Electrician or general builder? opinions please?

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Hi.
I was wondering if anyone could help me with this?

I am a time served electrician. I got laid off a year after serving my time due to a down turn. I speicalise in domestic & commerical work.

Since i have been laid off, i have really really struggled to get work.
I advertise myself and sometimes i do ok but often i stuggle to get by.

Im only 23, and i have always had a dream of running my own contracting company with staff later down the line of course, however it is very hard to find contraing work even... nevermind a pernament job!

I am a good spark and i do a good job. However tbh things such as impedance/capacitance and technical theory i really struggle with and i study hard to try and understand it but it just doesnt stick in. i only just passed me my qualifactions... just!! and as an electrical contractor you should really know that!!!

I considering learning to become a builder as the work is more far spread and there is more to go at... i.e electrical, plumbing, blaying, tiling, plastering, decorating, joinery ect. Eventually start my own firm in that? the work is further spread than 'just electrics' and there is less technical theory.

I know i need to walk before i run.. but what do you guys reckon is the best option consiering im not particulary academic?
And what is going to be more profitable as a business oportunity?
I live in a nice area where most football players are from and a few celebs so the prices are far higher round here (not that im trying to rip anyone off becasue i never would! but naturally the pirces are far higher!)

Thanks very much for the read :D
 
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Download the free "Beginners Guide to Electronics":
http://www.The-Cool-Book-shop.co.uk/begin.htm

It will tell you about capacitance and stuff.

My friend was in the same boat as you. He got casual work from a local conservatory company. Then they paid for him to do his "Part P" course and contracted him to do 1st & 2nd fit for just about every conservatory they installed. Then a rival company asked him to do their conservatory wiring - then a third company!

He also does loft aerial installations, additional TV points, doorbell repairs, phone wiring - all very simply stuff. Just requires the knowledge.
http://www.The-Cool-Book-shop.co.uk/satellite_freeview.htm#freeview

He also offers a TV repair service; he collects the TV, takes it to a local TV repair workshop and gets trade rates. Takes repaired TV back to customer and adds his markup.

This might help with ideas: http://www.The-Cool-Book-shop.co.uk/money.htm
 
Do what you enjoy not what pays more. If you enjoy it and put more effort in, you'll inevitability make more money in the long run.

I'd say electrician, tonnes of builders already!
 
You don't need to be academic to drag cables, bend conduit, fold cable tray or screw back boxes and tupper ware to a wall.
That's what 90% of sparking is about.
The other 10% is listening to the radio.
And of course being a spark its tradition to jack off home early from the site before anyone else.
 
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You don't need to be academic to drag cables, bend conduit, fold cable tray or screw back boxes and tupper ware to a wall.
That's what 90% of sparking is about.
The other 10% is listening to the radio.
And of course being a spark its tradition to jack off home early from the site before anyone else.

How is that supposed to help a 23-year-old, looking for career advice? Whether this is jaded hyperbole, or your attempt at humour, it's not constructive.
 
I'd go with 'humour'

Although in my case, I'd go with perhaps 15% listening to the radio - just a small detail.


Oh, and jack off home early is about as far removed from the truth as you can get. Isn't that what being self-employed is all about?
 
It's all academic, since the OP is so desperate that he hasn't even bothered to come back and click "Thanks".
 
Hi.
I was wondering if anyone could help me with this?

I am a time served electrician. I got laid off a year after serving my time due to a down turn. I speicalise in domestic & commerical work.

Since i have been laid off, i have really really struggled to get work.
I advertise myself and sometimes i do ok but often i stuggle to get by.

Im only 23, and i have always had a dream of running my own contracting company with staff later down the line of course, however it is very hard to find contraing work even... nevermind a pernament job!

I am a good spark and i do a good job. However tbh things such as impedance/capacitance and technical theory i really struggle with and i study hard to try and understand it but it just doesnt stick in. i only just passed me my qualifactions... just!! and as an electrical contractor you should really know that!!!

I considering learning to become a builder as the work is more far spread and there is more to go at... i.e electrical, plumbing, blaying, tiling, plastering, decorating, joinery ect. Eventually start my own firm in that? the work is further spread than 'just electrics' and there is less technical theory.

I know i need to walk before i run.. but what do you guys reckon is the best option consiering im not particulary academic?
And what is going to be more profitable as a business oportunity?
I live in a nice area where most football players are from and a few celebs so the prices are far higher round here (not that im trying to rip anyone off becasue i never would! but naturally the pirces are far higher!)

Thanks very much for the read :D





Join the dole que😜
 
Guys
Thanks for the replies,
My apologies for not replying
It was my first post and i wasn't exactly sure how to find the post again on the system.

Some interesting comments. I will stick to being a spark. I'm actually looking at going on the railways.

Cheers
Joe!
 
The railways could provide good employment if you need to have a boss. Running your own business as an independent can give more freedom (but requires more work initially).

When you make a post, copy the URL, in the address line, to your browser "favourites" where you can find it. Put it in a new folder called "My forum posts".
 
my advice is work hard every day, even if the moneys not the best, always do a good job and if people only have good things to say about you then eventually something will come up one way or another. bosses want the best people working for them so as long as you put in the graft it will pay off. learning on the job is way easier anyway, people learn things easier in different ways.
 
If you don't mind lots hard work and graft become a builder - otherwise stick to pulling cables.

Building is a varied endeavor in that you do experience the whole construction package.

In my experience of building i.e. the construction of extensions from start to finish, it is inevitable that you will experience many different trades. If you are an inquisitive person and keen to learn then you will pick up these trades.

The most demanding part of any build both physically and mentally is building a complex cut roof. This is the part (for now) I enjoy the most.
 
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