Why do commercial sparks bash house bashers?

[Electrics]

I've just started an apprenticeship with a decent sized firm (I got taken on full time - hooray!) and was thinking this week about how a lot of people, mostly online, turn their nose up at people who do domestic work.

I was wondering why, since at my work everybody seems to do the bare minimum but with most decent domestic sparks i know, they tend to go the extra mile.

Is there a difference in quality of workmanship simply because people want to do a better job for their own customers as opposed to commercial sparks who are simply getting the job done and aren't personally responsible for the final job?

Just seems to be a lot more 'just get it done' mentality on the commercial side.

Another thing i noticed is hardly anyone has the correct tools for the job and the tools they do have are mashed up.

So people will be using blunt cutters where the tip of one side has shattered off, or drivers with half the shaft insulation hanging off. Then there are other things which not bad but just 'doing it the hard way' like cutting PVC conduit with a hack saw having 3m of it flapping about instead of just buying a £10 pipe cutter, or using hammer and chisel/pad saw to cut out for back boxes where the wall is double skinned chipboard/plasterboard because nobody has a multi tool. Putting up conduit? Simply measure out from some maybe straight maybe wonky reference point and use your 6 inch torpedo level to get it right, instead of simply using a proper spirit level, making the job ten times easier.

When in the domestic setting it seems most people have the basic tools that make life easier.

Is it simply a case of 'not my job, don't care that much' on site compared with running private jobs directly in people's homes?

 

[Petej999]

Yeah......never used that term 'till about 20 years back.........it just appeared along with 'domestic contractors', 'Part P', a glut of 'membership schemes' and that other famous one relating to just over a month's worth of training.
.......can't quite remember that one, off hand. ?

Well you should remember it, it's the truth

 

[Dave OCD]

Most of your work isn't going to be in new builds though.

No it's rare actually as I avoid them mostly due to the frustration of being surrounded by idiots but working in occupied homes is generally more difficult in many ways.

 

[Electrics]

No it's rare actually as I avoid them mostly due to the frustration of being surrounded by idiots but working in occupied homes is generally more difficult in many ways.

Tell me about it mate, spent this weekend putting a bath in my own house where i can generally make a bit of a mess if i need to, and needing to move stuff, clear up, make sure i didn't damage stuff etc was a right pain.

 

[telectrix]

Tell me about it mate, spent this weekend putting a bath in my own house where i can generally make a bit of a mess if i need to, and needing to move stuff, clear up, make sure i didn't damage stuff etc was a right pain.

have you now taken the tin bath off the nail in the back door then? ?

 

[Grant1987]

Not at all Mate, I had 4/5 years on housing projects looking after and putting right sub standard work by substandard Sparks mostly Apprentices in thier las couple of years, or chancers who thought they were Electricians because they could sling Twin and cpc about with gay abandon, believe me Mate, new labour coming in as the jobs progressed I saw it all during those years, I have every respect for those that do domestic, it's the chancers that give domestic Guys a bad rep, sometimes the truth hurts.
I had the chance to get out of the domestic side and it proved to be the right move. Oh by the way I had my reality check eary on in my long career, went back to college, because during my time of day release there where those that spoilt the learning curve for the many pooh pooing the Science side of things," what do I need this stuff for when all I do is work on a building site day in day out, I worked with some good Domestic guys as well, not many but some as I say.
When you work with some lads that couldn't do a basic insulation test it does make you wonder what the trade was/is coming to, to answer your point that I have a lack of respect for Domestic Sparks, that's far from the truth.

We just have to agree that we aren’t going to agree on this one, yes there are many so called sparks who have carried out a months course and think they deserve a sparks rate I know all about this I’ve had to “let them go” as they are not up to required standards and don’t meet my standards alone. I don’t expect them all to be able to test that’s my job and I don’t advertise for them to be able to although I believe they should be able to. Also not just the domestic sparks know what an insulation resistance is shockingly a lot don’t have a scooby do about testing but that’s no fault of their own they have not clearly had the quality training and experience but I’ll always try to improve anyone who wants to learn regardless of their sector but you I give up on ??

