Proven Businesses You Can Start From Home – Plumbers and Electricians

Last Updated: July 21, 2010

Plumber / Electrician

As a plumber or electrician you will be required to travel to customer’s houses and fix a range of problems as quickly as possible.

You will need to have transport and a wide range of equipment and parts allowing you to do your work effectively. You should have the appropriate qualifications, for both plumbing and electricians this traditionally involves NVQ or City and Guilds qualifications, though short starter courses are available.

Obtaining the necessary qualifications is not easy, and can involve several years of work and training; especially if you have no relevant experience. There is currently a shortage of up and coming electricians, so entry requirements to start training courses may be slightly relaxed for the foreseeable future.

Since January 1st 2005 it has been a l egal requirement to certify many types of household electrical work in compliance with the Building Regulations (Part P). If you do not take a course to allow you to self-certify your work; your customers will need to contact their local authority to arrange inspection of the relevant work. This will put electricians who are able to self-certify work at a competitive advantage.

Plumbers and electricians tend to gain new customers mainly by word of mouth and local directory advertising (e.g. Yellow Pages or Thompson Directory). The bad name that some plumbers and electricians get mean that word of mouth praise is vital in how most people decide who to use.

It is important to remember there are other forms of job involving plumbing and electrical work, although these are normally done through (or as the employee of) a larger company. (e.g. Equipment safety inspections, Electrical system planning.)

Working as a plumber or electrician can sometimes be uncomfortable and difficult, and can also involve lots of late or unusual hours; but the money you can earn providing a good service is quite high, especially as you are working for yourself. Charges are normally per hour (or half hour) of work, plus the cost of any parts.

Pros

There is a large (and steady) need for plumbing and electrical services.
You can make a lot of money per call out if you can do the job well, especially on weekend or late night calls.
A shortage of plumbers and electricians in some areas means that entry to training will probably be easier, and you are likely to be able to earn more in the future.
Providing a good service will gain you long term customers.

Cons

There is lots of competition.
The training needed is long and complex.
The work can sometimes be uncomfortable and difficult.
You may often need to work at weekends or late hours.

Summary

Skill Level: Medium to High
Start up Costs: Quite High
Training: Mainly long courses, some short courses available
Experience: Needed, the more the better
Equipment Costs: Medium to High
Transport Required: Yes
No of Staff (incl. you): 1-3

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Proven Businesses You Can Start From Home – Plumbers and Electricians

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