NICEIC, NAPIT or ELECSA

[tonyjohn]

Hi all.

Im looking into going at it on my own, 2391 booked and potential contracts in the pipe line, the question is what governing body is best to go with?
any views would be much appreciated.

 

[imago]

Are your contracts for EICRs and testing? I ask because you mention the 2391. If so, none of them as they aren't required for testing and inspecting.

If you want to notify work through one of them, then I would go through ELECSA.

 

[tonyjohn]

contracts are for loft convertions and conservatories, surely 2391 is needed as you need to test your work for it to be signed off?

 

[imago]

The 2391 is good to have, and definately recommended.

I was asking because you don't need scheme/scam membership to carry out tests and inspections, you need to be qualified and experienced. Do you have any other qualifications? I believe that the schemes will soon be requiring Level 3 qualifications or that you are taking them, for full scope membership.

 

[tonyjohn]

I have plenty of experience, level 3 qualifications and updated to 17th edition, without a scheme/scam surely you would have to go through building control every time making it more costly?

 

[imago]

Yes, absolutely for work that needs to be notified. So with what you're proposing you do need scheme membership, and I would suggest ELECSA but other people will have their preferences too.

All I was getting at is that if your contracts were test and inspect only, then you don't need to join a scheme. But they're not, so you do

 

[sparks1973]

any...their all as bad as each other....

 

[ashrow]

Loft conversions come under building control so you do not need to be part p registered as all works are under building control (if you show them you qualifications they will most likely allow you to certificate your own works, but this depends on the LBCA you work for)
conservatories are not under building control and if you are only altering an existing circuit then this does not come under part p also

The above opinion is from my own experience with 5 different LBCA

Another opinion of mine is
Go for NIC if you wish to eventually become an approve contractor
Elecsa or NAPIT is you wish to stick to domestic

for the record i am a member of none (as i only work under LBCA works, it saves me putting my prices up and the tax man seeing all the jobs i register)

But i do think the electrical industry should be like Gas Safe, if you are not registered then you should not carry out any works, One scheme for all !

 

[p11jor]

Am I right in thinking elecsa are fensa?? The glass governing bodys sister company?

 

[sparks1973]

Am I right in thinking elecsa are fensa?? The glass governing bodys sister company?

there part of the ECA....electrical contractors association

 

[p11jor]

They seem to have a few members.....it's all NAPIT in Wirral were we are

 

[vjsmarwick]

I have to say as a qualified spark I refuse to join any of the money grabbing schemes why did I serve 4 years if I was still not going to be qualified these schemes are nothing but a money making scam unless they are going to send out someone to check every job how is being a member safe guarding anyone. If we are so dishonest then we should never be allowed to sign off our own work. I am happy to have any spark test my work anytime and I would test anyone else's I think this would be the only way to combat cowboys. But at the end of the day when money is tight people will always be tempted to have someone do a job and never say a word if it will save them a few bucks.

 

[bandit]

For what its worth I joined Elecsa. The joining process was very thorough and if your not up to scratch they will soon know about it. I had a bad experience with one of the NICEIC inspectors (many moons ago) so avoided them (too eager to send you on their additional courses, at your expense obviously!!). Napit just doesn't seem electrical to me!

If I wasn't doing work for builders I wouldn't bother with any of them. I have been asked not once if part p by any domestic customers in the 7 years

 

[MDJ]

Heres My view, basically In my opinion, and my opinion only, just my view, if you want to move forward and get a reputation and get onto lists where big and proper customers use electricians then you need 3 things, 1 to be a member of the NICEIC, 2 to be on the EXOR approved contractor list and 3 to have at least 5 million pounds all risks public liability insurance, if you want to be a one man band, ( to note there is nothing wrong with that at all) and you just carry out some works for a builder or you are a domestic electrician then IMO any of the above mentioned governing bodies are acceptable and have equal merit.

Kind Regards

Michael.

