The Competent Persons Scheme is a trade body run by the electrical, plumbing and gas industries to provide confidence in the trades each body represents. We talk to a specialist in electrical installations services in London, who was convinced to embrace the new body. He works for My London Builders, and has done for a number of years.

The idea behind the Competent Persons Scheme is to allow members to self-certify their work. By providing a minimum quality framework, building inspectors could be confident that scheme members provided services of a high enough quality to not need inspection.

The scheme was introduced by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions in the nineties in order to lower the burden on the building inspectors. Members could self-certify their work, negating the need to notify planning of changes and have the work inspected.

So, our specialist in electrical installations services in London, could undertake work in his area of expertise, and as a member of the Competent Persons Scheme, could certify his own work as safe. This saved a lot of time and paperwork for both the client and My London Builders.

Dave from the firm comments on the scheme.

“Originally, I thought the last thing we needed was another trade body that didn’t mean anything. Look at the Guild of Master Craftsmen, a nice logo, a lot of rules, but no inspection or enforcement. It convinced some customers, but not others, and it did nothing to kick the cowboys out.

“As I saw a few local electricians sign up, I thought I might look at it again. If nothing else, it was another convincer to have on the side of the van and on the bottom of invoices. It would make the customer feel safe. As it turned out, the scheme seems to be working okay.

“Our trade body seems to be keeping an eye on things nicely. We also get a bit of extra trade in too because of the logo. Offering electrical installations services in London is a competitive game, so we were going to take every advantage we could get. In the end it’s working out nicely.”

While the intention wasn’t to use the scheme to drum up new business, it is a nice bonus. In these hard times, trades need all the help they can get. I’m not sure electrical installations services in London are as hard up as Dave makes out, but every trade deserves a break.

From a customer perspective, as long as the Competent Persons Scheme is properly run, policed effectively and standards are rigorously enforced for members it is only good news. The construction industry if full of regulators, some more effective than others, and confidence in them is low.

This Competent Persons Scheme has to show without doubt that it is in charge and that it keeps standards high. It also has to work hard to keep the cowboys out and publicise the work it does. Otherwise is will become just another logo taking up real estate on the side of vans in the capital.

If you’re looking for tradesmen you can trust, call My London Builders. They won’t let you down.

Anyone who owns a home and has had work done in the last 6 years will have heard of “Part P.” Part P is often regarded as the bane of London electricians, or more kindly as another way to keep the cowboys out of the industry.

The Department for Communities and Local Government are responsible for maintain the Building Regulations across England and Wales. In January 2005, they introduced an amendment to the regulations in the form of Part P.

The idea was to provide a minimum benchmark for work done in the home, with the goal of lowering the risk of accident and electrical fire through poor workmanship. The actual wording of the Part P requirement is:

“Reasonable provision shall be made in the design and installation of electrical installations in order to protect persons operating, maintaining or altering the installations from fire or injury.”

When we first heard about Part P, there was nothing good said about it. It was another qualification that we had to get and another hoop to jump through. I have been a spark for the best part of 20 years, and some bureaucrat comes along and says I now have to get something to say I can do the things I have been doing since I was an apprentice?

On the other side of that, it was another method of keeping the cowboys out of the trade, and give us more work. If the homeowner couldn’t do as much as they had, it meant more work coming our way. My London Builders has never been busier. We get referrals, contracts and all sorts coming our way. Word gets around pretty quickly when you do a good job.

This sentiment was repeated across the many other London electricians we spoke to. The universal opinion seemed to be that it was more red tape in an already regulated industry. However, as long as the proper checks were made, and customers checked certifications, it meant the cowboy builder or electrician could be squeezed out of the industry.

Another problem with Part P was the increased amount of building inspections that would have to follow. Alan Jackson, another My London Builder electrician had this to say about Part P.

“When 2005 came along, we had two choices. One was to carry on as we were, then have building control come and check everything before signing off. That meant delays and extra cost, as the inspectors aren’t exactly quick at the best of times. The other was to get qualified and self-certify the work. That meant time off work and more expense to become certified.

