Gold Card Fresh Meat Member

[Electreacle]

Hi there, firstly wishing you all good health and happiness
Just a few questions if you all don’t mind answering for me please..

I’ve just recently passed my AM2s.. still awaiting my gold card in the post..

I’m wondering what options will be open to me now as being newly qualified?.. the first 3 years of my apprenticeship was under a domestic company but left due to a dispute in pay etc.. joined a commercial company in my last year.. gained a good range of on site experience from both sectors.. now I’m confused on what route I can take..
What would it entail in me being self employed?
I’m aware I’d need to get liability insurance..
But would I need the 2391 to sign off minor works and EIC’s? (I’ve been told I have to have a further 2 year’s experience to be eligible to be able to sit this course) is this right?

Who does Part P refer to? Can I obtain this and sign off small works outside of special locations?

My main goal is to work for myself with the possibility of being a subby for the quiet times.
Just unsure what my options are as being newly qualified..
Appreciate your feedback

 

[OLDBOY]

Regarding part p.
You cannot 'obtain' part p, it is not a qualification. It is a building regulations document you can download and read for free.
Part p ONLY applies to installations in dwellings and in short stipulates that ALL work carried out in dwellings must comply with bs7671...( the regs ). So in order to comply with part p you require a working knowlege of the latest edition of bs7671. One of the requirements of 7671 is that all work must be issued with an appropriate certificate on completion , either an EIC or MW. This can be issued by any competant person and certs are easily obtainable. The rub with part p is that certain works, such as but not limited to, new circuits, new DB's, rewires etc MUST also be registered with building control. An individual can do this directly with BC but it will cost hundreds of pounds for each job so is not practical for a contractor. The way over this is to join a scheme such as NAPIT or NICEIC who for a few quid each job will register the work with BC for you. Clearly you will need to pass their admittance proceedure and cough up a considerable annual fee for the priviledge though.

 

[Cbelectrics]

Hi there, firstly wishing you all good health and happiness
Just a few questions if you all don’t mind answering for me please..

I’ve just recently passed my AM2s.. still awaiting my gold card in the post..

I’m wondering what options will be open to me now as being newly qualified?.. the first 3 years of my apprenticeship was under a domestic company but left due to a dispute in pay etc.. joined a commercial company in my last year.. gained a good range of on site experience from both sectors.. now I’m confused on what route I can take..
What would it entail in me being self employed?
I’m aware I’d need to get liability insurance..
But would I need the 2391 to sign off minor works and EIC’s? (I’ve been told I have to have a further 2 year’s experience to be eligible to be able to sit this course) is this right?

Who does Part P refer to? Can I obtain this and sign off small works outside of special locations?

My main goal is to work for myself with the possibility of being a subby for the quiet times.
Just unsure what my options are as being newly qualified..
Appreciate your feedback

Further to the previous comment as well. I think niceic require you to have your 2391 inspection and testing qualification/18th edition/gold card. Which is rubbish in my view as the regs just require you to be competent.

Try doing the 2391 as it will also give you a lot of underpinning theoretical knowledge which will be good for you in the future and working for yourself.

You may find there is a lot of knowledge you didn’t know you had to have to actually be a competent electrician working for yourself (totally depends on what you know so far knowledge wise and experience).

 

[MDJ]

From reading your post electreacle I would suggest you forget about self employed for now and try to get a job as a spark for a few years learning the trade, if you really want to be a subby then an agency will find you work but you will not get the experience you will need further down the line, good luck anyhow, I wish you all the best

 

[Electreacle]

Further to the previous comment as well. I think niceic require you to have your 2391 inspection and testing qualification/18th edition/gold card. Which is rubbish in my view as the regs just require you to be competent.

Try doing the 2391 as it will also give you a lot of underpinning theoretical knowledge which will be good for you in the future and working for yourself.

You may find there is a lot of knowledge you didn’t know you had to have to actually be a competent electrician working for yourself (totally depends on what you know so far knowledge wise and experience).

Thank you for your feedback! Really appreciate it. I did manage to

Further to the previous comment as well. I think niceic require you to have your 2391 inspection and testing qualification/18th edition/gold card. Which is rubbish in my view as the regs just require you to be competent.

Try doing the 2391 as it will also give you a lot of underpinning theoretical knowledge which will be good for you in the future and working for yourself.

You may find there is a lot of knowledge you didn’t know you had to have to actually be a competent electrician working for yourself (totally depends on what you know so far knowledge wise and experience).

Thank you for your feedback! Really appreciate it. I’m definitely looking to undertake the 2391. Yeah I get there’s still loads to learn being self employed as there’s multiple roles you have to play alongside being a spark too.
I do think I have what it takes.. given my passion and work ethic. But it baffles me how some people get away with doing electrical work! The amount of bodgeries I come across is quite shocking. People don’t let others tough gas unless your Corgi registered. Where’s ours for electricians?…

 

[Electreacle]

From reading your post electreacle I would suggest you forget about self employed for now and try to get a job as a spark for a few years learning the trade, if you really want to be a subby then an agency will find you work but you will not get the experience you will need further down the line, good luck anyhow, I wish you all the best

Thank you for your feedback! Means a lot!
I know I’m inexperienced still as I have a hell of a lot to learn. And always learning new things each day on the tools. I’ve found that I’m more of an introvert and the commercial building site setting doesn’t work for me. I enjoy banter but those sites it’s just like a classroom for me. Just want to focus on doing a good days work than listening to people complain about working for a company.. the amount of sparks that say they wished they went self employed, is shocking! It seems like everyone hates all cards in

 

[Cbelectrics]

You’re not far off. I think most experienced members here would say to go for it. Just a few years of extra experience will help you massively in the long run when you do start up by your self as all decisions will be yours to make alone be that on the tools or in business. So don’t lose sight of starting up on your own if that’s what you want to do

Drop by if you want any other advice, lots of people here to help.

 

[UNG]

Further to the previous comment as well. I think niceic require you to have your 2391 inspection and testing qualification/18th edition/gold card. Which is rubbish in my view as the regs just require you to be competent.

I think you will find the regs require you to be a Skilled Person (Electrically) competent was I believe removed when BS7671 amd2 was published

 

[oscar21]

From reading your post electreacle I would suggest you forget about self employed for now and try to get a job as a spark for a few years learning the trade, if you really want to be a subby then an agency will find you work but you will not get the experience you will need further down the line, good luck anyhow, I wish you all the best

I agree about being employed for a few years, best place to get your customer base from when you eventually jump ship.

 

[KungFuTurkeyLeg]

Just to add my own experience to give you food for thought. I worked for other people for around 8 years before making the jump to running my own company. I never had any intention of going alone until probably the last year. By which time I'd built up a considerable network of contacts. Most of which were probably in the last 2-3 years.

Whilst working for someone else, switch jobs/companies every 12-15 months to gain a wider breadth of experience and contacts. Contacts are the key. All except one of my contracts and has come from the dozens of contacts I made in those 8 years. It's 99.99% of who you know, not what you know when it comes to the long running work.

I handed in my notice 2 years ago and haven't looked back.

Good look pal