Do you blokes really make loadsamoney?

[niloc55]

Hi, I'm not an electrician. Re-wired my mother-in-laws house many years ago and my own kitchen but that's it. Tempted to do one of these courses to become an electrician but seriously changing my mind after reading some of the stuff on here. Can't really imagine being properly qualified with distance learning and 5 weeks practical and then going in some posh tart's house and digging holes in the walls.

So, be honest, do you make serious money?

Also, who's going to come to my house to check any work I do if I don't tell them?

 

[AlanWirral]

In regards the the last question... The fireman? Lol

I can honestly say it took me over year to get the basics right in work....5 weeks? Yeah right.

 

[bugsy]

1: Depends on what you do .Top end - Lighting control - Luton - KNX - C-Bus top money
2: Home automation intergrated systems top money
3 Commercial energy control systems top money
4 Domestic rewires / new build top spec top money
5 Jobbiing sparks 5/6 calls a day Good money
6 House bashing P.C. blue screened ealier reading a post
Depends on where you are , client base and your salesmanship - and the compation , but dont think that after 20 weeks training you'll make a fortune - you won't

 

[Phil]

the of theelectricians on here just about scrape 100k a year don`t believe all you read in the newspapers.
as for who finds out about an instal thats not been initially verified or designed to the requirements of bs7671 and all protective devices selected and erected in accordance and thats before the part p police are even mentioned.
if you can select the devices notify bc and inspect and test and compare the results with an expensive tester there is nothing to stop you doing it. just a little question though how would you ensure an mcb with a breaking capacity of 6000 comply?

 

[Adam W]

According to the adverts, plumbers and 'green engineers' earn "up to £50,747" as well.

Basically that is the bait for you to buy their product, under the guise that you have to speculate to accumulate.
Also I feel the term "massive shortage" is open to interpretation.

 

[brucelee]

hi mate
make sure its what you really want to do mate as they just want you to sign up and take your cash
the earn loads of dosh thing is just to suck you in only sparkys probably earning that are the ones who have been in the game years and carry out the full range form domestic to industrial and prob have guys working for them
and the massive shortage as novussparkus has said is deffo a over statement also
Its about you and how much you are willing to put into it as they take most of your cash its then down to you to spend more to set up just to eventually earn some back
good luck with whatever you do but its no magic stick mate

 

[Sparky Ninja]

Hi, I'm not an electrician.

Hi, welcome along.

Re-wired my mother-in-laws house many years ago and my own kitchen but that's it.

Fair enough.

Tempted to do one of these courses to become an electrician but seriously changing my mind after reading some of the stuff on here.

Stuff?

Can't really imagine being properly qualified with distance learning and 5 weeks practical

I expect you won't be.

and then going in some posh tart's house and digging holes in the walls.

So, be honest, do you make serious money?

With people of non competence wiring mother-in-law's houses, purchasing materials from sheds, rendering my years of training as not necessary, resulting in workloads diminishing.... I've had better periods.

Fortunatley some people out there care about complying with new and existing procedures. These guys have created a new career path for some of us more experienced sparkies, myself included.

Also, who's going to come to my house to check any work I do if I don't tell them?

I think you should really ask yourself..

''what occasions may occur where I will have to provide evidence that this work will have been done to a required standard and through the statutory methods.''

 

[rocker]

If you want a job, there's no way you'll get one with the 'qualification' you get after a 5 week course. If you want to work for yourself, unless you live on some island nobody's ever heard of, there are already too many electricians around. I'm not sure how these training centres can keep saying the country is 'crying out' for electricians because it is simply not true. There are millions of them. Too many. We don't need any more!

A customer, looking in from the outside, may think we make good money, but the overheads are astronomical. It is NOT good money, if you are doing very well and getting regular work, it's OK money at best, but to get OK money it is very, very hard work. You have to really love doing it to keep going. In all honesty the only trades I work with who always seem to be making decent money with no shortage of work these days are plasterers, so if it's money you want, go on a plastering course.

