Domestic Installer Or Not?

[sparky-in-the-making]

well, looks like its back to telecoms engineer for me... somehow lol.

 

[Blue Duck]

I'm not a proper electrician and I'm a DI :lol:

The scope of work I do is fairly limited mostly fault finding and Argos light fittings.

Circumstances changed for me and I needed to put my education on hold for a while and still bring home the bacon.

I will return to finish my education one day soon but for now I'm happy(ish) with what I'm doing.

2330 2&3,2391,17th Ed and some other random qualifications & I still haven't done my portable appliance testing testing! :slap

#Flamesuiton

 

[kerching]

PA Testing

More boring than watching Brucie try to get his lines correct without being prompted with a cattle prod

 

[sparky-in-the-making]

Hey blueduck, What did you need to become a DI? as in, what did the body require for you to register?

 

[Blue Duck]

A cheque for about £450?

Been a DI for about 3 years now I think I needed 2330lv 3 and 17th but I think sharpie said you just need 17th and a cheque ?

IMHO its a big world out there and no amount of courses will prepare you for what's waiting for you. so get some good experience then get stuck in.

 

[sparky-in-the-making]

I have good experience with regards to domestic, Practical side that is. I can do all domestic competent. Just not too sure if its a wise move.

 

[Doc Hudson]

I have good experience with regards to domestic, Practical side that is. I can do all domestic competent. Just not too sure if its a wise move.

I fear you may be missing a few other key points if you are looking at going DI and working for yourself. Remember you don't actually need any qualifications to do electrical work in the UK, DIY work is permitted. The issue of DI or not is only relevant on notifiable jobs, (basically new circuits and new fuse boxes). There are lot of additions and alterations that do not require notification. If you are only doing a small number of notifiable jobs then the cost of applying for DI may not be economically worthwhile in the early stages. If you already have some qualifications and a calibrated test meter your LABC may be willing to accept your EIC for notifiable jobs with just a brief check over the job for a nominal inspection fee, for them to issue the Part P compliance document to the homeowner. (It is the homeowners responsibility to ensure Part-P compliance. The DI scheme is just a marketing tool to assisted competent persons to do the notification on behalf of the customer.) The bigger question you have to look at is where are your potential customers coming from, what sector of the market are you targeting, how will you get your name out there. Purchasing qualifications and memberships to trade bodies is relatively easy, getting sufficient work and customers who pay on time is the harder bit. If you are not confident of your business planning or how to market yourself or any qualifications or training you may need, it may be a sign you need to step back a bit and do a bit more research and preparation before committing to something you are not quite ready to do. 

Doc H.

 

[sparky-in-the-making]

Hey Doc, Its them final points which has made me change my mind. I already had this issue in mind, its one thing me getting what I need to be able to do it, but another thing finding the work. Im now in the process of calling many companies electrical/security to try and get a opportunity, I have sent 4 CVs off this morning. I wont be giving up on getting back to doing what I enjoy.

 

[Doc Hudson]

If you look at books about starting your own business, be they sole traders, partnerships or small companies, you will generally find statistics saying something like most business failures happen within the first 5 years and only 2 or 3 out of 5 start-ups actually succeed. Also a lot of successful start-up are where someone has been running their business as a spare time project or hobby whilst still employed before going full time. Typically the part-time project naturally expands such that it is clear that there is potential for a successfully transition. Within the electrical trade it is often the "weekend" and "evening" jobs for friends and family, while you are employed elsewhere, that start getting your name known. But there is a big difference doing cheap weekend jobs while you still have another wage, to doing self employed jobs that actually pay you a living wage and cover your overheads etc.

Doc H.  

 

[sparky-in-the-making]

Very true points. Its a shame its so hard out there now to get into a industry. Long gone are the days where apprenticeships were around, now they are few and far between. Not for people my age either. Back to the drawing board for me, Just calling companies until I get a offer I suppose.

 

[kerching]

Make a point of telling themmwhat else you can do

Many shy away from Telecoms.....could work for mutual benefit

 

[NozSpark]

Personally I don't find the AC registration much different to the DI side....

....and as I wouldn't get a JIB card then I musnt be an electrician either

Maybe I'd get technician status though ?

Maybe I'd get "technician" status though ?

 

[Blue Duck]

I didn't think there was much in it TBH?

AC is full day assessment, costs more and allows you to do EICR's on NIC headed forms?

 

[NozSpark]

AC is not full day...

 

[sparky-in-the-making]

Guys, I just want to say I wasn't trying to be rude when I said I don't see a DI as a full on spark. In my eyes, even if I done it myself, a DI is just a domestic installer. Cant do anything else, Where's a fully qualified electrician can do the lot. It wasn't a dig, just a opinion.

 

[Blue Duck]

DIS's have a bad rep.

hang about here for a bit and something will come up on the q&a board that will explain...

 

[kerching]

Personally I don't find the AC registration much different to the DI side....

....and as I wouldn't get a JIB card then I musnt be an electrician either

Maybe I'd get technician status though ?Maybe I'd get "technician" status though ?

i have a Technicians card..........got it when I was about 26/27 i think...........32 fecking years ago!

How many times have i needed it?

You can count them on the knees of one hand

 

[Essex1]

DIs have a bad reputation because corners were cut to bring lesser qualified persons into the trade. There is a clear two tier system nowadays but the unsuspecting public have no idea and see the NICEIC badge and think they are getting a really well trained electrician. Explain to me how anyone in under 3-4 years can be competent fully to undertake work alone in someone's property?

 

[Doc Hudson]

Guys, I just want to say I wasn't trying to be rude when I said I don't see a DI as a full on spark. In my eyes, even if I done it myself, a DI is just a domestic installer. Cant do anything else, Where's a fully qualified electrician can do the lot. It wasn't a dig, just a opinion.

The DI or AC status is nothing to do with what actual work you can do, the work you do is between you and your client. Some clients specify membership of certain trades bodies, others may not give a damn who or what you are as long as the job is quick and cheap. The bottom line of what DI or AC allows is which type of logo headed certificates or reports you are allowed to use. Anybody, trained or untrained, qualified or unqualified, competent or non competent can use any suitable non logo headed certificates and reports that they choose. If you cast your mind back to pre 2005, before the days of Part P and DI's and LABC notifications. All sorts of people did commercial and domestic work and I would hazard a guess that 90%+ of domestic work never had any electrical certificate issued and testing was as brief as possible. A certain proportion of this work was done by DIY pub friend, some by proper electricians, however neither issued the paperwork that complied with BS7671. So some of the pre 2005 AC's were no better than current DI's. There is good and bad at all levels, you cannot just tar everyone with the same brush. If an individual wants to cut corners on a job it doesn't matter who they are part of, it is not rocket science to play the system and do shoddy work while carrying a logoed toolkit and paperwork. Whilst DIY electrical work is still permitted I don't think things will change very much.

Doc H.

 

[Andy™]

DIs have a bad reputation because corners were cut to bring lesser qualified persons into the trade. There is a clear two tier system nowadays but the unsuspecting public have no idea and see the NICEIC badge and think they are getting a really well trained electrician. Explain to me how anyone in under 3-4 years can be competent fully to undertake work alone in someone's property?

but there will be many time served sparks who do a proper job who are also DI