Anyone on here mainly doing testing and inspection?

[Patrick_g46]

Just wondered if any of you guys did purely testing/inspection or if this is a large majority of your work. How do you find it? Is there enough work out there to keep you going? Where do you get all your work from? Do you work alone or with help?

I ask all this because I was considering trying to get into testing and inspection in a big way and move away from the installation side of things. The first year I spent doing my apprenticeship was with a friend of my dads who pretty much did purely testing inspection for a living (I think I did 3 installation jobs in the year I was with him!). We did testing off all sorts from massive office blocks, schools, tower blocks, houses. He now works for the NICEIC assessing contractors for Part-P and yearly assessment etc

My dad is an electrician has a sparking company set up and I think originally I would be looking to work alongside him but then gradually set myself up and go my own way.

Anyway, I know that work isnt exactly flowing right now but I would be looking to be getting into this towards the end of the year when im finished at Uni for the year. So any advice/suggestions on getting into this line of work would be great.


Patrick





edit: Nobody?!

 

[Guest123]

I dont think there are many on here that solely do insp & test.

 

[Patrick_g46]

I dont think there are many on here that solely do insp & test.

Would you say that is because there are not many people that do it? no demand? or purely because they just dont come on here!

 

[ghost]

There will always be a demand for I&T, the work comes as it comes, eventually you may land a contract, as your mate did, to do a load of testing. Try aiming your advertising to the I&T side whist also doing installations to build that side up, if you would prefer to specialise in testing.

 

[ezzzekiel]

Pir's?
get in with estate agents etc becoming more and more required due to hip packs

 

[chris gray]

Pir's?
get in with estate agents etc becoming more and more required due to hip packs

ive just put my house up for sale and there was no mention of a pir.
some bloke came and walked round my house and made a graph up of the co2 and energy effeciency,
i thought that a pir was required?

 

[MvP Electrics]

there isnt a big demand for pirs in domestic. I think the way to go if you're just doing I & T is commercial properties.

 

[robsparky1975]

i have done a lot of pirs for hotels etc,and have done some for clients wanting to purchase a house(at their expense) generally quite rare though.hips pack only needs to contain any certs from work done since introduction of part p,although i think it would be a good idea to sell your home with a pir,hence to say the house i tested needed a bit of work(home seller was not happy),well thats what i was there to do,good knock on effects as firm put everything right,so extra money to be made,just truthfull and clients appreciate that even if it does cost money they didnt want to spend,3 years ago done a pir on clients home he bought,1950s wiring,fuseboard like nothing i had ever seen,exposed busbar within easily removable door,wiring spurred off,sockets in 1mm etc,re-wired and client happy,so pirs are in my opinion a good way of making a living and bringing safety back to peoples homes.

 

[Graeme Harrold]

This week I am mostly doing inspection and testing...............223 static caravans to be precise...... I do however live in holiday home central and Im picking up quite a bit.

 

[petegibbons]

I have 5 electricians out of about 18 who work solely on I&T nothing else.

All the local authorities and registered social landlords nationwide are now forced to run 10 year testing programs. Basically they have always tested properties when they became void but now they are testing the properties that have been inhabited for a long time and have gone over there re inspection date.

These electricians are all working on contracts for different authorities and sub contracting for builders, there is lots of this work to be had now. I also have other electricians doing the remedial works they find.

This has been coming more and more to fruition of the last 12 months and is only going to get bigger.

 

[eddielarge]

Hi , i have just finished doing a big PIR testing contract for Lambeth council due to recent fires . contract length 4 monthes there was about 16 men testing and they paid very well due to the urgency of the tests. and now we hope to pick up all the remedial work that will be approved in 2 weeks.

also i do alot of pir reports on insurance work, only get £75 a test but only have to test affected circuit , so you can bash them out in 45mins

So i think u should start testing as there is a real gap in the market for good testers

 

[robsparky1975]

Hi , i have just finished doing a big PIR testing contract for Lambeth council due to recent fires . contract length 4 monthes there was about 16 men testing and they paid very well due to the urgency of the tests. and now we hope to pick up all the remedial work that will be approved in 2 weeks.

also i do alot of pir reports on insurance work, only get £75 a test but only have to test affected circuit , so you can bash them out in 45mins

So i think u should start testing as there is a real gap in the market for good testers

think ill come back and work in london lol.

 

[piggyitm]

there is a real gap in the market for good testers

Good Testers? Sounds like an oxymoron!
Is it a lack of people who can hunt down moneymaking remedials or a lack of people who do Ze at the switch?

 

[Patrick_g46]

there isnt a big demand for pirs in domestic. I think the way to go if you're just doing I & T is commercial properties.

What makes you say that? My old boss didnt use to have much problem picking up 8-10 a week! And thats on the side of commercial work aswell.

This week I am mostly doing inspection and testing...............223 static caravans to be precise...... I do however live in holiday home central and Im picking up quite a bit.

So you dont normally do much of it then? Is the static caravans a good paying job?

I have 5 electricians out of about 18 who work solely on I&T nothing else.

All the local authorities and registered social landlords nationwide are now forced to run 10 year testing programs. Basically they have always tested properties when they became void but now they are testing the properties that have been inhabited for a long time and have gone over there re inspection date.

These electricians are all working on contracts for different authorities and sub contracting for builders, there is lots of this work to be had now. I also have other electricians doing the remedial works they find.

This has been coming more and more to fruition of the last 12 months and is only going to get bigger.

You have these guys working for you? How do you get hold of contracts like that? So you think that my plan of going solely into I&T isnt unfeasible? Any advice for someone wanting to get into it?

Hi , i have just finished doing a big PIR testing contract for Lambeth council due to recent fires . contract length 4 monthes there was about 16 men testing and they paid very well due to the urgency of the tests. and now we hope to pick up all the remedial work that will be approved in 2 weeks.

also i do alot of pir reports on insurance work, only get £75 a test but only have to test affected circuit , so you can bash them out in 45mins

So i think u should start testing as there is a real gap in the market for good testers

Where abouts do you get hold of your work/contracts?



What would be the best routes to go down in terms of securing work? I was thinking something along the lines of approaching letting agencies/landlords? What about bigger contracts? Where do people secure these from?

Sorry for all the questions, but I am really trying to work how I could go about all of this as best as possible!

Thanks

Patrick

p.s. Sorry for the amount of quoting!

 

[Patrick_g46]

Anyone want to add anything?