This is going to be a long-winded post so bear with me and I hope I make myself clear what I am conveying.
First, about me, I used to work in industrial electricity, I traveled the country doing mechanical and electrical work on metal stamping presses, three phase, 230-460 volt circuits, etc. I recently stepped out and started my own electrician business. I did my research and discovered the State of Pennyslvania does not require a license for electricians,(or plumbers either). Some municipalities want "certification" which I have been told is earning a "career diploma" from a home study course such as Foley-Belsaw, etc. Currently, I am about half-way through my studies with Education Direct. Once a pass all the exams I will get a diploma which I will probably fax in together with my Certificate of Insurance for commercial work. I took out a full year policy of Gen Liability Insurance with $1,000,000 per occurance, $2,000,000 aggregate. I have run two ads in local papers and haven't had one single call yet. I have a yellow pages ad coming out in the phone book in April-May which I hope will get me some calls. I have done some work through word-of-mouth and haven't been impressed with the work people have done in this area. To be honest, I am surprised more houses haven't burned down or thanks to the strict UL certifications, more people would have fried using small appliances, etc... Some of the stuff I have seen is wires coming loose from screw terminals, on more than one house with the same electrician. This particular electrician has a large ad in phone book. I had one homeowner point out what the different electricians did in his house and I came away from there thinking to myself "if this is the kind of work my competition is doing, then I am going to get a good reputation when I do the job right and do it well". There is a handyman down the street who advertises "electrical, carpentry, plumbing, etc... he has an aluminum ladder on his truck, no wood or fiberglass, I suppose he probably doesn't realize alum conducts electricity, etc... so with all that said, I know where my competiton stands. I just got done doing working for a home improvement guy working on old apartment complexes installing new appliances, re-doing the outlets and switches. They aren't putting new GFI in kitchens and baths, some excuse that they were grandfathered in... the other guys he has working for him are putting 15amp cu receptacles in kitchen circuits with alum conduit on 20amp circuits. the breakers are so old that when you short out a circuit it doesn't trip the breaker, I know, I trusted one of the voltage sensor tampons on a sink disposer cable and it wasn't de-engerized like I thought and it made my dyke cutters into strippers. I am glad I am not doing anymore work in this situation because if something happens they will try and point the finger at me cause I was the electrician there, even though he had some other yo-yo's doing funky electrical work...
I have magnetic signs on my truck, professional looking, ads in the papers, business cards printed up, real estate sign in front yard of house I did some rewiring, not one lousy phone call, I have heard the excuse, its slow time of year, well electrical work can be done on the inside... etc.. its getting frustrating... Anyone care to give me some feedback? A little mentoring...
First, about me, I used to work in industrial electricity, I traveled the country doing mechanical and electrical work on metal stamping presses, three phase, 230-460 volt circuits, etc. I recently stepped out and started my own electrician business. I did my research and discovered the State of Pennyslvania does not require a license for electricians,(or plumbers either). Some municipalities want "certification" which I have been told is earning a "career diploma" from a home study course such as Foley-Belsaw, etc. Currently, I am about half-way through my studies with Education Direct. Once a pass all the exams I will get a diploma which I will probably fax in together with my Certificate of Insurance for commercial work. I took out a full year policy of Gen Liability Insurance with $1,000,000 per occurance, $2,000,000 aggregate. I have run two ads in local papers and haven't had one single call yet. I have a yellow pages ad coming out in the phone book in April-May which I hope will get me some calls. I have done some work through word-of-mouth and haven't been impressed with the work people have done in this area. To be honest, I am surprised more houses haven't burned down or thanks to the strict UL certifications, more people would have fried using small appliances, etc... Some of the stuff I have seen is wires coming loose from screw terminals, on more than one house with the same electrician. This particular electrician has a large ad in phone book. I had one homeowner point out what the different electricians did in his house and I came away from there thinking to myself "if this is the kind of work my competition is doing, then I am going to get a good reputation when I do the job right and do it well". There is a handyman down the street who advertises "electrical, carpentry, plumbing, etc... he has an aluminum ladder on his truck, no wood or fiberglass, I suppose he probably doesn't realize alum conducts electricity, etc... so with all that said, I know where my competiton stands. I just got done doing working for a home improvement guy working on old apartment complexes installing new appliances, re-doing the outlets and switches. They aren't putting new GFI in kitchens and baths, some excuse that they were grandfathered in... the other guys he has working for him are putting 15amp cu receptacles in kitchen circuits with alum conduit on 20amp circuits. the breakers are so old that when you short out a circuit it doesn't trip the breaker, I know, I trusted one of the voltage sensor tampons on a sink disposer cable and it wasn't de-engerized like I thought and it made my dyke cutters into strippers. I am glad I am not doing anymore work in this situation because if something happens they will try and point the finger at me cause I was the electrician there, even though he had some other yo-yo's doing funky electrical work...
I have magnetic signs on my truck, professional looking, ads in the papers, business cards printed up, real estate sign in front yard of house I did some rewiring, not one lousy phone call, I have heard the excuse, its slow time of year, well electrical work can be done on the inside... etc.. its getting frustrating... Anyone care to give me some feedback? A little mentoring...