Part P , DIYers and confusion

[thekingiam]

Hmm ime of the opinion that a lot of people that ask me for eicr only do so when the poohas hit the fan and have been told to get one not that this is the case. Every property in the country has to have its electrics checked at least every ten years and every one I have completed the customer looks at me in disbelief at the price and again if there are any problems. I have lost many jobs when I have told customers that the cost does not include a gaurantee that it will pass. And local firms are asking between £50 and £150 for the certificates.I was charging £120 before realising that I was being under cut every time so I lowered it.
I fix any small problems if located while under test and offer the customer a quote for any remedial work I tell the customer they can get any qualified and registered electrician to do the remedial work and I will release a satisfactory report free of charge if completed by a registered spark after inspection by me.

 

[telectrix]

Hmm ime of the opinion that a lot of people that ask me for eicr only do so when the poohas hit the fan and have been told to get one not that this is the case. Every property in the country has to have its electrics checked at least every ten years ( that's only a recommendation by IET. it's not mandatory ). and every one I have completed the customer looks at me in disbelief at the price and again if there are any problems. I have lost many jobs when I have told customers that the cost does not include a gaurantee that it will pass. And local firms are asking between £50 and £150 for the certificates.I was charging £120 before realising that I was being under cut every time so I lowered it. ( so you're going down the cut-price road, where you'll be tempted to cut corners. increase you price to something sensible and sell yourself on doing a thorough EICR properly. cheapest is not always the best.).........
I fix any small problems if located while under test and offer the customer a quote for any remedial work I tell the customer they can get any qualified and registered electrician to do the remedial work and I will release a satisfactory report free of charge if completed by a registered spark after inspection by me.

my comments in red.

 

[trev]

and I will release a satisfactory report free of charge if completed by a registered spark after inspection by me.

And what possible point is there to that?
You've done the EICR a someone else has done the remedials, it is up to the person doing this work to issue an EIC/MWC as appropriate. The 2 documents added together = a satisfactory report.

 

[thekingiam]

Cheers tel I use the eicr as a way through the door for future work I spend nearly a whole day testing and have no problem failing bad installations. If in the future work picks up so I am booked in every day then I would have to increase price as they are not cost effective, or insist on new consumer unit on every test. At the moment I use them to stock up on materials for work during the week and after they see how much work is involved I get recommended by customers for future work.

 

[baldsparkies]

So for Jo Public like myself other than personal recommendation , what is the best thing to look for Niceic ? should we be asking to see qualifications ? None of which guarantees a good job but at least there might be some comeback if it wasnt.

NICEIC or the like registration is an absolute bare minimum before they even get there foot in your door.
Check them on line to make sure there registered.
Genuine recommendations are always worth having, and if there any good that won't be a problem.
ASK to see there JIB gold card (approved electrician status would be my recommendation)
If nothing else it proves they have been in the trade long enough to get themselves properly recognised, and in my honest opinion the JIB are one of the most discerning when it comes to grading qualified electricians.
Go by your gut feeling. Most people can work out bull**** before the brain is baffled, and if they try to blind you with technicalities then suspect BS.
A good sparks knows your not an electrician and will take the time to explain things to you in good old fashion english.

 

[trev]

or insist on new consumer unit on every test.

And what are you going to base this insistence on?
So as of this month are you demanding that perfectly serviceable plastic CUs be ripped out and replaced because they don't comply with the new "non combustible" regulation?

 

[D Skelton]

Why am I unreal. I was only stating fact.

You said "a register will indeed stop the charlatans". You appear to have changed your mind and now think it won't so the best thing to do is get 3 quotes.

I am glad you now agree with me.!

A proper register, run not for profit, with real assessment methods, and teeth, will stop charlatans, no doubt about it! It won't stop conmen however. Nothing you ever do will stop someone from becoming a criminal if they want to be. You can however stop people being killed as a result of crap training and a reliance on chequebook competence.

It isn't up to the electrical industry to stop conmen, that is down to trading standards and the police. It is however up to the electrical industry to regulate who can and can't go into someone's home or place of work and carry out alterations to an electrical installation. It is up to the electrical industry to ensure that someone with only 17 days worth of training, regardless of their work experience before hand, cannot masquerade as an electrician and put lives in danger through lack of knowledge. Full stop.

You are unreal because you simply fail to see the danger someone like yourself would put members of the public in with such a limited amount of knowledge of electrical design, installation, initial verification and inspection and testing should you start trading as an electrician!

 

[rompling]

(null)

Where abouts in the country are you ?
£50 for an EICR you got to be kidding - how the hell do people make money ?

 

[thekingiam]

Hmm get your point trev, I have never had a customer not have me do remedials as yet.
Trying to get my head around this
I don't like the idea of giving a unsatisfactory report then quote for work the customer needs and the only option the customer has is to pay what ever I want or get another electrician in to redoo all tests.
If your saying a MWC and an unsatisfactory report is acceptable as a pass I didn't know ?

 

[thekingiam]

Newport s wales , I haven't got confirmation on the £50.00 just one customer I do know off a few some one is costing at £110.00

 

[TJ Anderson]

I don't like the idea of giving a unsatisfactory report then quote for work the customer needs and the only option the customer has is to pay what ever I want or get another electrician in to redoo all tests.
QUOTE]

Well get your head round it! They trusted you to carry out the EICR so they should trust you to be reasonable on the remedials. That is good business. Don't help a competitor, they won't help you. As soon as another electrician does there remedial works they will become his client.

 

[trev]

What possible other option is there?
There's nothing to get your head round. You do the report, you quote for remedials. You might get the job, you might not. If the customer wants a satisfactory report they pay someone for the work. It really is that simple.
Tell me, if you do an EICR and I get the remedials what makes you think you need to do another report? The customer has a bit of paper saying X is wrong, they then get another bit of paper saying "I've done this and it complies"
Your responsibility towards the customer and the install end with your EICR if you're not doing the remeds.

 

[trev]

you don't need to compete with a £50 EICR mate. You can't because for that £50 they're getting a guaranteed satisfactory report.
What you need to do is point out that yes you're more expensive BUT for that money Mr Homeowner or Mrs Office worker or Mrs Workshop owner is getting a proper inspection carried out by a properly qualified person and that the report will be factual and impartial.

 

[thekingiam]

May save me some ink trev, can it just be a headed letter.

 

[trev]

Can what be on a headed letter?
The eicr? It can be on gold tipped vellum made from the skins of unborn goats if you want it. It can be on used bog roll.
As long as the wording is correct but I'd advise downloading the official form and reproducing it on your own letterhead as you see fit mate