I Want to Open an Industrial Electrical Panel Shop

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cjsmalley

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Cold Spring, KY USA
I have been in the industrial electrical field for about 15 years. My training is: Aircraft Electrician in the Air Force, on-the-job training (job after AF), and I recently completed an on-line electrician course through Penn Foster. I do not have a state license or certification.

I now work for my wife's family and there is an opportunity for electrical work, there. (Panels, instrumentation, pumps, ect.) All the work is engineered by the customers, I would be following the BOM and schematics that they provide. I would like to open up my own business to provide this service. I know I can do the work. What I don't know is what (if anything) I would need to legally be able to do the work. (Certs, Licenses, Stamps, ect.) Any insight anyone can offer would be greatly appreciated. I am far from being business minded and never really wanted to own my own business but since I started working here I haven't been able to do much electrical work and will do whatever it takes to get back into it. Thanks in advance for any advice.
 
infinity said:
I would look into a CTL who will be listing the products. Ul has some information here: ...
Click to expand...

Yes. However from the perspective of a buyer from panel shops, don't pick UL. My recomendation is to pick one from the osha list except UL.

ice
 
from your description, I don't see anything that you would be legally required to do other than the normal business licenses.

some customers may want listed panels, which would require you to make a deal with UL or some other NRTL to list them.

as a practical matter you will probably want liability insurance, and will probably want to try and incorporate your business to insulate yourself financially from the business as much as you can.

you will also want to carefully consider just how you want your taxes handled. for small businesses, it is usually a good idea to elect to be taxed as a subchapter s corporation.

one thing I would warn you about. if you plan to do work for the family business, you probably won't make enough money from it to make it worth your while. they are going to expect the same kind of pricing they are getting now for your work and you will go broke if you do that.

I would also say this. the barrier to entry in building these kind of things is very low. You probably will want to consider just what it is you have going for you over the 20 other shops you will be competing against that can also do the same work.
 
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