Tradesmen

[117 M34]

I'm going to ring him tomorrow to find out some more info as you've all got me worried now.
What should I be asking him? - I know I should have asked this before he started but can't do much about that now so will have to try to get things sorted from now on.

Any ideas on potential answers from him and replies from me?
Bear in mind I don't want to piss him off as I still want him to carry on doing it

 

[blumoonrisen]

If you know and trust the guy and he is a qualified spark then I don't see a problem, just because someone hasn't paid out a ridiculous fee to be entitled to call themselves competent, it doesn't mean they are likely to do dangerous installations.
Interestingly, anybody is allowed to carry out electrical work on their own home, apart from consumer units. ie you are within the law to replace your own sockets and switches etc, and to add extra sockets etc to existing circuits.. obviously none of this requires certificates.

Not exactly right you can not carry out work in special locations i,e bathrooms, kitchens, swimming pools and we don't pay to be told we can do our job right we have the qualifications and experience for that, we pay the fees for accreditation to ensure we comply with the law and customers peace of mind that there installation meats current regulations and government legislation

An old workmate of mine had to pack in doing gas work a few years before he retired as it got too much for him paying rip off fees to go on constantly new corgi courses, even though he'd been doing it for 40+yrs.
Whilst obviously there has to be regulations to prevent any tom dick or harry doing rewires, gas work etc, we all know it is mainly about squeezing more cash out of tradesmen and eventually customers.

 

[bernabias home shirt]

Buy your own materials save yourself a 40% add on fee.

 

[salfordpaul]

If you know and trust the guy and he is a qualified spark then I don't see a problem, just because someone hasn't paid out a ridiculous fee to be entitled to call themselves competent, it doesn't mean they are likely to do dangerous installations.
Interestingly, anybody is allowed to carry out electrical work on their own home, apart from consumer units. ie you are within the law to replace your own sockets and switches etc, and to add extra sockets etc to existing circuits.. obviously none of this requires certificates.

Not exactly right you can not carry out work in special locations i,e bathrooms, kitchens, swimming pools and we don't pay to be told we can do our job right we have the qualifications and experience for that, we pay the fees for accreditation to ensure we comply with the law and customers peace of mind that there installation meats current regulations and government legislation

An old workmate of mine had to pack in doing gas work a few years before he retired as it got too much for him paying rip off fees to go on constantly new corgi courses, even though he'd been doing it for 40+yrs.
Whilst obviously there has to be regulations to prevent any tom dick or harry doing rewires, gas work etc, we all know it is mainly about squeezing more cash out of tradesmen and eventually customers.

corgi has gone now its gassafe pal! i'm gassafe registered and all i do is central heating service , repairs and installations! i could work 8 days a week if there were that many days! I like the fact that this body is behind me , checking my work etc! means that there are few cowboys in the gas industry! (contrary to pop belief, most on rogue traders are NOT qualified!)

I am so busy its great! treat customers well, dont bullshit them and do a good job and you ll get loads of recommends!!

i can fit a boiler for x amount but i have a lot of outgoings(gassafe , ins, training,van etc etc) some chancer could do it for half of that.....is it worth the saving??

 

[blumoonrisen]

Not exactly right you can not carry out work in special locations i,e bathrooms, kitchens, swimming pools and we don't pay to be told we can do our job right we have the qualifications and experience for that, we pay the fees for accreditation to ensure we comply with the law and customers peace of mind that there installation meats current regulations and government legislation

An old workmate of mine had to pack in doing gas work a few years before he retired as it got too much for him paying rip off fees to go on constantly new corgi courses, even though he'd been doing it for 40+yrs.
Whilst obviously there has to be regulations to prevent any tom dick or harry doing rewires, gas work etc, we all know it is mainly about squeezing more cash out of tradesmen and eventually customers.

corgi has gone now its gassafe pal! i'm gassafe registered and all i do is central heating service , repairs and installations! i could work 8 days a week if there were that many days! I like the fact that this body is behind me , checking my work etc! means that there are few cowboys in the gas industry! (contrary to pop belief, most on rogue traders are NOT qualified!)

I am so busy its great! treat customers well, dont bullshit them and do a good job and you ll get loads of recommends!!

i can fit a boiler for x amount but i have a lot of outgoings(gassafe , ins, training,van etc etc) some chancer could do it for half of that.....is it worth the saving??

Probably is worth the saving, if the person fitting it knows what he's doing.

 

[Warwickhunt]

If you know and trust the guy and he is a qualified spark then I don't see a problem, just because someone hasn't paid out a ridiculous fee to be entitled to call themselves competent, it doesn't mean they are likely to do dangerous installations.
Interestingly, anybody is allowed to carry out electrical work on their own home, apart from consumer units. ie you are within the law to replace your own sockets and switches etc, and to add extra sockets etc to existing circuits.. obviously none of this requires certificates.

Not exactly right you can not carry out work in special locations i,e bathrooms, kitchens, swimming pools and we don't pay to be told we can do our job right we have the qualifications and experience for that, we pay the fees for accreditation to ensure we comply with the law and customers peace of mind that there installation meats current regulations and government legislation

An old workmate of mine had to pack in doing gas work a few years before he retired as it got too much for him paying rip off fees to go on constantly new corgi courses, even though he'd been doing it for 40+yrs.
Whilst obviously there has to be regulations to prevent any tom dick or harry doing rewires, gas work etc, we all know it is mainly about squeezing more cash out of tradesmen and eventually customers.

