Handyman and Electrical Work

[Scotty_Ian]

I recently started up my own handyman business and wondered what I am allowed to do in terms of electrical work in customers houses. The sort of thing I am talking about is changing mains sockets, light fittings, light switches, extending existing ring mains... I know that for work in bathrooms and kitchens the work has to be checked out by a registered sparky. I feel I am pretty competant and safe when it comes to electrical work, having been an electrical / electronic tradesman in the forces and done loads of DIY work on my own house.

Would I have to provide a Minor Works Certificate for any electrical work I did?

Thanks for any info.

 

[Octopus]

Do you have any test equipment? A copy of BS 7671 AMD3?

EDIT: Part P doesn't apply in Scotland

 

[Pete999]

I recently started up my own handyman business and wondered what I am allowed to do in terms of electrical work in customers houses. The sort of thing I am talking about is changing mains sockets, light fittings, light switches, extending existing ring mains... I know that for work in bathrooms and kitchens the work has to be checked out by a registered sparky. I feel I am pretty competant and safe when it comes to electrical work, having been an electrical / electronic tradesman in the forces and done loads of DIY work on my own house.

Would I have to provide a Minor Works Certificate for any electrical work I did?

Thanks for any info.

If you have added or altered an EXISTING circuit the answer is yes. I do voluntary work as a Handy Man for AgeUK I won't touch electrics, soley because their insurance won't cover me.

 

[camerabloke]

Popcorn on standby

 

[Pete999]

Popcorn on standby

You like your popcorn Camerabloke.

 

[camerabloke]

So many varieties

 

[Pete999]

So many varieties

You should know Mate, you have been recomending pocorn a lot lately, best try some Vindaloo for your sore B-m, only you will understand that one, any good films on at Sixfields worth watching?

 

[The Ghost]

I'm gonna get my vindaloo!

 

[Christopher Bernard]

I like yogurt popcorn, but you can never get it anywhere now

 

[Risteard]

I recently started up my own handyman business and wondered what I am allowed to do in terms of electrical work in customers houses.

You are allowed to advise them to contact an Electrician.

 

[westward10]

I like yogurt popcorn, but you can never get it anywhere now

If you can never get it how do you know you like it.

 

[Wilko]

Hi Ian and Welcome to the Forum !
Perhaps something to investigate is insurance for the scope of work you envisage. Not to scare you, but (in my humble opinion) if your home diy went wrong and caused damage, your home insurance company may deny liability. Their assumption is works are done to a standard, which would include testing and certification. Same thought applies to work in someone else's house.

 

[Tes369]

This smells like a wind up like the "variation in prices thread" =

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

If you have added or altered an EXISTING circuit the answer is yes. I do voluntary work as a Handy Man for AgeUK I won't touch electrics, soley because their insurance won't cover me.

And the funny thing is @Pete999 you are likely more qualified and better experienced than the freshly qualified sparks they will call in at high hourly rates. For the sake of a liability policy costing less than £100 they are missing a good opportunity there.

 

[Octopus]

There's a handy man on my "patch" who doesn't think any testing is necessary ........................ until things got out of hand and he called me in!

He watched what I did, using my tester to locate the fault - and still doesn't think a tester is necessary ................... dipstick.

 

[peterhyper]

This smells like a wind up like the "variation in prices thread" =

I did wonder, but at least he isn't saying he is a doctor living on a private estate.

 

[Christopher Bernard]

If you can never get it how do you know you like it.

Because they stopped selling it in most places not long ago, but all good things come to an end they say.

 

[Deleted member 9648]

Got an on-going one at the moment, a neighbours brother is a 'handyman good with electrics' and wired a small extension. Half of the sockets ceased to operate just after Christmas. I found it wasn't a ring and never had been, and to get at least part of it going as a temp converted two tested legs to 2x 20a radials. Two weeks later half of one of the radials stopped working, found neutral broken somewhere over the ceiling under a flat roof. Not trusting any of it I disconnected the lot and washed my hands of it, they are currently waiting for bruv to return from abroad and fix it.
Good luck with that.

 

[MDJ]

I recently started up my own handyman business and wondered what I am allowed to do in terms of electrical work in customers houses. The sort of thing I am talking about is changing mains sockets, light fittings, light switches, extending existing ring mains... I know that for work in bathrooms and kitchens the work has to be checked out by a registered sparky. I feel I am pretty competant and safe when it comes to electrical work, having been an electrical / electronic tradesman in the forces and done loads of DIY work on my own house.

Would I have to provide a Minor Works Certificate for any electrical work I did?

Thanks for any info.

Does your liability insurance cover any Electrical work you carry out?
Do you have access to a multi function tester?
Do you know what certificates are required for the different types of work you are considering doing?
Have you got access to an on site guide or 17th Edition regs book?
have you got any Electrical qualifications?
Do you understand what Equipotential bonding is?
do you know what a TNS, TNCS, TT or PME system is?

lots to think about fella.

 

[Risteard]

Do you have access to a multi function tester?

Or other appropriate test equipment! Not everyone has to use an MFT!

 

[Deleted member 9648]

Or other appropriate test equipment! Not everyone has to use an MFT!

'Appropriate' to many means a neon screwdriver and a socket and see thingy.

 

[Risteard]

'Appropriate' to many means a neon screwdriver and a socket and see thingy.

Indeed. That's why I wrote "appropriate" rather than "what you believe to be appropriate"!

 

[buzzlightyear]

Popcorn on standby

a bag of MMs and bag of Doritos.

 

[Scotty_Ian]

Do you have any test equipment? A copy of BS 7671 AMD3?

EDIT: Part P doesn't apply in Scotland

Just read and understood 7671. I have a multimeter and a socket tester that checks polarity earth and some other stuff

 

[Octopus]

Oh dear

 

[Rpa07]

I thought I was good enough years before I did my training that has now, with 3 years of experience, made me at the lower end of the competence ladder.
Looking at the DIY work I did in my own house, I was delusional thinking that it was to a standard required.
I say to you that you may think you can be ‘jack of all trades’ but you can’t be master of all so stick to the ones you are good at and call in the trades that you’re not so hot on, they will give you the work back, favour for favour.
Please listen to the members on here.

 

[Christopher Bernard]

It has to be a wind up

 

[Strima]

Just read and understood 7671.

You're better than me then, the last course I did was all about BS7671 and that was an NVQ level 4 yet I still don't understand the book...

 

[Des 56]

Just read and understood 7671. I have a multimeter and a socket tester that checks polarity earth and some other stuff

Thats Bs

 

[Pete999]

Just read and understood 7671. I have a multimeter and a socket tester that checks polarity earth and some other stuff

You just read and understood BS7671 Crikey that's good going