Welcome, Guest. Please Login or Register
Welcome To Ask The Trades!
Mar 28th, 2024, 3:24pm
Quote: Why is it one careless match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire?


Page Index Toggle Pages: 1
Send Topic Print
should I? (Read 3201 times)
minos26
GDPR opt-out









should I?
Jul 4th, 2004, 8:05am
 
Hi, finally found this forum after reading screwfix for a couple of months,
I am currently working 4on/4off as a multiskilled maintenance technician for a pharmacutical company and am fed up working for the yankee dollar !I am thinking about setting up as a maintenance company for factories,comercial,letting agancies etc offering preventative maintenance services, repairs and installations etc. I have 2 questions really:
1, Is pat testing a viable source of supplymentary income for the short term ?
2, Does anybody think this is a good idea as there seems to be a shortage of industrial electricians. You domestic guys dont take offence as I'm just a sparks who made the move into maintenance 10 years ago! Winkcheers for any replies.
Back to top
« Last Edit: Mar 7th, 2005, 7:18pm by LSpark »  
 
IP Logged
 
rabbit_rabbit
GDPR opt-out









Re: should I?
Reply #1 - Jul 4th, 2004, 8:14am
 
Commercial PAT testing? Never made a bean out of it a complete waste of time and effort. You will be knocked down to some £1 per item.

'Domestic' PAT testing can be quite lucrative indeed - as in for landlords and/or agencies on rented property. Last time I did any PAT testing (over a year ago and gave it all up) I charged £45 per property. Putting that into perspective a 'property' comprised generally of a fridge, a freezer, a washing machine and maybe a dryer.
And so - £15 per item.

True in commercial work you get a LOT of items on one site. But to get through those items to make a reasonbale income? never, not possible.

Best of Luck by the way I do hope it works out for you.

RR
Back to top
 
 
IP Logged
 
Beanzy
GDPR opt-out









Re: should I?
Reply #2 - Jul 4th, 2004, 9:59pm
 
Worth it for rentals etc. for schools / local authority stuff you'll probably need to be NICEIC reg'd to get any decent volume of business.
Back to top
 
 
IP Logged
 
Toaster
Newbie
*
Offline

I love YaBB 1G - SP1!

Posts: 1


Total Thanks: 0
For This Post: 0



Re: should I?
Reply #3 - Jul 4th, 2004, 11:39pm
 
PAT testing is just part of the service I provide to various small industrial clients, and although mind numbing it is fairly lucrative.  My main business is industrial and commercial maintenance, I have gradually built up a good customer base by offering quick response to breakdowns for reasonable rates and have taken a fair bit of work from the local big boys, try writing a few letters with a brief CV to a few firms
Back to top
 
Thank User For This Post  
IP Logged
 
rabbit_rabbit
Re: should I?
Reply #4 - Jul 5th, 2004, 8:37am
 
Sorry I did not want to sound to negative. But for ANY local authority you WILL have to be NICEIC and the way things are going same applies for many estate agents acting on behalf of landlords.

I assume that you already have all the test kit and related items (including temporary fence for doing commercial work, as daft as it it). If not start adding it all up (costs that is) plus NIC membership and ya have to test a LOT of kit to recover the investment.

Now you other business that is TOTALLY different!

RR
Back to top
 
Thank User For This Post  
IP Logged
 
Page Index Toggle Pages: 1
Send Topic Print