You're right, it was the same with the ACS, and now they switched from corgi to gas safe, they're all just money making rackets.

It's also the same with the nvq's now.
There is for example, machine men, been operating machines for 30yrs+, now having to do nvq's because some office jockey thinks they aren't qualified enough to operate said machine.

 

[blumoonrisen]

Not exactly right you can not carry out work in special locations i,e bathrooms, kitchens, swimming pools and we don't pay to be told we can do our job right we have the qualifications and experience for that, we pay the fees for accreditation to ensure we comply with the law and customers peace of mind that there installation meats current regulations and government legislation

An old workmate of mine had to pack in doing gas work a few years before he retired as it got too much for him paying rip off fees to go on constantly new corgi courses, even though he'd been doing it for 40+yrs.
Whilst obviously there has to be regulations to prevent any tom dick or harry doing rewires, gas work etc, we all know it is mainly about squeezing more cash out of tradesmen and eventually customers.

You're right, it was the same with the ACS, and now they switched from corgi to gas safe, they're all just money making rackets.

It's also the same with the nvq's now.
There is for example, machine men, been operating machines for 30yrs+, now having to do nvq's because some office jockey thinks they aren't qualified enough to operate said machine.

Exactly.. I'm a time served joiner, but despite my 4yrs coll C&G adv and 30yrs exp etc, I'm waiting for some twat to decide I need to pay a grand to go on a "how to use a hammer and saw in a safe way" course... and if I don't go on it then I'm obviously not a proper joiner and folk should steer clear cos I'll rip them off and my work will be shit..

The ONLY way to avoid the "all the gear but no idea" types is by recommendation and word of mouth..

 

[Warwickhunt]

An old workmate of mine had to pack in doing gas work a few years before he retired as it got too much for him paying rip off fees to go on constantly new corgi courses, even though he'd been doing it for 40+yrs.
Whilst obviously there has to be regulations to prevent any tom dick or harry doing rewires, gas work etc, we all know it is mainly about squeezing more cash out of tradesmen and eventually customers.

You're right, it was the same with the ACS, and now they switched from corgi to gas safe, they're all just money making rackets.

It's also the same with the nvq's now.
There is for example, machine men, been operating machines for 30yrs+, now having to do nvq's because some office jockey thinks they aren't qualified enough to operate said machine.

Exactly.. I'm a time served joiner, but despite my 4yrs coll C&G adv and 30yrs exp etc, I'm waiting for some twat to decide I need to pay a grand to go on a "how to use a hammer and saw in a safe way" course... and if I don't go on it then I'm obviously not a proper joiner and folk should steer clear cos I'll rip them off and my work will be shit..

Me brother had the same crap not long ago, been plastering since he was 14, now been doing it 40 years. apparently 40 yrs experience isn't enough for these pen pushers.

I'll tell you what though, give me these 30 and 40 years experienced men over the fresh out of college with qualifications coming out of there arses anyday, the experienced men have forgot more than these lot know.
BTW, i'll pm you something.

 

[PistonBlue]

I'm not bothered bout it being signed off for myself as I trust him (maybe blindly) that he is doing it properly and safely. I'm just thinking about if I come to sell my house in a few years and they want to see proof it has been done.

If you know and trust the guy and he is a qualified spark then I don't see a problem, just because someone hasn't paid out a ridiculous fee to be entitled to call themselves competent, it doesn't mean they are likely to do dangerous installations.
Interestingly, anybody is allowed to carry out electrical work on their own home, apart from consumer units. ie you are within the law to replace your own sockets and switches etc, and to add extra sockets etc to existing circuits.. obviously none of this requires certificates.

The guy doing the work, even if just a replacement socket has to be able to certify his own work, and should do so.

I guess you are correct in saying that anyone can carry out electrical work in their own home, I mean who's going to stop them? But for me this the same as saying you are also free to drink Domestos in your own home, there's no law against it as far as I know. Whether it's advisable to do so is another matter.<br /><br />-- Thu Aug 25, 2011 4:06 pm --<br /><br />

I'm going to ring him tomorrow to find out some more info as you've all got me worried now.
What should I be asking him? - I know I should have asked this before he started but can't do much about that now so will have to try to get things sorted from now on.

Any ideas on potential answers from him and replies from me?
Bear in mind I don't want to piss him off as I still want him to carry on doing it

Ask what his quals are, he should at the very least have the 17th IEE Regs. What does he do for his day job? Is he an industrial spark- industry and domestic are very different. A guy used to working in a factory for example may not be up to date on domestic regs.

 

[malg]

corgi has gone now its gassafe pal! i'm gassafe registered and all i do is central heating service , repairs and installations! i could work 8 days a week if there were that many days! I like the fact that this body is behind me , checking my work etc! means that there are few cowboys in the gas industry! (contrary to pop belief, most on rogue traders are NOT qualified!)

I am so busy its great! treat customers well, dont bullshit them and do a good job and you ll get loads of recommends!!

i can fit a boiler for x amount but i have a lot of outgoings(gassafe , ins, training,van etc etc) some chancer could do it for half of that.....is it worth the saving??

and you're ITK......:-)