Thinking of switching from NIC to ECA or Napit

[RWJ]

We do mainly industrial and commercial work with a small bit of (landlord) residential.
After some recent negative comments from potential customers regarding NICEIC electricians I was thinking of jumping ship to ECA or Napit.

OK I know ECA are now the same as NIC but there name doesn't seem to be held with the same disdain as the NICEIC.
On a positive it seems if we go ECA we would get the same area engineer we've had for years and get on with.

I'm not sure on Napit because a large majority of the jobs we go for ask for ECA / NIC. YES I know this is NOT right / illegal etc but it does still exist and speaking to a Napit contractor who says it holds him back.

If it was just for domestic then I would 100% go for Stroma as I the only negative comments are the standard they expect (take note NICEIC!!).

Any thoughts?

 

[Madocks]

Just sent off Napit application, they were on the phone the day after to set up direct debit and take payment. Havent recieved any inspection date or anything else......... seemed very money focussed

Yet to be decided if good or not

 

[sinewove]

Just sent off Napit application, they were on the phone the day after to set up direct debit and take payment. Havent recieved any inspection date or anything else......... seemed very money focussed

Yet to be decided if good or not

At the end of the day,how many customers,companies,or insurers have heard of Napit,or want to use their contractors?
Regards.

 

[Madocks]

At the end of the day,how many customers,companies,or insurers have heard of Napit,or want to use their contractors?
Regards.

Domestic installer, home owners havent heared of any. All they care about is whether you can sign the work off or not.

 

[mhar]

Had my assessment earlier this week (Stroma) and the guy was commenting on the number of new members they are attracting and speculating if all the existing schemes will be here in a few years time

 

[Delboyalpha]

Hi all
I have had all kinds of grief with Napit- I would never recommend them.
Very quick to ask for cash, constantly pushing for new business ie Van lease/insurance/tools/calibration etc, yet on several occasions have ignored my emails for advice, even not clarifying NC’s on surveillance visits.
Do absolutely nothing for the money you pay them, except send an Assesser round with no site experience and yet hyper critical of your work.
Once I informed them I was leaving to join Stroma, they suspended my membership claiming non compliance due to incomplete NC’s, yet would not answer emails from me asking for clarification of NC’s!
Truly shocking and arrogant! Avoid!

 

[RWJ]

Hi all
I have had all kinds of grief with Napit- I would never recommend them.
Very quick to ask for cash, constantly pushing for new business ie Van lease/insurance/tools/calibration etc, yet on several occasions have ignored my emails for advice, even not clarifying NC’s on surveillance visits.
Do absolutely nothing for the money you pay them, except send an Assesser round with no site experience and yet hyper critical of your work.
Once I informed them I was leaving to join Stroma, they suspended my membership claiming non compliance due to incomplete NC’s, yet would not answer emails from me asking for clarification of NC’s!
Truly shocking and arrogant! Avoid!

Thanks for sharing, I have heard the same from other local sparks. Shame they're using the NICEIC business model.

I really wish we didn't need NIC / ECA , we'd have been with Stroma ages ago.

 

[Delboyalpha]

I have been watching Stroma for a while, once they started MCS (I install solar PV) I planned to move over. I just want the whole Napit thing behind me!
The more people I talk to, the more it becomes obvious that most of Napit’s members are unhappy with them, but put up with them because it’s easier!
It shouldn’t be like that!

 

[Des 56]

Napit are no better and no worse than any other scheme

The only benefits anyone should require from any of them is a notification process for domestic installation
Cost wise Stroma have the advantage over the remainder
If you require one of these schemes for recognition and/or work generation for domestic,forget it,its irrelevant

Niceic has a distinct advantage with the approved contractor scheme in commercial and industrial installation for opening doors to contract opportunities the others can't match


Best for technical helplines!none of them
Never used one and likely never would,anything I wanted to know,it can be answered by some of the wise guys on here

 

[DC-backfrom the past]

I'm not in any of them and after being to several jobs that NIC members have signed off that have failed and some dangerous is alarming.
I'm getting plenty of work without being in any of these schemes
i see it as money that i would pay out to others that i would need to recoup and not get much back in return.

 

[peterhyper]

Niceic appear to be the only known body to most people, as the only time a customer asks if I'm registered is when they ask if I'm NICEIC registered.