Electricians hard to come by

[neil82 1,087]

Had some wiring done in the housing association flat I`m in, fully signed off by them, all certified so should have been good to go,  the electric fire was not connected in the consumer unit and at the first safety inspection the ring main failed, my personal experience of certified tradesmen is most are fully qualified feckin idiots!

[Daniel cain 47,190]

Sparkies are like plumbers...scruffy ,messy,tired cnuts

[mitre 141]

The training for trades people is not up to much nowadays it was 5 years for a brickie back in the 50s and 60s and a day release to a college not no more it's usually 8 to 18 months for training no college but a shabby training provider with nothing in the building to learn or teach the lad nextdoor was on one and he left as he was having something wrong with his brain and racing heart beats which would pass out on the floor

 

 

 

 

 

 

[eastcoast 4,317]

Still 4 years for a spark, plumber or fitter to complete a proper apprenticeship and become properly qualified with certs to prove it. Colleges are conning young people. Agencies are poaching newly qualified lads by promising them long term contracts above labour norms. They end up on the agency merri-go-round. And their development ends, just chasing the next pay day. And skills remain at basic, just enough not to get sacked off in the 1st month. 

[mitre 141]

I know the contract does not mean the paper it's worth on and they can simply replace you and your rights are nothing I bet there is some have their favourites also and funding too

[Welsh_red 4,859]

On 31/01/2024 at 19:15, 3175darren said:

Does anyone know why decent elections are hard to come by, I want to rewire my house this next year or so and finding an electrician to do it is not easy at all . 

Might be a case of if your telling them "in the next year or so" they just think your just fishing for prices 

I'm a self employed builder , nothing major just me and for periods I have someone with me labouring . I've been to price lots of jobs where they tell me on the phone what they want done and I go round to have a look and they give off the vibe their on the fence about having it done or just want to know the price of having things done . Nothing wrong with that by the way but its a killer measuring up to redo the whole upstairs or something substantial to then hear back after you've given a price that " maybe in a year or two" .

I know from the customers side sometimes they are very open about timescales etc with me and its usually just to be friendly and not seem demanding as to put me off but I much prefer to have a customer say " depending on price I'm happy to start as soon as you are " . That way I know they want the work done its just price . And if I'm to expensive then I'm to expensive I can live with that.  But I've also spent 3 hours sunday working out a quote for someone , emailing it over , texting them saying "I've sent a quote over to you" and get instant text back "yeah sorry about that we've decided we're not having it done now" 

Also sparkles and plumbers especially are the worst trades , sparkles leave all their rubbish everywhere and just go home end of the day . Not their job to tidy up apparently 

Plumbers turn up and take every tool out the van and take over the job site with their branded company clothing calling themselves "heating engineers" 

 

[eastcoast 4,317]

8 hours ago, Welsh_red said:

Might be a case of if your telling them "in the next year or so" they just think your just fishing for prices 

I'm a self employed builder , nothing major just me and for periods I have someone with me labouring . I've been to price lots of jobs where they tell me on the phone what they want done and I go round to have a look and they give off the vibe their on the fence about having it done or just want to know the price of having things done . Nothing wrong with that by the way but its a killer measuring up to redo the whole upstairs or something substantial to then hear back after you've given a price that " maybe in a year or two" .

I know from the customers side sometimes they are very open about timescales etc with me and its usually just to be friendly and not seem demanding as to put me off but I much prefer to have a customer say " depending on price I'm happy to start as soon as you are " . That way I know they want the work done its just price . And if I'm to expensive then I'm to expensive I can live with that.  But I've also spent 3 hours sunday working out a quote for someone , emailing it over , texting them saying "I've sent a quote over to you" and get instant text back "yeah sorry about that we've decided we're not having it done now" 

Also sparkles and plumbers especially are the worst trades , sparkles leave all their rubbish everywhere and just go home end of the day . Not their job to tidy up apparently 

Plumbers turn up and take every tool out the van and take over the job site with their branded company clothing calling themselves "heating engineers" 

 

You can tell a good electrician by the mess he leaves behind

[3175darren 1,102]

11 hours ago, Welsh_red said:

Might be a case of if your telling them "in the next year or so" they just think your just fishing for prices 

I'm a self employed builder , nothing major just me and for periods I have someone with me labouring . I've been to price lots of jobs where they tell me on the phone what they want done and I go round to have a look and they give off the vibe their on the fence about having it done or just want to know the price of having things done . Nothing wrong with that by the way but its a killer measuring up to redo the whole upstairs or something substantial to then hear back after you've given a price that " maybe in a year or two" .

I know from the customers side sometimes they are very open about timescales etc with me and its usually just to be friendly and not seem demanding as to put me off but I much prefer to have a customer say " depending on price I'm happy to start as soon as you are " . That way I know they want the work done its just price . And if I'm to expensive then I'm to expensive I can live with that.  But I've also spent 3 hours sunday working out a quote for someone , emailing it over , texting them saying "I've sent a quote over to you" and get instant text back "yeah sorry about that we've decided we're not having it done now" 

Also sparkles and plumbers especially are the worst trades , sparkles leave all their rubbish everywhere and just go home end of the day . Not their job to tidy up apparently 

Plumbers turn up and take every tool out the van and take over the job site with their branded company clothing calling themselves "heating engineers" 

 

Your description of sparkies and plumbers is spot on , I may have someone now fingers crossed , I have always said I want it done , however they just show no enthusiasm , it’s an old pub a big old spot, and we have an elderly mother in law living in , so we would have to work around her so to speak , most of them start by we are very busy , so I do offer they do it in stages , I have offered cash , ( in truth I have had it with them ) this guy has been open he said I have work until autumn this year , I will come and see you then , he did an emergency job for me , came 08:00 in the morning after the call , so things are looking hopeful , but I have been let down by flat roofers and all sorts of trades . 

