two day trial on Monday

[not_today]

So i got a message yesterday from a chap 60 miles from me looking for a mate/ labourer to work alongside an electrician. the work is social housing bathroom and kitchen refitting. in and out.when the jobs done your, day is over and you head off home. he claims he is only a few years into a 9 year contract.

it is a 3 hour round trip for me and will cost me close to £20 per day for fuel and food. we have spoken about money which i will not put on here but if someone could pm me regarding this issue it would be great ..

we agreed a 2 day trial next monday and tuesday .. i have booked the time off work and am getting my hand tools together ...

the list includes:

items i already have
claw hammer
lump hammer
small hammer (cant remember the term)
set of 4 vde drivers
large flathead
small flat head
large philips
small phillips
a collection of tiny "jewellers drivers
3 crow bars of various sizes
2 x 12mm + 18mm wood chisels
coal chisel (very large, cannot find the smaller one)
pencils and sharpie
400mm spirit level
a pair of ck snips i found at work, they are pretty hard to use despite using 3 in 1 oil ... will leave to soak over night
stanley knife and spare blades
spanners 10mm - 19mm
multi bit driver with bits
head torch and batteries
standard torch (im a torch geek)
allan keys

the majority of this stuff belongs to my family so in time i will have to replace it if i am sucessful (although they dont use half of it!

items i (think) need to purchase
my current job have screwed my pay up this month so i am on a bit of a budget to get these items )if you think they are required) ..... i dont wanna be spending ££££'s in case im not taken on, but i dont want to look unprepared and look like an amature....

"essential" stuff
voltage tester £5.99
tape measure £1.99 (wonder how many of you thought i forgot!)
3 piece vde pliers set £11.24
gloves, goggles and dust masks - less than a tenner

non essential stuff
wall board saw £1.99
standard woodsaw £2.24
junior hacksaw £1.68
dustpan and brush?

please let me know what you think and if i am over doing it and being too keen, i would rather take the gear and look professional and that i am taking this seriously than turn up with sweet fa and look a mug.

also, considering this is a two day trial, should i expect to be paid? regardless of whether they would like to take me on or i would like to join them. does this make me sound like a fool? he'll potential be making money out my labour so i should expect a day rate?

he spoke of being self employed, luckily my family are very clued up in regards to this and where crunching numbers last night.


Could someone drop me a pm to talk about pay .....


cheers

Sam

 

[not_today]

it looks like it will cost me about £65 for fuel £15 per day, food £5 per day and the other bits £25 i beleive i'll need for this 2 day trial ......

 

[not_today]

crap ... the cheap VDE pliers are out of stock all over the country .....

 

[flex_m]

I've just gone through a similar experience myself mate, social housing job or not rewires. What sort of experience do you have? I dont see any problem discussing cash in this section of the forum, it's only trainees and mentors in these parts!

I've a year on the tools under my belt, I started on 80 a day (in london) but over the last couple of weeks I've proved my worth and I'm getting a pay rise on monday.
I have to say it's been a very positive experience, I've learned a lot and it's regular work.

If you want to make it in the industry you need experience working with a good sparks above anything else. If you're not getting experience in your current job, you want to learn the trade and can't find regular work nearer to you I say go for it. If you're a practical person you'll learn fast and earn a pay rise, just make sure you make it clear after the trial you are expecting this.

I can't see anything wrong with your tool list, you might find yourself only using a fraction of it on a daily basis, however you won't know this until you've done a couple of days. Buy those extra bits, if you don't need them now you will in the future.

Feel free to PM me discussing cash or anything else.

 

[Simonslimline]

Out of interest mate, what AVI have you got for £5.99?

 

[not_today]

Out of interest mate, what AVI have you got for £5.99?

this one bud ....

LAP MS8902H AC Voltage Detector Pen | Voltage Testers | Screwfix.com

read a thread a while ago about, im sure paul m started it or mentioned it .... the general opinion was that is was just as good at the more expensive ones ....

