Starting my own business

[Gc192004]

I am looking for advice. Im a fully qualified electrician with NVQ3. Ive 14 years experience and worked for the same company in that time. And now want to go it alone.
What other qualifiations are required for me to get the ball rolling.

 

[dazza1981]

I am looking for advice. Im a fully qualified electrician with NVQ3. Ive 14 years experience and worked for the same company in that time. And now want to go it alone.
What other qualifiations are required for me to get the ball rolling.

Hi mate there was a similar thread earlier.... best thing is to use the search bar and you will find exactly the answers your looking for

 

[MDJ]

I am looking for advice. Im a fully qualified electrician with NVQ3. Ive 14 years experience and worked for the same company in that time. And now want to go it alone.
What other qualifiations are required for me to get the ball rolling.

None, can you list all your qualifications to confirm though.

 

[trev]

I am looking for advice. Im a fully qualified electrician with NVQ3. Ive 14 years experience and worked for the same company in that time. And now want to go it alone.
What other qualifiations are required for me to get the ball rolling.

None, some basic book keeping/marketing etc courses might come in handy but if you're qualified you're good to go.

 

[besty2204]

it depends on what sector you want to work in really and if you want to self cert? theres a lot of bodies you can register with. NAPIT are fairly well recognised but the badge every1 wants to see is NIC EIC, if you only do domestic work u only have to do your "part p" so you can register as a NICEIC domestic installer, but the top dog/choice is to be a NICEIC registered which will require u to be fully qualified, 17th edition electrician with your C&G 2391 (which has recently been split into 2 courses).
hope that helps

 

[Darkwood]

What are you experienced in ... domestic, com' or industrial..

Ironically competence is all you require but to work in some segments of the industry you may need to show your overseen by a scheme provider which will require that you are up to the modern 17th amendments on paper. This will also help prove your competence if anything ever went wrong well unless you did something really stupid that is.

 

[Gc192004]

Am I not required to have 2391 inspection and testing

 

[Gc192004]

I've actually done a bit of everything and am now a foreman for whom I work for

 

[NickD]

None, some basic book keeping/marketing etc courses might come in handy.

Recommend 'Small Business Accounting' by Andy Lymer, ISBN 9781444100242.

 

[PEG]

Hi, qualifications,exams and certs aside....i have worked for myself,in one form or another since i was 10 years old and THIS is what you will need,not in order of importance; Patience,stamina,confidence,ability to assess a persons character in first 5 mins,investing in your job before yourself (equipment and knowledge before holidays and gadgets...) and another valuable asset is having like-minded pals in other trades you can drop on when stuck...ie: finding severed SWA at 4 pm,phone call at 4.30 pm, Mini-digger and pipe bedding there at 8 am the next morning. Also try to have a really great missus,and,when needed,growing a massive set of balls. I hope this is of assistance,as it's from the heart :willy_nilly:

 

[NickD]

That does somewhat depend on the assumption that the OP is not a woman. Although even then as of midnight yesterday that doesn't preclude her from having a really great missus.

 

[snowhead]

Electrical qualifications are secondary to the ability to run a Business.

You need a pile of cash to keep you going till you're in profit.
Also some of that cash will be lost to non payers and poor quoting on your behalf.
You need to be able to manage invoicing, pay suppliers, deal with HMRC and an accountant.
Plus obtaining all the H&S quals that some customers will expect to see proof of.
Waste transfer licences etc.
The list goes on.

 

[mechelec]

As a matter of interest why do you want to set up your own business ? Domestic house bashing seems to be flooded with electrical trainee and prices are pretty low. Maybe you are in a different sector ?

 

[MDJ]

Am I not required to have 2391 inspection and testing

No your not, if you are an electrician which you obviously are then you only need customers to become self employed. Now that said if you decide to join a scheme M8 then you may need a testing qualification, I know the NICEIC can assess the QS for competance on site if he has not got the 2391 or an equivilent qualification, and it is up to the inspecting engineer to assess the QS when a visit is due, you will need the right books, insurance and proof of competancy, the very best of luck to you in your Journey.

 

[NickD]

Electrical qualifications are secondary to the ability to run a Business.

You need a pile of cash to keep you going till you're in profit.
Also some of that cash will be lost to non payers and poor quoting on your behalf.
You need to be able to manage invoicing, pay suppliers, deal with HMRC and an accountant.
Plus obtaining all the H&S quals that some customers will expect to see proof of.
Waste transfer licences etc.
The list goes on.

You can potentially start up cheaply. Buy correct but basic tools and test kit. Shop around for best deals on calibration (if required) and insurance. Don't get a dedicated van, use a vehicle that doubles as one. Get a free to use invoicing package. If you don't actually need an accountant then read up how to do it and then do your own accounting (I recommend using a suitable personal finance app on a smartphone for recording the transactions). Consider stating in your T&C you don't dispose of waste, it's the client's responsibility. Etc.