Hi everyone.
Im 27 and currently looking at a career change. I have grown tired of office work and after saving for a number of years I am hoping to go into property development. In order to be able to make this change and reduce expenses I’m looking into gaining relevant skills that will reduce the cost of each project. I have time on my side and I am hoping to work on at least one project a year. This would mean investing my time and money should pay off.
I am am currently looking at the viability of undertaking electrical qualifications and gaining enough experience in order to be able work independently. I would be open to do work for others in order to gain experience or for supplementary income if I have time.
It’s great to find a site full of such good information and experience.
From what you describe I assume you mean you are looking at starting your own property development business? Any person who is expecting to make a success of a new business venture will need to have made some reasonably accurate budget calculations around their projected overheads etc.. When you say you are looking to reduce expenses by doing electrical work yourself, initially over a single project per year, have you done any formal budget calculations, or is it just a rough gut feeling that if I am doing it myself it must be cheaper? If reducing costs is an objective I cannot see the point in doing courses that have no relevance on your proposed line of work. (such as PAT?)
To self certify your work you need to cover the costs for:
The initial training courses, plus any updates as and when the regulations change.
Copies of current wiring regulations, One site guide, Approved document P, Electricity at work guidance, and updates as a when these change, currently new regs books are about every 2 to 3 years.
The cost of your appropriate test equipment & tools. and suitable recalibration certification to verify your meters accuracy.
Then annually you will have:
Membership of one of the approved contractor schemes. (which includes annual assessment of you, your paperwork, a sample of your jobs completed over the past year, your health & safety policy, your previously issued electrical certificates, complaint log, meter accuracy and test log,
Public liability insurance covering you for electrical design, installation & testing.
If the bulk of the wiring on a project is electrically safe and you only need a new fuse box, a few accessory fronts replaced and the odd extra socket fitted, I can't see how it will be cheaper doing it yourself, It could take several years to recoup your outlay. Statistics show that a lot a small business ventures fail within the first five years, often this is down to inaccurate or unrealistic budget assumptions. Do your budget calculations include all of the above, (the list is not exhaustive), Also have you allowed for interest rates rising. and periods of little or no income due to delays in work or late payments etc.. What you are suggesting doing is not an impossibility, but may not be quite a rosy a you imagine. Remember many projects from; building, construction, IT, Home DIY, Ship building, Wedding planning etc. very often run over budget, or you don't get back as much as you thought you would get back. Double check the description of every course module you are considering purchasing. Also go have a face to face discussion with the head of your local college electrical dept, They will (should) have up-to-date information about what courses are relevant to you and/or if any are due to be superseded.
Doc H.