Advise on the best route to becoming a domestic electrical installer

[aalleexx]

Hello,
I am looking to change my career and become a domestic electrical engineer / installer. I do have some related experiences and qualifications .

I am looking for some un biased advise on what steps I need to take in order to achieve this . Long term I am only looking to work in the domestic environment. My guess is that i would have to work with an established electrical contractor whilst attending a training course which will lead to a qualification. Again as I am only looking to work in the domestic environment, the course I take would need to reflect that.
Thank you

 

[Baddegg]

If you have a steady job at the moment mate stick with it would be my advice, the domestic market is saturated, but if that doesn’t put you off then obviously you can take any number of short courses that will “qualify” you but without prior knowledge of buildings and materials and also some (a lot) of fault finding experience (which is probably 50% of a domestic installers life) you are going to drown pretty quickly……all that said it is doable and good luck, you’ll find a wealth of information and very helpful experienced sparks in here, so good luck

 

[LukeD]

The Domestic market is "saturated" But this does not mean many are good ! My advice would be ...once you get going .NEVER work for poor people ! Stay focused and look clean /smart and turn up on time . Work clean and make sure EVERYTHING is noted and written/emailed/SMS etc . Never do anything unless its agreed and the price confirmed . Always ask them to confirm. There are clients DESPERATE to find decent guys .

 

[Dustydazzler]

There are loads and loads of domestic sparks , but very few good ones in my area.

 

[aalleexx]

Thank you all for the advise ,I shall mull it over some more . I think getting experience in real world fault finding is going to be key .I currently work in the IT industry and regularly you come across problems where a client has fiddled with the system but they don't admit it.
Cheers !!

 

[James]

Thank you all for the advise ,I shall mull it over some more . I think getting experience in real world fault finding is going to be key .I currently work in the IT industry and regularly you come across problems where a client has fiddled with the system but they don't admit it.
Cheers !!

People rarely admit to it, you have to become a master of seeing through the bull and figuring out what REALLY happened sometimes.

 

[LukeD]

People rarely admit to it, you have to become a master of seeing through the bull and figuring out what REALLY happened sometimes.

Always worth been blunt and honest ..."tell me if you have touched , turned, pressed. cut ANYTHING" ? as it save a lot of time which you are paying for . ALWAYS make sure you have a basic price list of costs etc and Include them at the first chance email /sms . dont be shy !

 

[Lee1983]

Sorry to bring up an old post... but how did you get on?
I live in a rural area with a long wait for an electrician (the nearest person on MyBuilder is 40miles away as the crow flies). I had to wait three weeks to get some lights/sockets changed.
I'm almost 40 and have no desire or need to be a fully qualified commercial electrician. Still, if there's a way to become qualified to work on domestic buildings that don't require an apprenticeship, I'd seriously consider it.
I have a flexible job, classed as self-employed, based at home already. I'd happily expand.