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Thread: carte blanche pirate electricians

  1. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sparks View Post
    We know it is not sound business practise Murdock but what I do is to call it a pensioner's discount. That way they know that the rate is not available to their whole family. What I also do as a rule is to find out as much as I can when they phone, sometimes it is something simple like an extension lead with a joint that is tripping the ELCB. It saves me riding and feeling bad about telling them there is nothing wrong with the ELCB, it is doing it's job. The extension needs replacing. I have even had an elderly lady get me out to show her where the 2nd 2way switch is, she had forgotten about it.
    good for you...i think your intention are good....i have just been doing this for too long.

  2. #12
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    reading these threads... i now realise why the industry has fallen apart...i believe one of the reasons...is people like myself (and maybe so people on this forum) who use to be proud to be an electrician and even though i have much higher qualification and my job title is higher than just a plain electrician.. my bussiness card and application forms have always just been electrician (which i will be changing from today to managing director)...when i look out in the field and see what is going on and how people have degraded this trade by the absolute crap workmanship and bad manner i which they behave when it comes to work ethics etc...i sit here typing this morning embarressed to be an electrician...

    i know i blame the DOL...ECA and everyone else...but it is actually the people in the industry from labour to electrical engineer who have allowed this to happen...by accepting the poor quality of work and reducing the hourly rate to a point wher you cannot affrod to have qualified people on site.

    company owners who drop off unskilled staff are actually one of the biggest culprits for this degrading industry maybe thats where the problem lies...especially with the big companies working contruction site....because thats where it all starts

    and from my latest project i speak from what i saw happening on a daily basis...one of the biggest problems identified on the site was the fact that most "electricians" couldnt even identify simple problems like mixed plug and light circuits and when i identified the issues...some of them couldnt even rectify it in a day...when i showed some of them simple ways to identify the circuit in less than 10 minutes they where rather amazed...i just shook my head and moved on...so now you know why i say....safety isnt just about a hard hat and safety boots...and putting the inspectors under so much pressure on the last day and threatenig non payment if the cocs are not issued dosent do anything for safety either.

  3. #13
    Site Caretaker Dave A's Avatar
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    I think it's worth sticking to standards - there's always a market for quality. It may contract and expand from time to time, and current market conditions aren't helping much. But the cream always floats to the top eventually.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Dave A View Post
    I think it's worth sticking to standards - there's always a market for quality. It may contract and expand from time to time, and current market conditions aren't helping much. But the cream always floats to the top eventually.
    funny you should mention that...i had a small project to do on a site where i have done the bulk of my work since the beginning of the year...bitched and whined like a stuffed pig about the bad standard of workmanship on the site...in fact lowered my price and standard to ge tthe work...but it seemed at the time that all the work i did went unnoticed...well to my surprise when i arrived on site to do the little project...i was told that the site has a set of standards which had to be adhered to from now on...praise the lord.

    i was also awarded another project which i wasnt expecting to get...started yeserday.

    i am getting calls from old customers i havent heard from in years.

  5. #15
    Gold Member Sparks's Avatar
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    Yip, that is why I look after my old customers. They keep coming back. One's reputation goes ahead of you good or bad. In Afrikaans we do not say "goedkoop koop is duur koop" for nothing.
    Because of my being "full of crap" and taking the trouble to put a report together with photos I took of the mess I saw, I almost have too much work at a retirement village.
    They do not even ask for a quote anymore, but that does not stop me from shopping around for the best prices for them.
    Anyone interested in panel heaters can PM me for contact details at the factory. Delivered anywhere in SA cheaper than the large retailers.

  6. #16
    Junior Member sparkydelux's Avatar
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    Hi Guys, I am new to this site. just found it by chance really. I belong to alike forum in the UK. i am South african but UK standards Trained. Did my trade out there. I am currrently going through the channels of getting Units Stds and Ins. Rules etc. Its a long story anyway....
    what I'd like to say is that everything you guys are mentioning here has been regulated in the UK. Unfortunately you never going to stop PIRATE electricians, and being SA the cheapest is always favoured! Unfortunately,getting qualified electricians to do a good job for the same Pirate prices is going to be hard to achieve. And Qualified tradesmen shouldn't have to adjust their prices because of what 'time wasters' are doing to the industry. We trained hard for where we are today and our industry is always being challenged. Every new Regulation change will require a new exam eventually. Its not fair and we get nailed and still have to make ends meet being self employed. Why should we charge R100 ph because the client can get it cheaper some place else?
    I am horrified by some of the standards I have seen here. I saw a brand new house valued at R5.5mil with electrics that i would have condemmed in the UK! these people pay all that money for THIS! And when their house burns down and insurance doesnt pay due to negligence installations. Doesnt make sense. And who is signing off these COC's or are they legit?

    As someone says, this is the tip of a very large ice berg, but how do we moderate it. I know how they do it in the UK but you guys will be horrified about the amount they pay for affiliations and registrations. They can recoup that money back. When a sparks goes out and prices between £35 -£65 per hour for domestic, people dont flinch! Then you charge R300 ph out here and they OOOH AHHH thats a little high. OK then, get someone for R100 for the job and call me when you standing on your driveway, watching your house burn down. It happens, and clients dont realise that they paying for the guarentee that you have done a good job and not left something potentially harmful or destructive out.

    this whole ECA is a joke. we had it there in the UK.Paying stupid amounts for registrations. They are not worth the money the command, they send you forms to sign CoCs off with and thats about it. They do come out and inspect 2 of your jobs but to be honest, I knew of a polish guy who had another sparks do the work, and the CoC and he got the credit for it. So in actual fact, he was useless but got the affiliation.
    Its a very rocky road the ECA are venturing down. They wont ever stop piracy, anyone who does a bit of electrics will deem themselves an electrician, and they'll still believe they can do the job until they reach 'that point'.
    i have done my trade and I know what i do is far superior than what i have seen here, yet, I cant classify myself as a sparks. i still have to float through the channels again.
    This industry needs a serious wake up and shake up.
    The regs in the UK are the same as here but standards are higher and more regulated. Uk sparks are regulated more than doctors are!! What for?
    I thought the Program on C.B was good, it highlighted that there are sharks out there, and lets be honest, there are some A*holes that make a very bad name for us.We dont want these people around! The things that went through my mind when I was watching CB was: this is good for the industry and what it is uncovering BUT its bad for electricians as we not get tarnished by the bad taste from these contractors. Even ECB registered guys are at fault. They employ unqualified guys to do qualified jobs, and they dont check it. So where do we draw the line? Maybe people (staff) should be graded on a competency test (more costs and money-how do we recoup this at R100ph?) Or employ qualified electricians? (More cost-how will the boss /company make money?) Its all money based people. We need a precident set and all stick to it or else we'll never get anywhere.
    There are so few electricians signing up anymore, and I understand why.
    At some point someone needs to set a standard and hourly fee to ensure both client and contractor are protected.

    I'm sure I'll be on here again, Looks like you are a decent bunch of guys.

    I hope my thread was enlighting?

    Regards

  7. #17
    Gold Member Sparks's Avatar
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    Welcome, just maybe someone with the clout to get the ball rolling will read your post and realise that it can and should be done. Too many lives are lost through people who want to make a quick buck out of people who are ignorant or too greedy themselves to consider the consequences.

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