 

[Intoelectrics]

I think its a matter of perception, a rather poor one. There is a stigma around "house bashers" because of some of the things that have already been pointed out in this thread.

I mentioned before that domestic work is the prime target for dodgy tradespeople, not just in electrics but all the other trades also. For those unscrupulous folk out there it can be an orchid of easy pick fruit, where they can bodge it and scarper, with little to no retribution. Unfortunately it's these type of folk that create the stigma for the decent domestic tradespeople.

This is of course totally unjustified, and unfair and unkind for the decent genuine tradespeople who happen to work in this sector of the industry. So come on guys lets not squabble over who is better than who, when we all know and respect the fact that as fully qualified experienced sparkies though non perfect, in general we are skilled and decent tradespeople.

 

[ipf]

I think its a matter of perception, a rather poor one. There is a stigma around "house bashers" because of some of the things that have already been pointed out in this thread.

Has anyone mentioned what is a very simple and important reason for

 

[ipf]

continued from above


Has anyone mentioned what is a very simple and important reason for there being unscrupulous electricians, qualified or not, and the building trade in general.

CASH JOBS.
Done legally OK ........but if not, be it cash up front or not, it can be cut throat....and who knows about certification.
Some are stupid but I don't like innocent folk getting fleeced.....and that includes our trade.

 

[Electrics]

continued from above


Has anyone mentioned what is a very simple and important reason for there being unscrupulous electricians, qualified or not, and the building trade in general.

CASH JOBS.
Done legally OK ........but if not, be it cash up front or not, it can be cut throat....and who knows about certification.
Some are stupid but I don't like innocent folk getting fleeced.....and that includes our trade.

How does method of payment make any difference to quality of work?

 

[ipf]

How does method of payment make any difference to quality of work?

Sorry, but that remark shows you've plenty to learn.

 

[littlespark]

Sorry, but that remark shows you've plenty to learn.

I see where he’s coming from though. I do a job, and I don’t really care how I get paid as long as I get paid. Cash, cheque, BACS…. Even contemplating one of those square card readers.

Makes no difference to my quality of work.

 

[ipf]

I see where he’s coming from though. I do a job, and I don’t really care how I get paid as long as I get paid. Cash, cheque, BACS…. Even contemplating one of those square card readers.

Makes no difference to my quality of work.

I know what you mean but that's taking the wrong angle. With cash work, you can have a situation of no invoicing... nothing can be traced. You might well provide one for your customers but plenty don't. Cash makes it easier for cowboys.

 

[Electrics]

Sorry, but that remark shows you've plenty to learn.

Nope, i've been a builder for 18 years (i might be new to electric but i'm seasoned when it comes to the trades) and payment method has absolutely nothing to do with work quality. You're essentially saying if you take cash you're a cowboy which is nonsense.

 

[littlespark]

The only thing that can be dodgy with cash payments is not paying the proper tax.

Being a cowboy is ripping people off: doing a shoddy job, invoicing for work that either hasn’t been done or wasn’t needed.

I don’t ask for cash, I ask to be paid. How the customer does that is up to them. I give an invoice, receipt and even cash is paid into my works bank account.
I’m sure @CamoElectric is the same.

 

[telectrix]

The only thing that can be dodgy with cash payments is not paying the proper tax.

Being a cowboy is ripping people off: doing a shoddy job, invoicing for work that either hasn’t been done or wasn’t needed.

I don’t ask for cash, I ask to be paid. How the customer does that is up to them. I give an invoice, receipt and even cash is paid into my works bank account.
I’m sure @CamoElectric is the same.

similar here, but cash usually goes into the local off licence. if it's over £100, into the P.O. that's inside Spar. (my nearest bank branch is 40 miles away, so no chance of putting it in there). under £100 is beer and smokes.