“I went the second route. I didn’t want a load of jobs sitting there waiting for sign-off while the building inspector decided when to turn up. I didn’t agree with the system at first, but got my Part P anyway to save time and money.”

London electricians weren’t the only ones affected by the changes. The modifications to the building regulations was country-wide. It isn’t difficult to believe that these opinions were shared by electricians across the country. As to whether it has improved safety and lowered fire and accident risk, we simply don’t know.

My London Builders uses only the best, most qualified tradesmen. Contact us today if you need anything doing in your home.

 

Most homeowners are comfortable changing a light bulb, a fuse, maybe even a socket, but it can be tempting to bite off more than you can chew in order to save money. Knowing when to call in the electrician in London is key to maintaining a safe home.

The introduction of Part P in 2005 made things a little more difficult for the average homeowner. Suddenly there were a raft of new rules on what a DIY’er could and could not do. Electricians in London all rushed to become Part P certified, myself included, and confusion reigned for a while.

Part P actually refers to “Approved Document P” of the electrical safety guidelines. This is part of the updated building regulations brought in by the government over recent years.

Fortunately all that has died down and things have gained something of an equilibrium. Essentially, if you are repairing, replacing or adding electrical appliances to an existing electrical circuit, you can safely do it yourself if you know how. There are certain exclusions for kitchens and bathrooms, that aren’t exactly straightforward, but a qualified electrician in London from My London Builders can help there.

For example, replacing a light fitting, immersion heater, damaged socket or switch, adding or replacing a cooker, or connecting a storage heater to existing wiring is a suitable task for someone with the knowledge to carry out the work.

Adding a spur to a circuit, lighting points, adding sockets, upgrading consumer units, rewiring, installing under floor heating or replacing a shower will need a certified electrician with the Part P qualification. That’s when you would call My London Builders.

The idea of Part P is not to freeze out otherwise qualified or able people from doing the work, but to encourage everyone to use professionals. Electrical faults, poor installations, or worn wiring cause more fires than almost anything else in the home. The purpose of Part P is to ensure everyone who deals with these things is capable of working safely.

It is an attempt by the government to provide tighter regulation of the building and electrics industry and to give a minimum benchmark for electricians to meet before being able to trade. It is partly to weed out the cowboys, and partly to reduce death and injury from poor electrics.

If you’re unsure of when to hire an electrician in London, consider the jobs listed above and use common sense. If you know about electrics and are doing a job that isn’t covered by Part P, then it is probably safe for you to do the work yourself.

However, if you’re unsure of what you’re doing, don’t want to play around with electrics or want work done that the new regulations cover, it’s time to call that electrician.

My London Builders have Part P qualified electricians in London and the South-East. We are experienced, qualified and insured to do the job. It’s what we do and we’re very good at it. If you’re looking for electricians in London, give us a call, we’ll be happy to help.

If you are looking for London electricians, then you have come to the right place!

Trying to fix an electrical fault without a sufficient electrician’s qualification, or any experience can be a risky job. When not done correctly, even simple wiring jobs like changing light switches or wiring a plug, can lead to dire consequences.

Therefore, you should always hire professional electricians in such situations. My London Builders has a team of class A and class B certified electricians specialising in all types of electrical repairs and electrical installations for both commercial and residential properties in London.

You can get all your electrical issues resolved under one roof at My London Builders. Our wide scope of services include:

• Rewiring
• Light fitting
• Lighting design
• Kitchen wiring
• Garden lighting
• Security lighting
• Alarm installation
• Audio visual installation
• Speaker wiring
• Telephone wiring
• Earth bonding
• Wiring upgrades
• Halogen lighting
• Electrical upgrading
• Electrical surveys and reports
• And much more

Our technicians can install, maintain and operate all kinds of electrical appliances and gadgets. Regardless of the nature of the task, our electricians will make sure that the job is done the right way.

