How to judge qualifications?

[EFLImpudence]

I assume that you mean Niceic is using this term to describe (in their assessment) those with less knowlege/experience. Whereas in reality they may be very experienced but just limit themselves to domestic work.

I don't think so.

I may be wrong (don't think so) but I think their long standing qualified members were unhappy about those only registering for the newly formed self-certification scheme having apparently equal status that a lesser term was invented.

 

[dishman]

Thank you for all the comments, very informative.

I just have to make a decision on which one to choose it seems.

For the same work/quote breakdown

Electrician a) £1490 (the one with all the extras in their niceic tick list)

Electrician b) £950


The differance in cost mainly comes down to Electrician A charging VAT, (£250). A higher quote for 3 smoke and a heat alarm (£300 vs £120) and a possible higher cost for a ECIR (£200 vs £150).

Decisions...decisions....

 

[ericmark]

I also had two quotes, very different, I wanted a rewire so either safe for mother when she returned home, or in a fit state to rent out if she didn't. With the first I said what I must have done, and what I would like, in hind sight a mistake as the quote included all the bits I would like and so bumped up the price, the second was a more basic rewire. I also had time limitations had to be complete before mothers time in a care home was completed. I was spending in essence some one else's money and was well aware of this, so I went for cheap option, as to if this was good or bad is a personal thing.

However sockets down stairs were at disable height, sockets upstairs in the main just above skirting, which was what I asked for but not what I wanted, the electrician was aware I was making good after he had finished, he was trying to help me, so making the amount of re-plastering required the minimum he could, he did very well with that, but as a result the sockets were lower than wanted.

It was nothing to do with the electricians qualifications as to what I got, it was down to me telling the person pricing the job what I wanted. My sister would often say with computer software design, she would make what the customer asked for, not what the customer wanted, and these were often two very different things. It is the same with every trade, the hard bit is working out what you are asking for, it is not the skill of the tradesman in doing his job, it is down to his skill at working out what you want.

 

[bernardgreen]

she would make what the customer asked for, not what the customer wanted, and these were often two very different things.

Very true. and it also applies to the design of communication systems. Our ( the design team ) policy was face to face discussions with the customer and their employees in which we would point put the necessary items they had not considered. Most important was the fact that employees often provided information about the work processes / methods their employers were not formally aware of and thus were not mentioned in the official draft specification created by the customer.

These discussions produced a design specification that covered what the customer wanted and what the customer needed. The designers then added a few extra items that would make the maintainance of the system easier for them. Not all these engineering functions were mentioned to the boss until after the system was installed. ( though I am sure he knew what was happening ).

An example was a keyboard for inputting alpha numeric radio call signs. Our boss said a QWERTY layout was OK and a standard keyboard could be used.. When we spoke to the control room staff they all opted for the ABCDEF layout as being easier to use.

My point is that some suppliers will do just what the customer asks for which invariable results in a poor quality installation / system with ongoing problems.

Other suppliers will have discusssion with the customer and politely point out that there are items / circumstances which the customer is un-aware of and that these items / circumstance have to be catered for in the design specification.

A few suppliers will go one step further beyond providing all that the customer wants and needs by adding features that make it eaier to maintain the system.