 

[Marvo]

All industries are the same. You get guys who are great tradesmen and you get guys who make great money. It's not the same thing, doing a job right is being a tradesman making money honestly is being a businessman and a tradesman.

 

[AlanWirral]

If you want a job, there's no way you'll get one with the 'qualification' you get after a 5 week course. If you want to work for yourself, unless you live on some island nobody's ever heard of, there are already too many electricians around. I'm not sure how these training centres can keep saying the country is 'crying out' for electricians because it is simply not true. There are millions of them. Too many. We don't need any more!

A customer, looking in from the outside, may think we make good money, but the overheads are astronomical. It is NOT good money, if you are doing very well and getting regular work, it's OK money at best, but to get OK money it is very, very hard work. You have to really love doing it to keep going. In all honesty the only trades I work with who always seem to be making decent money with no shortage of work these days are plasterers, so if it's money you want, go on a plastering course.

Well said Rocker, i'll be seriously looking into diversing my career when i qualify i think.

 

[accordfire]

According to the adverts, plumbers and 'green engineers' earn "up to £50,747" as well.

That's not bad, per invoice.....some houses are a right mess these days... ;-/

 

[accordfire]

Five weeks to qualify?

I knew I wasted nearly four years of college and apprenticeship!

Oh my. Five weeks.....you can't even have a decent holiday in five weeks.

So much of the "qualification" before used to be the practical experience you got on site with someone who knew what they were doing (well, mostly).

I'd take these courses for what they seem to be - a way of the "course" founders making money - are they going to underwrite your insurance when you start off loading your new skills on an unsuspecting public?

It scares me, to be honest, that before, we knew there were cowboys about, and a good tell tale that you were on a cowboy job was when no evidence of a cert of any sort was forthcoming.

Now, the main thing these courses seem to provide is that the cowboys can issue certs too, if they pay for the "qualification".

Sorry, it just seems to me to typify the adage that a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing.

 

[lloyd1980]

A customer, looking in from the outside, may think we make good money, but the overheads are astronomical.

really well said, people assume you are banking ( or stuffing your back pocket with ) wads of notes.
People also see your labour charge on the invoice with your hourly rate and assume this is your 'wage'
Ive been self employed for just less than a year, I have turned over a fair amount to date and on paper it seems impressive for the stage the business is at, but when you consider how much it costs just to keep the business running , combined with the fact that I draw £ 800 a month in wages and work between 12 and 16 hour days , also that as I am unable to afford to take anyone on full time I am doing 4 peoples jobs includuing the office, / admin / book keeping, pricing, banking , invoicing,.
for people who think its a licence to print money it simply isnt , I love my job otherwise I wouldnt do it, but if you think you will qualify in 5 weeks and make a ton of cash and retire early then you wont.
sorry to wee on your chips mate but as the other fella said try plastering
van - trowel - steps - plater bucket - mixer (thats it)

lloyd

 

[sythai]

really well said, people assume you are banking ( or stuffing your back pocket with ) wads of notes.
People also see your labour charge on the invoice with your hourly rate and assume this is your 'wage'
Ive been self employed for just less than a year, I have turned over a fair amount to date and on paper it seems impressive for the stage the business is at, but when you consider how much it costs just to keep the business running , combined with the fact that I draw £ 800 a month in wages and work between 12 and 16 hour days , also that as I am unable to afford to take anyone on full time I am doing 4 peoples jobs includuing the office, / admin / book keeping, pricing, banking , invoicing,.
for people who think its a licence to print money it simply isnt , I love my job otherwise I wouldnt do it, but if you think you will qualify in 5 weeks and make a ton of cash and retire early then you wont.
sorry to wee on your chips mate but as the other fella said try plastering
van - trowel - steps - plater bucket - mixer (thats it)

lloyd

Yep I'll go with all of that, well said

 

[bugsy]

And you forgot to mention course and qualification updates, regular inspections ( we provide the transport and lunch )
I'm sick and tired of people thinking their qualified after undtaking one these courses, It totally undermines those that have spent years and yes I mean years developing their skills and craft

RANT OVER