Advice please.

[jase158]

I am a plumber and looking into getting an electrician, I can't get hold of several.

My questions are

1. What requirement is there to be part of NAPIT, NICEIC and the likes? Is it possible for people to do a fast track course of 4 weeks and then be an electrician? or is there a minimum time served to be an electrician.

2. Whats the difference between Part P and 17th Edition. Work wise, can Part P do fuse boards and everything or is there certain things that Part P electricians cant do?

3. If there is old Fuse boards (the wire type), when does it become neccessary to replace these? Is it if you are connecting a new circuit to it. Or is it whenever you do work?

Sorry lots of questions but thought I would research a little so to give my customers the best possible advice.

Also is there an electrician in my area (Buckinghamshire) on here and have you had any experience on here or personal experiences with them?

 

[telectrix]

1. you need to be competent. some people are after a fast track course, but only if they've had practical experience. this takes years.

2.17th edition of BS7671 is the wiring regs. part p is a building regulation.

3. rewireable fuse boards can be left in situ if they arer safe for continued use. any new work must be completed to current regs. this may or may not entail replacing older style fuseboards.

from your post, without being patronising or negative. i suggest you stick to plumbing, as i stick to electrical work.

there are a few members in your area, who, i'm sure, would be happy to perform electrical work for you.

 

[Spoon]

Dont think hes looking into becoming an electrician Telectrix. Sounds like hes just looking for one.

 

[trev]

As a plumber (and therefore a tradesman) you will know that there is no way in hell that you can be a qualified anything in 4 weeks. That said, Tel's post is correct. There are those who are competent after a fast track course and a lot of experience and there are those who will never be competent as long as they have a hole in their backsides.
Certain works are notifiable, others are not. For notifiable work you will need to get a spark in who is registered with a CPS or be prepared to pay exorbitant fees to LABC, it may be a good idea for you to get hold of a copy of Approved Document P.
If you look for a thread titled "Qualifications Required To Be An Electrician" you will see a list of what is necessary. Probably broadly similar in depth and duration to those required to be a plumber.

 

[jase158]

Hi guys, thanks for responses so far.

Just had a good search through forum, Few things I want to confirm.

Would you guys advice I stay away from Electricians who say they are Part P qualified?

What would a decent electrician call themselves? 17th edition qualified/ fully qualified?

I would never want to qualify in electrics (plumbing is hard enough) but I want to find a decent electrician. Not a 5 week training course electrician.

In Plumbing it is NVQ level 2 is basic plumbing, NVQ level 3 is advanced, then unvented hot water and water regulations, then Gas.

Is this similar to electrics?

The reason I ask is because I would rather have a fully qualified electrician then a basic level/ fast track electrician.

 

[jase158]

from your post, without being patronising or negative. i suggest you stick to plumbing, as i stick to electrical work.

I understand what you mean, bad advice can sometimes be worse then no advice, so for me to tell the customer, the whole house needs to be rewired, then a electrician comes along and says no it doesnt, would be worse then saying, speak to the electrician as I'm not sure?

 

[trev]

Jase, when you advertise specify that you want a JIB registered electrician. When they bowl up for the interview you could reasonably expect them to be carrying their cards, this will be proof of their qualification status. Or you could specify time served electrician and expect them to show copies of their quals.
Now I'm not saying that all JIB sparks are electrical gods because I've worked with some rough buggers neither am I saying that non registered sparks are crap because there are a load of excellent sparks who are not registered including several very good friends of mine.

 

[GLENNSPARK]

1. you need to be competent. some people are after a fast track course, but only if they've had practical experience. this takes years.

2.17th edition of BS7671 is the wiring regs. part p is a building regulation.

3. rewireable fuse boards can be left in situ if they arer safe for continued use. any new work must be completed to current regs. this may or may not entail replacing older style fuseboards.

from your post, without being patronising or negative. i suggest you stick to plumbing, as i stick to electrical work.

there are a few members in your area, who, i'm sure, would be happy to perform electrical work for you.

this is it Tel...people just jumping ship on a fancy....doesn`t work....and i dont know what folk have about these BS3036s....as i keep saying....as long as their good for continued service (IP, disconnection times, correct fusewire etc)...then whats wrong with em?...i think that some are still confusing the role that RCDs and fuses/MCBs play......

 

[jase158]

this is it Tel...people just jumping ship on a fancy....doesn`t work....and i dont know what folk have about these BS3036s....as i keep saying....as long as their good for continued service (IP, disconnection times, correct fusewire etc)...then whats wrong with em?...i think that some are still confusing the role that RCDs and fuses/MCBs play......

I have heard of electricians saying that it is neccessary for the fuseboard to be replaced even when it isn't just to get the work. and this is what I believed, that it was essential to replace the old fuse boards for new consumer units.

 

[Farmelectrics]

not essential but a recomendation to change board is what i say

 

[GLENNSPARK]

not essential but a recomendation to change board is what i say

NO!....if the existing equipment is still good for continued service farm.....why would you be giving recomendations on it.?....every install is different.....if the C/Us had it...then all well and good...otherwise..leave well alone....

 

[Farmelectrics]

just me glen allways recomend an up grade if i see a wylex rewirable fuse box in property wouldnt have one in my own house and im sure youd upgrade if there was one in yours

 

[GLENNSPARK]

just me glen allways recomend an up grade if i see a wylex rewirable fuse box in property wouldnt have one in my own house and im sure youd upgrade if there was one in yours

what i would do in my own property is neither here nor there farm....my point is that you have a duty of care to any clients that employ the services you offer...and that includes unneccesary works...

 

[VoltzElectrical]

what i would do in my own property is neither here nor there farm....my point is that you have a duty of care to any clients that employ the services you offer...and that includes unneccesary works...

ok, it's a tricky one. I agree with Glen about leaving things alone if they work, but I have recently moved into an old cottage with a re-wireable board, and changed it, because if a lamp pops and takes out the fuse (it has), it's a much larger ball ache to go get a torch, some wire and a screwdriver to change the fuse wire than to flick an mcb. At the end of the day, technology has moved on, with added convenience and as long as upselling to a modern consumer unit is 'offered' rather than 'insisted' upon under some misguided interpretation of the regs, then I'm OK with that.

 

[Moses]

As a plumber (and therefore a tradesman) you will know that there is no way in hell that you can be a qualified anything in 4 weeks. That said, Tel's post is correct. There are those who are competent after a fast track course and a lot of experience and there are those who

will never be competent as long as they have a hole in their backsides.

:blush5:mg_smile:
Certain works are notifiable, others are not. For notifiable work you will need to get a spark in who is registered with a CPS or be prepared to pay exorbitant fees to LABC, it may be a good idea for you to get hold of a copy of Approved Document P.
If you look for a thread titled "Qualifications Required To Be An Electrician" you will see a list of what is necessary. Probably broadly similar in depth and duration to those required to be a plumber.

Nice One son!!!!