Scunnered

[TJ Smiler]

I am gas safe registered. I do a mix of new build, boiler changes and bathrooms. The only bit I enjoy is tiling.
Plumbing and heating is mainly hiding everything you do.
as for the money side. There is some to be made on materials, but my labour charge is the same for tiling as repairing a gas boiler.
if you fancied getting gas safe registered think again. The courses are just a rip off, you will still need work experience, all in will cost you about £10,000
every 5 years I have to be re assessed, this costs me about £2500 including a week off, registration every year, about £200 then you need a flue gas analyser (£600) and that needs calibrating every year at £ 200 a pop.
So even after you Re registered it will cost £1000 per year, that's a lot to get back.
If you have plenty of work, I would stick to tiling. The grass is never greener on the other side.

Good post mate, has answered a lot of questions for me...... Out of interest and i mean this as a genuine question. In your post you say that they only prosecute if the work is sub-standard. Your work is obviously of a high standard as we have all seen what you can do, is it not possible for someone like yourself to not be regulated and save yourself all that money? like i say mate i mean that as a genuine question and not with any smart arse sarcasm.

 

[Chalker]

Without being gas safe registered you can't notify ( register a newly fitted gas appliance). But I know plumbers who are not registered and get a gas safe guy to do the registration. I wouldn't do that as I'm putting my name on the line to somebody else's work that.
In reality the only people that get caught are registered gas fitters doing something wrong and landlords doing their own checks,
without getting technical, there is a lot that can kill with gas installations. So I would recommend no one should attempt work on gas pipe work or appliances.

back to topic tho.
stick to tiling Steff! Better the devil you know!

 

[TJ Smiler]

Fair enough then....cheers mate.

 

[Spud]

it just sounds like you need a holiday Stef

 

[Mr Tiler]

I was gonna say that too gary, fortnight off the tools you will be rite as rain lol

 

[Mr Tiler]

I've took on another site m8, I'm just a bit dissolutioned with the tiling game at present, I've had a kicking over the past few weeks with customers going for the cheapest quotes, even though I'm flat out with work.
I've been on a downer for a few weeks & don't honestly feel as if my hearts in it as any muppet can under cut you without any come back..
I'm passionate about our trade & leave a top class finish but sometimes the customer just wants to cut & run on the cheapest quote...

I wouldn't worry too much just keep ya chin up and keep the quotes going as you say your fully booked, could be worse lol, did your lad really say he didn't want to work anymore? thought you scotts love ya money lol

 

[Stef]

I wouldn't worry too much just keep ya chin up and keep the quotes going as you say your fully booked, could be worse lol, did your lad really say he didn't want to work anymore? thought you scotts love ya money lol

He was getting too lazy Ash, unless I was shouting at him he wasn't interested.
I've wasted a year & a half on him for no return.
He says he's got a job with his uncle doing ground works, he will know how well he had it with me when he's up to his knees in the sticky stuff in the middle of winter.

 

[Stef]

it just sounds like you need a holiday Stef

I'm not long back from holiday, probably need another one.
Will be a weekend in London in the next couple of months as I'm heading to Rays to buy tiles for my bathroom..

 

[charlie1]

Stef, I'm a bit confused? Your loosing out on work because of price but your diary is packed? If I'm understanding you right, your getting most of your work from same source and there squeezing you on price? If this is the case then I'm understanding your problem and I've been their! This is never a good situation if you get it in to your head that they are at it with you. Stef, just take a step back mate and don't let the situation get to you, just get on with what you do and reassess where your going in future, looking at retraining to do something completely different is a waste, try to be more diverse and move in to different areas like bathroom or kitchen fitting or I dono whatever you think you would like to do in the future. You will surprise yourself how much of the necessary skills you already have mate, chin up