 

[tonyjohn]

Thanks for your views guys, much appreciated

 

[DaveyD]

The 2391... I believe that the schemes will soon be requiring Level 3 qualifications or that you are taking them, for full scope membership.

Yes, NAPIT already do. If you havent got it but have the others they give you one year to obtain

 

[Welchyboy]

For what its worth I joined Elecsa. The joining process was very thorough and if your not up to scratch they will soon know about it.

I have never even heard of anyone coming close to failing an elecsa asssessment, I thought the assessment was a bit of a joke to be honest with you, and can easily see why people consider it the 'easy option'

 

[MDJ]

I suppose it depends on what your customers require really, if you work for local authorities then they tend to insist you are a member of the NICEIC, some want more than that as well, however if not as mentioned in an earlier post, I personally and it may be just my view, all other regulators/governing bodies are very similar and to be honest private customers probably don't care either way providing you give them a certificate.

 

[imago]

and can easily see why people consider it the 'easy option'

What, joining ELECSA or getting registered to self cert under part 'P'? None of them check what they should, none of them enforce anything, and none of them are in any way interested in anything beyond revenue generation.

 

[D E P Northeast]

i really need to get my elecsa but 2 problems 1 ive not go the cash 2 i cant get too jobs to show them cause over my way everyone asks to see your quals and reg

- - - Updated - - -

i really need to get my elecsa but 2 problems 1 ive not go the cash 2 i cant get too jobs to show them cause over my way everyone asks to see your quals and reg

 

[Welchyboy]

i really need to get my elecsa but 2 problems 1 ive not go the cash 2 i cant get too jobs to show them cause over my way everyone asks to see your quals and reg

- - - Updated - - -

i really need to get my elecsa but 2 problems 1 ive not go the cash 2 i cant get too jobs to show them cause over my way everyone asks to see your quals and reg

If you haven't got the cash for that how on earth do you propose to run a business???

 

[shazbutz]

I understood that the assessor as well as putting you through the hoops in terms of knowledge, procedures and the practical review of your work also looked at previous EICs. Specifically to ensure that notifiable work had actually been notified. Quote from ELECSA "how to avoid common Part P assessment issues" - " On surveillance visits all work undertaken during the previous 12 months will be checked to ensure that work which is notifiable, has been notified".

I'm interested because the costs of getting BC in in this area are in excess of £220 which is prohibitively expensive to load on to the small notifiable jobs resulting in working for nothing. Many customers are not in the slightest bit interested in certification which is worrying and will happily accept a none scheme EIC and schedule of test results. Not Part P compliant but the customer is happy and the job will stand electrical scrutiny. Being brutally honest i think that there are many out there just doing this and I wonder how an assessor would respond should they see a shed load of EIC that have not been notified once the sparky has applied to join the scheme?

 

[Dave 85]

I understood that the assessor as well as putting you through the hoops in terms of knowledge, procedures and the practical review of your work also looked at previous EICs. Specifically to ensure that notifiable work had actually been notified. Quote from ELECSA "how to avoid common Part P assessment issues" - " On surveillance visits all work undertaken during the previous 12 months will be checked to ensure that work which is notifiable, has been notified".

I'm interested because the costs of getting BC in in this area are in excess of £220 which is prohibitively expensive to load on to the small notifiable jobs resulting in working for nothing. Many customers are not in the slightest bit interested in certification which is worrying and will happily accept a none scheme EIC and schedule of test results. Not Part P compliant but the customer is happy and the job will stand electrical scrutiny. Being brutally honest i think that there are many out there just doing this and I wonder how an assessor would respond should they see a shed load of EIC that have not been notified once the sparky has applied to join the scheme?

Well if its your first assessment you only show em the cert for the assessment job/s and tell em its not notified which is why you are have the bleeding assessment. If its not your first assessment you just show em the certs for the jobs you notified and not the ones you haven't...simples. They just want your money at the end of the day

 

[harrod58]

any...their all as bad as each other....

Ha Ha true! Especially NICEIC