Route to becoming Domestic Installer with NIC EIC

[spada01]

I renovate 2 to 3 flats a year and would like to do the electrical work myself.

So... I'm looking at becoming registered (for example) under the NIC EIC Domestic installer scheme.

1. I don't have a Qualified Supervisor within my (one man band) business, so who would I use for this?

2. What training would I need? I've got a decent knowledge of electrical work for example the tyes of circuits, adding radials, cable sizes for currents, measuring resistance and earthing, but need some comprehensive training to get me upto a decent standard, rather than my haphazard knowledge I've picked up. Companies like Able Skills recommend taking a few courses which I'm happy to do.

Anything else I need to know? (I've noted costs of registration, kit I need to buy, LP insurance, job fees to NICEIC etc)

 

[JohnnyG]

Out of the qualifications Able Skills provide the only one you need to enrol on a DI scheme is the EAL VRQ one, you will need to gain a 2382 (1th Edition) qualification within the first 12 months of joining a scheme however.
Passing the VRQ is simple enough if you've got a fair background in domestic work but you will need to be able to test your installations correctly so it would be wise to also do the foundation course they offer or if you think you're ok with all that apart from the testing do a 2392 instead

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I don't have a Qualified Supervisor within my (one man band) business, so who would I use for this?

That'll be you, that will.

Companies like Able Skills recommend taking a few courses which I'm happy to do.

Check out your local FE colleges - they'll be a lot cheaper than a commercial training company.

 

[spada01]

Thanks very much for your posts guys - really appreciated and helpful!

Last question in my mind is that for the NIC EIC I need to be able to show them 2 sites I've done and this has to be on teh same day. I only work on one property at a time, so how do people normally do this?

 

[Adam_151]

Last question in my mind is that for the NIC EIC I need to be able to show them 2 sites I've done and this has to be on teh same day. I only work on one property at a time, so how do people normally do this?

Normally they want a mix of completed jobs and in progess ones... so the one you are currently working on and one you 'made earlier' (in blue peter style ) should be fine

 

[JohnnyG]

I don't think you need 2 different sites, you just have to:

make available for inspection sufficient domestic electrical installation work to enable an assessment to be completed

 

[1john]

it may be worth seeing what the LABC charge for jobs, dertainly if you do 2 flats a year and the BC charge you £200 for notification, that could be cheaper than the NICEIC registration fee, you also won't have the issue of not having jobs to show them.

 

[spada01]

it may be worth seeing what the LABC charge for jobs, dertainly if you do 2 flats a year and the BC charge you £200 for notification, that could be cheaper than the NICEIC registration fee, you also won't have the issue of not having jobs to show them.

This is of course the other option I have. I know my limits and a full rewire is certainly beyond them currently. However, I would do appropriate training beforehand.

Has anyone gone down this route of doing their own rewire and getting the BCO to inspect/sign off?

 

[SparkyNinja]

Last question in my mind is that for the NIC EIC I need to be able to show them 2 sites I've done and this has to be on teh same day. I only work on one property at a time, so how do people normally do this?

Can you do something at home?
When I had my initial assessment for the domestic installer scheme I showed him a house down the road from me. So for the second job a changed a socket at home with him observing.

*A little tip - If you can carry out the safe isolation procedure near enough word for word and action for action as the NICEIC advise then a simple socket change should satisfy them as a 'job'

 

[sparkybird]

At my last NIC visit I was told not to use a home job again (I tend to put this as one option as we can test fully, power down etc and i'm always doing some little job at home...!)

Was told that this was because it didn't represent a 'client' job - I disagree but couldn't be bothered to argue

SB

 

[plugwash]

Financially it probablly won't make sense to join a scheme for three properties a year.

Are you having problems with your LABC being unreasonable about part P?

 

[spada01]

Financially it probablly won't make sense to join a scheme for three properties a year.

Are you having problems with your LABC being unreasonable about part P?

I haven't gone down the LABC route - so far getting sparks under one of the schemes to do the work. If I do it myself and get LABC to certify it, I'll still have to do the training so I can ensure I meet the regulations on my installations and then I have to pay the LABC and an electrician to test and sign off the work. Is this really likely to be cheaper then joining a scheme myself?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

then I have to pay the LABC and an electrician to test and sign off the work.

They are not supposed to do that - the fee you pay them is for them to carry out whatever testing and inspection they feel they need. If they choose to subcontract it then they must pay for that out of their fee.

The Government has told them all that quite clearly, and the guidance in Approved Document P says the same, also quite clearly.

 

[plantyroo]

It maybe worth checking the fee with your LA for this though. I spoke to mine last week and they quoted a fee of over £500 for notifying and testing any electrical work!

 

[JohnnyG]

...Is this really likely to be cheaper then joining a scheme myself?

I'll try and give you ball park figure of what'll cost you in your situation to join a scheme, using Elecsa as that's the route I know:

Elecsa fees - £440
Insurance - £120 (first year assumed)
DI qualification - £700
17th Edition wiring regs - £400
2392 Inpsection & testing - £500 (if you can't test, you can't join)
Test equipment - £400 (min)
Books - £100 (BS7671, OSG, EGBR, GN3, EAWR)

That £2800 or so is just the basics, there's obviously plenty more consumables to add.
Subsequent years will be cheaper of course but that's a big outlay if you're only planning on doing 2-3 notifiable jobs a year