What can a Handyman carryout?

[handyman30]

I've been working in renovating property for years and very capable of plumbing and fault finding but recently as the property market is tightened up I've advertised myself as a handyman.


Most of the jobs are simple bathroom taps leaking etc, local tasks, but as I'm now 'working for payment' the work I do as I understand is not DIY.

I am a competent person but when it comes to removing the cover from a boiler would this now be illegal?

Any guidance so I know what work I can take on would be welcome.

 

[Agile]

You should limit yourself to what you are registereed to do as well as what you can do without risking causing further damage!

Poking about in a boiler when you are unlikely to have the skills to repair it are certainly an area to avoid.

Stick to repressurising sealed systems, replacing ballvalves IF you are competent with these and to working on stand alone pumps.

Plumbing is so risky just with leaks that in my view not something to do commercially unles very experienced. Even for time served people things still go wrong sometimes.

I hope you have insurance.

 

[handyman30]

Agile thanks for your reply but I really was asking what legally a self employed person can do when it comes t working with gas?

I have years of experience working with plumbing on my own developments but now I'm working for customers what I can do as a DIY'er and what you can do in regards to what is stated in Gas Safety Register is what I'm after...

Any help welcome.

 

[45yearsagasman]

Why would you as a "handyman" be removing boiler covers? It also begs the question as to why someone would call a handyman to investigate a boiler fault.

 

[Morris40]

high handyman, to give you the simple answer to your question you must not remove the cover from a boiler unless you are gas safe registered, you can carry out any plumbing work or heating work you like competent or not (mess up at your and your customers own risk) make sure though you have all the relevant insurances in place, you must not go near Gas though, leave that to us qualified trademan, some people may moan about this advise but thats your answer.

 

[handyman30]

Morris40 - Thanks.

I have also read on my insurance policy that as an insured tradesman working as a HandyMan, Gas is not covered. Which I am glad about as this I agree should be left to the FULLY trained.

I'm just making sure I know exactly what I can and can't do just incase a customer asks while I'm on a job. Better to be safe than sorry eh.

Thanks for your input guys.

 

[leakydave]

What does your Public Liability Insurance cover you for?

 

[Axel]

I am curious that the gas regulations state that non GasSafe registered folk cannot work on any "gas appliance" yet in a different section it meticulously distinguishes gas carrying parts from non gas carrying parts, as if to suggest that the water parts within a boiler can be worked on without GasSafe registration - eg, change a letting by PRV, re-charge an expansion vessel, replace a pump inside a boiler (if it can be done without interfering with any flue / fan parts etc). Of course, if you take the cover off a boiler then some idiot might loosen the wrong nut and cause a gas leak, but then, someone might cut into the wrong pipe outside of the boiler...

 

[joe-90]

I think the OP should read this forum for a couple of months to see just how many problems and misdiagnosis boilers get. It'll end in disaster with water pi**ing all over the PCB or something coming adrift which he is clueless where it came from. Stick to the wet side outside the boiler.

 

[Boilerman2]

A Handy man can legally change a LPG bottle on a cabinet heater
can unplug a gas cooker bayonet and re connect - BUT not change the hose! so basically keep well away from anything Gas - of course you could spend the cash like the rest of us and get Qualified?? then we'll see if you can undercut the bone fide trade!