[Welsh_red 4,859]

3 hours ago, eastcoast said:

You can tell a good electrician by the mess he leaves behind

Theirs a electrician around here who sweeps up,  bags up all the rubbish and leaves it on the job . Got no problem with that , I'll sort the rubbish along with mine . But theirs also ones that leave every offcut of wire everywhere , all their empty boxes of clips , all the light boxes and everything everywhere . Males me feel a little less guilty when I take handfuls of their cable clips for my collection whenever they leave them around . Always good Nails in those clips for plaster beading.  

Seen one video on a labourers phone of his mate who is a sparky lift up a floorboard upstairs and sweep all the chased out Rubble and dust and rubbish under the floorboards . Made a mental note never to get them in . One of the reasons I overboard ceilings now instead of taking down and redoing is the shit that comes flying down when u take the old one down 

[eastcoast 4,317]

9 hours ago, Welsh_red said:

Theirs a electrician around here who sweeps up,  bags up all the rubbish and leaves it on the job . Got no problem with that , I'll sort the rubbish along with mine . But theirs also ones that leave every offcut of wire everywhere , all their empty boxes of clips , all the light boxes and everything everywhere . Males me feel a little less guilty when I take handfuls of their cable clips for my collection whenever they leave them around . Always good Nails in those clips for plaster beading.  

Seen one video on a labourers phone of his mate who is a sparky lift up a floorboard upstairs and sweep all the chased out Rubble and dust and rubbish under the floorboards . Made a mental note never to get them in . One of the reasons I overboard ceilings now instead of taking down and redoing is the shit that comes flying down when u take the old one down 

I started off as a labourer, was lucky enough to get the opportunity to serve my time, grafted for years on the tools and ended up senior management. I have seen the good the bad and the ugly at every level and will always defend an electrician. Truth being told though... they are the bunch of winging c**ts  

[Welsh_red 4,859]

6 minutes ago, eastcoast said:

I started off as a labourer, was lucky enough to get the opportunity to serve my time, grafted for years on the tools and ended up senior management. I have seen the good the bad and the ugly at every level and will always defend an electrician. Truth being told though... they are the bunch of winging c**ts  

Yeah their not all bad I suppose.  My oldest friend is a electrician and is spotless 

I think my frustration with plumbers and electricians is they always seem so clean and dry . Where as in covered in skim or adhesive or out in the rain 

If I had my time again I'd choose plumbing I think . They seem to make a good wedge and if u can talk a good game you will never be out of work . 

Also with the 2 trades mentioned their both jobs the average person can't have a go at or is to scared to try . Anybody can have a go at tiling /plastering/ small carpentry and if ot goes wrong it just looks a bit shit . Nobody's electrocuted and no water or waste water flowing through the house 

[neil82 1,087]

On 13/03/2025 at 10:48, Welsh_red said:

Theirs a electrician around here who sweeps up,  bags up all the rubbish and leaves it on the job . Got no problem with that , I'll sort the rubbish along with mine . But theirs also ones that leave every offcut of wire everywhere , all their empty boxes of clips , all the light boxes and everything everywhere . Males me feel a little less guilty when I take handfuls of their cable clips for my collection whenever they leave them around . Always good Nails in those clips for plaster beading.  

Seen one video on a labourers phone of his mate who is a sparky lift up a floorboard upstairs and sweep all the chased out Rubble and dust and rubbish under the floorboards . Made a mental note never to get them in . One of the reasons I overboard ceilings now instead of taking down and redoing is the shit that comes flying down when u take the old one down 

Had similar here when the kitchen was redone, food wrappers behind the kickboard, latest is the mong who inspected the front door (it`s a fire door so gets checked every year), fecking white grease EVERYWHERE including my bloody hallway wall!!!!

[dogmandont 10,059]

On 13/03/2025 at 10:48, Welsh_red said:

Theirs a electrician around here who sweeps up,  bags up all the rubbish and leaves it on the job . Got no problem with that , I'll sort the rubbish along with mine . But theirs also ones that leave every offcut of wire everywhere , all their empty boxes of clips , all the light boxes and everything everywhere . Males me feel a little less guilty when I take handfuls of their cable clips for my collection whenever they leave them around . Always good Nails in those clips for plaster beading.  

Seen one video on a labourers phone of his mate who is a sparky lift up a floorboard upstairs and sweep all the chased out Rubble and dust and rubbish under the floorboards . Made a mental note never to get them in . One of the reasons I overboard ceilings now instead of taking down and redoing is the shit that comes flying down when u take the old one down 

Big company I used to work for started charging the mechanical subbies for cleaning up after them, just took it out of their price at the end of every job, didn't take long for them to start cleaning up after themselves. 

[eastcoast 4,317]

Clean-up notices are common now. Every now and again the PC management teams will climb down from their ivory tower and have a rare venture onto site when everyone else has gone home. They take pictures of the state of their site and issue a clean-up notice across the board to all sub-contractors, failure to action within 24 hours results in everyone sent a bill for their labourers cleaning up.

The majority of waste consists of plaster boards, timber and wet works rubbish. On closer inspection of the pictures an odd tie wrap or cable cutting can be seen. We are good, even if I do say so myself. Massive on H&S and good housekeeping is a part of that. I write into our method statements all generated waste to be removed to skips on completion of every task or at end of each shift. This is enforced by our supervisors. 

Receipt of a cleaning bill usually results in their QS getting sent a bill for the times when their crap site temps failed and we saved the day or the time that they realised that all of their PAT certs had expired the day before an audit visit, and we save their bacon. All of our are invoices accompanied by the day work sheets that they had signed at the time. This is usually enough to make their clean-up bill go away and everyone is friends again.