 

[Simonslimline]

this one bud ....

LAP MS8902H AC Voltage Detector Pen | Voltage Testers | Screwfix.com

read a thread a while ago about, im sure paul m started it or mentioned it .... the general opinion was that is was just as good at the more expensive ones ....

You will need a proper Approved voltage indicator mate. Please don't rely on a non contact volt stick for a means of safe isolation.

These things have there uses, but are by no means a way of proving dead.

 

[not_today]

i have minimal experience, worked for a domestic spark for a couple of months before i took this job in building maintenance/ facilities ....

he's talking £75 a day, the same as an apprentice he has working for him. if successful i would like to be closer to £85. i have child maintenance to pay, will need to put enough asside for 2 or 3 weeks holiday and save for college fees. let alone the camper i want to build/ buy.

was talking to the concractors at work today ... they reckon £75 is quite low considering the traveling etc but they also say it is a stepping stone.

i will be leaving a full time, semi well paid job. they know i am looking elsewhere and have offered me more hours at £11.50 ph after my standard 37 plus the bonus of paid holidays. this will bring my pay up considerably. i could stay in my job and attend college 2 evenings a week to get my level 2 under my belt. it is a wonderful place to work but i am going nowhere fast.

i am also waiting to hear back from a company within 10 miles from me about a labourers position, we spoke of training and i emailed him to say i would pay for the training myself (or hopefully a portion of it!) if i was offered a job with this company, i would bite their hands off. i am hoping to offer them a weeks trial if i get an interview.

in regards to payment for my 2 trial days, should i ask him before i turn up or simply put my hand out at the end of the two days?


lots of decisions to make

thanks for the advice pal

 

[not_today]

how much will one of those set me back?

 

[Simonslimline]

how much will one of those set me back?

Prices vary depending on the product mate. I personally use a Fluke T150. I also use a Drummond test lamp for proving if it is phantom voltage or not.

You can pick up an AVI for not too much mate. Have a look online. There are plenty of threads on here regarding this subject also.

 

[pennychew]

£75 sounds ok as a start off rate to me, 60 mile commute will get old quite quick though. It will be great experience so give it a go! personally i wouldn't expect any cash then that way anything will be a bonus!

I wouldn't worry too much about the tools either as i doubt he'll be expecting you to have all that gear, just take some drivers and snips.

 

[flex_m]

I spent two years doing my level 2 and working in another sector, in the year I've been on the tools I've learned magnitudes more than I did one day a week at college.

If you want to become an electrician you don't want to wait any longer to get some experience, IMO.

Even if you only do a couple of months with this firm you'll learn lots and be in a much better position to land another job that's better paid and closer to you.

I think you should expect to be paid for the trial days, even if it's just to cover your costs. It's up to you to decide how to bring the topic up, I would have done it in the initial communication.

 

[not_today]

i aint taking the tools to look at them .... im there to get stuck in as best i can and get what needs to be done done. i'll text him over the weekend about spotting me £20 a day for fuel ..

snips are the one thing i dont have .... any budget recommendations? sub £15 if possible ....

 

[Simonslimline]

A possibility if you have a screw-fix nearby and they are in stock!



NWS VDE Side Cutters 160mm (6¼") | Side & Diagonal Cutters | Screwfix.com

 

[pennychew]

i aint taking the tools to look at them .... im there to get stuck in as best i can and get what needs to be done done. i'll text him over the weekend about spotting me £20 a day for fuel ..

snips are the one thing i dont have .... any budget recommendations? sub £15 if possible ....

Good attitude and good idea! If he's a decent guy he'll pay you for your work anyway but asking him to spot you for fuel is a good approach.

As for snips I'm not sure to be honest, as budget stuff goes I usually find draper stuff to be decent, check toolstation, screwfix and wickes if you need them quick.. I would also recommend wickes own brand VDE drivers, think they are about a tenner for a set