1st time alone - some advice please from proper white van sparks.

[maudy]

OK so the time has come.....

.....I've done all my quals (C+G, 17th, NVQ3 and 2391) had a 2/3 years (mostly site, commercial experience) and some domestic (council flats work) but now I'm out on my own.

I have found a PJ. Mid size (mostly lighting (downlighters arghhh)) that NEEDS certificating. Bonding needs doing and some other bits. So I'm going to have to go for it.

Can you guys give me some advice on:

Elecsa, Napit or NIC
Notifying work and the necessary inspections.
Pricing this job (I only went to have a look at it today but I think its mine if i'm sensible).

Anything else for a "sortof" newbie.

Also, a "do I need to change the board" question. Its a RCD main switch (ie all circuits protected by one 30ma rcd). The house has 2 floors...

Your advice would be appreciated

 

[RISElectrical]

There are editable PDF ones on here to use, or tysoft... Have a look at pirform also. I use Amtech however at the end of our 12 month support I'm looking at changing to something cheaper

 

[gap30]

There are editable PDF ones on here to use, or tysoft... Have a look at pirform also. I use Amtech however at the end of our 12 month support I'm looking at changing to something cheaper

yes the tysoft is good but pirform is much cheaper

 

[GLENNSPARK]

i think theres one called castline as well.....anyway, i`m crap at computers lol....for software and program/driver advice Murdoch`s your man.....

 

[RISElectrical]

Pirform is a yearly payment tho iirc where as tysoft is a 1 time fee? Don't quote me on this as I haven't looked into them too deeply.

 

[plugsandsparks]

if your just starting out....forget about being VAT registered.....i guess someone in here will now extoll the virtues of being VAT regd........lol...

Ha couldn't resist.... well if you cannot add up 4 numbers and fill in an online form once a quarter, dont bother.. But all the vat you pay on training, tools, vans and scheme will be lost... but hey i only saved a couple of grand... must be peanuts to the high rollers lol

 

[RISElectrical]

I must save a few grand a year in fuel bills alone with the price these days!

 

[plugsandsparks]

It gets better, one quarter VAT man paid me, plus if you do any commercial work the VAT you pay of parts is lost and that makes you 20% more expensive, when i look at most commercial work i do parts are around 50% of the whole job. Domestic wise you are only 20% higher on the labour content as the parts flow through anyway.
Cash flow is an additional benefit but there is a sting as you have to remember when looking at your bank balance there is a chunk of VAT due out.
As mentioned in your first year you should have a lot of set up costs which should dwarf any loss due to domestic labour work.
I use quickbooks, press a button marked VAT report, transpose the numbers onto the HMRC site and hit submit, takes about an hour once i have checked it.