Setting up on my own

[Richard3009]

I have been an JIB 16th edition approved electrician for 25 years, with good experience on domestic and industrial installations.
I wish to set up on my own, the inspection test and self certifying part is very confusing, do I need to get this qualification, any advice really welcomed, Im just trying to get an idea of where to start.

Thank you in advance

 

[ezzzekiel]

yes you require membership to :
niceic, napit, elecsa, eca to be able to sign off your own work (or pay building control direct - not really cost effective)
average price is about £400 per year and as your qualified you will only need a onsite inspection of work

 

[Richard3009]

You are saying I need to sign up to all those, I thought you just needed to take part 1 of the inspection test course to certify your own work, what are most one man band electrical outfits doing to certify their work?

 

[ian.settle1]

You are saying I need to sign up to all those, I thought you just needed to take part 1 of the inspection test course to certify your own work, what are most one man band electrical outfits doing to certify their work?

No just one of them it's the way he's typed it.

 

[city spark]

Am i not right in saying you do not have to be a member of any of these bodies its just most people prefer you are a member, domestically anyway

 

[Richard3009]

OK putting aside the organisation leeches, self certifying of installation what's the best route?, I assume 17th edition upgrade is the first port of call yes?

 

[Spudnik]

!7th edition update is a must. However, if you are up to 16th then they will allow you to do it within first 6 months ish of joining.

You do not need 2391 to self cert, although some schemes require it.

Self cert is the way to go. Notifying LABC yourself and paying them huge sums of money is pointless.

 

[city spark]

I think you would be best doing the c&g 2391 possibly now 2392 test and cert then worry about 17th ed

 

[Richard3009]

See what I mean about it being a grey area, there must be a set minumum requirement of qualification to self certify, I have seen certs issued with no registration number????

What is the bare essentials to self cert ones work; taking into account I'm already an approved JIB electrician, ie do a domestic electrical job hand over the required certificate of compliance and invoice the customer.

 

[Spudnik]

The minimum requirements are set by the government and one of them being 17th edition.

There is nothing whatsoever about having to be 2391 qualified as well. However, SOME of the schemes make this one of their requirements although i know the NIC DO NOT if you can prove competency through a more in depth assessment.

Read this, page 7: http://www.niceic.com/library/B5487--Guide-to-Enrolment.pdf

and this: ELECSA - Requirements & Costs

 

[hughesy]

going with a group ie the niceic is a great option as this generates pleanty of work as the general public are advised to use nic companys and many estate agents who have testing done rq it to be done by an nic company, but you dont have to be in a group to self certify you can do it yourself take your part pand become part p registerd then all you have to do is send the local authority an email to issue a part p not sure what charges there are though but you need to ask how do plumbers certtify part p when carrying out minor electric work ie down lights in bathrooms and not pay the local authority a fortune.

 

[jeremy]

They take a defined scope course which because most of them rarely use their newly aquired "skills" they forget about pretty soon after. Doesn't matter though because they already have a bit of paper which proves that they're competent(until something goes wrong)

 

[hughesy]

They take a defined scope course which because most of them rarely use their newly aquired "skills" they forget about pretty soon after. Doesn't matter though because they already have a bit of paper which proves that they're competent(until something goes wrong)

its a disgrace lost count of the amount of times i have seen gu10 downlights in shower cubicles installed by plumbers every one should stick to their own trade .

 

[geecam]

i thought you could put gu10 above a shower no probs aslong as it was above 2.25m..ie outside the zone

could be wrong

geecam

 

[Richard3009]

So take part P whatever that is and become part P registered however you do that,

Fairly straight forward then???????

So before I can sell my trade do my job, I need to go back to school, you can't work in this country if you want to, no easy route then.

 

[ezzzekiel]

on the contrary as youre qualified you need to join either:
nic napit elecsa etc which will cost £400 then off you go (prob need to accquire 17th ed within first 12 months of joining

 

[Richard3009]

no need to take my part P then???

 

[ezzzekiel]

joining one of the above is partp (allowing you to sign off your own work without building control involvement)

 

[Richard3009]

arrrr I see they inspect your work periodicly, and in effect they take the responsibilty of issuing the certificate for a fee each year, so to get started sign up to them do a couple of jobs and let them inspect them, can you get certs issued for your initial jobs??

 

[ElectricMick]

Richard - I set upon my own 9 months ago. No previous experience in the trade but the military paid for my re training when I left after 30 years. I have 16th/17th edition, Eal Domestic installers cert and 2391 Insp & Test. I get more work than I can cope with and I am not registered with NIC/Napit etc. All I do is take on the jobs that have a building inspector (extensions etc) or for a CU change factor in the cost of Local Authority building inspector (£117.50 in this area). I issue certificates (Green ones) and guarantee my work. This Part P thing is a nonesense. I have the part P qualification, which is not worth the £260 exam fee as it does not excempt me from having to register, but have chosen not to as I get plenty of work without. I charge a couple of pounds less on my hourly rate to offset any inspection costs and at the moment it far outweighs the advantages given by joining one of the bodies. What gets to me is the fact that the building inspector is not inspecting electrics, only where the cables run. They wouldn't know T&E from SWA so what are they inspecting? I should think with your experience you would not have any trouble getting plenty of work and deciding afterwards which body you register with. Good Luck

 

[Richard3009]

Thanks for that, very encouraging, I would have problems factoring in £117 for small alterations, would make me expensive.
Better to spread the £400 over the year using the NIEC etc, I know its a racket but seems the easiest option, Im still not convinced it negates the need to be test and inspection certified.

 

[ElectricMick]

I take on quite a bit of minor work, which is not notifiable, and could probably make a living doing that - you mentioned small alterations - if its not adding a new circuit then generally it is minor so no LABC fees involved. I have the problem of not being able to say no to any challenge so tend to take on bigger projects than I really want - but this usually means they pay well and factoring in the Building inspector is usually quite easy. There are many ways around this - and I have to admit that for most people its registering, it does take some hassle from it, but most customers understand that the LABC have a finger in the pie and accept it - if they don't they will find themselves a registered guy - but thats not always easy. After a 30 year military career I tend to look at things through different glasses as I have my pension to fall back on - so if I get work, good, if I don't its not the end of the world. I know many guys in my position who are new to the trade and you could probably run rings round us when it comes to installation knowledge, so if I was you I would go for it. The intensive 2391 Insp & Test course is not easy but I'm sure you would have no trouble with it - that opens up a whole new world as demand for qualified Insp & Test guys is high - particularly registered ones.