELECSA, as Kung said earlier, ELECSA are there for us the contractors, where as NIC have got it **** about face.
customers are covered by law, so think somone should be watchin our backs. not an excuse for bad or dangerous workmanship, but everyone can have a bad day, one way or another (ask Bugsy)lol.
sorry old bean, hope you are well.

Gary

 

[andyb]

I keep reading these posts re, elecsa/niceic and I get confused.

They both charge £370 + vat per year, so how is elecsa cheeper.

''Elecsa are there for the contractor & niceic for the customer'', what rubbish.

Go to any trade show & vist both stands, the niceic will have free publications, one to one technical advice and usually 2 or 3 presentations during the day, the elecsa stand will have a desk and someone to take your cheque. They are both for the contractor & customer.

Phone elecsa and ask for their pocket guides and see how you get on,
Ask elecsa for their technical manual, the niceic has a superb interactive guide that is worth the membership cost alone.

How many tech queries are resolved on this site by reference to niceic ref books

Both help lines are very good and talking to elecsa members I get the impression that the waiting times are similar,

I'm not knocking elecsa or am I praising the nic, I'm just trying to put a liittle ballence into this debate.

I think if you are doing domestic work, there is little difference between the two, or Napit for that matter.

 

[flukey]

well said andy b

and if its cost that drives you there is always napit which covers domestic, commercial and industrial including pir for the same price as domestic on elecsa and nic

 

[eddielarge]

So if its not money / then is it an easier option to pass, because i dont understand why you would pay to join ELESCA and then continually explain to people u dont need NIC because theres no difference.

I cant believe you dont get phone calls asking if your NIC because i often get it , and i explain that the NIC comes with a 6 year backed guarentee, i dont think ELESCA do i might be wrong.

 

[DurhamSparky]

all part p schemes have to offer warranties..!!

 

[eddielarge]

Others may offer warranties but u have the option not to , but nic is issued as a standard, as many people are penny pinchers i bet the option isnt taken up

 

[DurhamSparky]

lol, not my problem if mr Jones does not take warranty and my 1 year standard one lapses and some thing fails..!! oh well...!

 

[kung]

''Elecsa are there for the contractor & niceic for the customer'', what rubbish.

As i said im with NIC the reason i said from what i gather is ex NIC members and past comments on some past posts ! not from having any problems with NIC or exp from Elecsa.