If you’re looking for the best London electricians in the business, you’ve found them!

At My London Builders, we think your convenience and your time are important, so we do everything possible to make sure that the job is completed as soon as possible, without sacrificing quality. Matching speed with quality is something very few London electricians can maintain. It’s something we train all our trades to do, and something we’re renowned for in the area.

We also strive to cause minimum inconvenience to your routine while the work is going on. That means working quickly, tidying up after ourselves and respecting your space and your property. We appreciate that having builders in can be something of an inconvenience, so we make extra sure to stay as out of the way as possible.

Our dedicated electricians have years of experience in electrical services and maintenance. Equipped with state of the art tools and equipment, they can identify the faults on the spot and fix them instantly. They can also handle routine maintenance of all your electrical installations to help you avoid costly repairs and breakdowns in the future.

At My London Builders, you are sure to get the best possible service at affordable rates. Our name is synonymous with quality and reliability. It is our undying commitment to customer satisfaction that has earned us a large base of loyal customers.

In short, if you are in search of London electricians, you need to look no further. Remember that electrical work is a major aspect of any building construction and you need to hire the best electricians to take care of it.

All our tradesmen are qualified and experienced. They are also fully insured to work on residential and commercial properties. All our work is guaranteed, and we have a list of satisfied clients you will be welcome to contact for references.

For the best London electricians in the business, call My London Builders today!

There are still plenty of viable careers in the construction industry that are useful elsewhere, such as an electrician. London firms are always advertising for suitably skilled and qualified sparks as there is such a shortage of properly skilled workers. My London Builders is no exception. We are always on the lookout for qualified people with high standards.

Even though the construction industry has taken a huge hit over the past couple of years, My London Builders still keep themselves busy with conversions, extensions renovations and other home improvements. Just because the new-build work is no more, doesn’t mean the construction industry isn’t a great place to be.

So how do you become an electrician, either straight from school or as a career change?

The first thing you need to do is research. There are two main types of electrician, installation electrician and maintenance electrician. Installation electricians work in houses and businesses rewiring or installing appliances. Maintenance electricians work in factories and other places on machinery and other equipment.

The easiest way to become qualified is to get a job as an apprentice and do the City and Guilds qualifications. City & Guilds run the scheme and continually assess work on the job to ensure the pupil knows the practical aspects of the job as well as the theoretical.

For older career changers, It’s possible to retrain at an adult college, either evenings or day release. This requires quite a lot of commitment as it can take a few years to become fully qualified. Your local Jobcentre Plus has training advisors who can help you find the right path to becoming a qualified electrician. London has dozens of them, just check the phone book or the Jobcentre website.

It’s worth talking to them as it may be possible to do a Joint Industry Board (JIB) approved course through government-sponsored training for adults. That will help with the costs at the very least. The Electrical Contractors’ Association produces an education and training pack that you might find useful too.

Be aware of companies offering qualifications in four weeks. These courses are hard, intensive, and train you to pass the exams, not to do the job. While they will get you the paperwork to be able to work commercially, they don’t give you the necessary experience to do the work. My London Builders won’t want you if all you have if the certificates from one of these cram courses.

Being an electrician is a practical trade that also needs theoretical knowledge. You will need to know how electricity works, how it’s conducted, generated and how to protect yourself from it. You will need to know the symbols in drawings, how to read blueprints and how to work with other trades. Often the work of an installation electrician will coincide with that of a plumber or heating engineer, so an appreciation of their work is essential.

So despite the downturn it’s still viable to make a successful career as an electrician. London has plenty of courses, resources and firms wanting keen, intelligent people to work with them. Just don’t get tempted to cut corners and concentrate on the certifications rather than practical experience. Both are as valuable as each other.

My London Builders always has a place for experienced, qualified tradesmen. Our client list demands high standards of workmanship, which is why our own standards are high. If you’re an electrician, or need electrical work done, call My London Builders now.