Problem with handyman

[Razor]

OP if you're still reading and still stuck you could do worse than try WA Willson, based at Hoo they have some very good chippies, kitchen fitters and general tradesmen. (Well they do after I left 5 years ago)

My two penneth?

Got my first job as a plumber and I didn't even own a gas torch or a wrench but I did have kids to feed.

Never had any professional quallies until I did my ACS (gas)

I've come across excellent and crap tradesmen on both sides of the fence - attitude is far more important than the route you come into the business.

[wine~o]

You just won't stop putting yourself up on this pedestal!

Thing is a 'handyman' has no qualification.....(in theory) so anyone can trade as one

Thing is a Joiner doesn't require any qualifications. so anyone can trade as one.

What theory?

To work as a Plumber - No Qualifications required. Anyone can trade as one.

To work as a Plasterer - No Qualifications required. Anyone can trade as one.

To work as a Decorator - No Qualifications required. Anyone can trade as one.

To work as a Joiner - No Qualifications required. Anyone can trade as one.

To work as a Roofer - No Qualifications required. Anyone can trade as one.

To work as a Carpet Fitter - No Qualifications required. Anyone can trade as one.

To work as a Chiropodist - No Qualifications required. Anyone can trade as one.

To work as a Brick Layer - No Qualifications required. Anyone can trade as one.

To work as a Tiler - No Qualifications required. Anyone can trade as one.

To work as a Plumber - No Qualifications required. Anyone can trade as one.

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I do the following
Plumbing - No qualifications, but plumbed with my Dad (Plumber Gas Fitter, the older of you will know the difference) for best of 12 years on and off.
Gas fitter - No qualifications [see above] (sub to a Gas Safe Installer and he signs all my work off and makes final connection)
Plaster - No qualifications (small repairs) For larger work I call my (unqualified plasterer).
Decorating - No qualifications. Haven't come across anything I would be wary off as yet, but I'm hoping. And when it does I'm also hoping I'll get the help required from the good folks on here to gain further knowledge and experience.
Joinery - No qualifications. (I do what I feel is within my scope) hoping to learn more as I do more of my own work. (I also do it because I enjoy working with wood). Have done some work I wasn't completely of-fay with but with some help, my ability was there it just needed guidance.
Welding - No qualifications. (But only my own for now, but have mobile kit which should allow me to do repairs when I feel competent enough)
Tiling - No qualifications. Have done, don't any more, there are better tilers than me that I can sub to and still include in my working portfolio as I oversee and check the installation.
Kitchen Fitting - No qualifications. Will do and still do.
Brick Laying - No qualifications. Not my favourite, will rebed and rebuild small repairs anything else I'm wasting clients money and my time.
Electrician - No qualifications. Change like for like, but do commercial work in offices etc. I also sub to an Electrician who does answer all my questions and checks anything I'm concerned about.
There's more I could list but it's easier (and saves having a business card that's A0 in size and has to be delivered by Pickfords) that I just say I'm a Handyman.

We've done the Multi-Trades thing before and as a marketing exercise it's too complicated, whether you class yourself as 'Multi-Trade' or not you'll be seen as a Handyman by the punter.

There are quite a few people on here who ARE Handymen/handywomen/Handypeople (think that covers them all) and whether they have a qualification in their back pocket for one or other trades they are competent and able to cross trades and work as Handy??????? folks.

You're general description of what we as Handymen (etc) do is belittling, you even go so far as to separate yourself from it by classing yourself as 'MultiTrade', SmultyTrade you're a Handyman plain and simple.

I don't separate myself from poor Handymen by saying I'm Multi-Trade, the punters won't get it! I separate myself by my quality and standard of work.

You're showcase stuff is exceptionally good, highly skilled and professional, I'll even go as far as to say a bloody good qualified joiner (but I have only your word for that) and a top quality Handyman!

One of my clients hit the nail on the head (he's in the building industry, white collar side) it makes it so easy for him to say.
"I want that door casing removing from there and put in there, reinstate the plaster, decoration and joinery around the old opening. Fit the door and casing to here and reinstate the plaster, decoration and joinery" He calls 1 person and doesn't have to wait and organise 4 people.

I'm a Handyman and proud of it! You should be too. Our work differentiates us from the Rogues not our title.

Now go get your saw, and take your qualification and skilfully cut the legs of your pedestal, and leave your card hanging off it,
RoyalOakCarpentry
Quality Time Severed Joiner and Handyman

Have you a degree in eloquence....if not you deserve one

[Stoday]

Next time you're in your town's red light district ask the tart to show you her qualifications...

[thescruff]

Next time you're in your town's red light district ask the tart to show you her qualifications...

Talking of bikes, are you a racing bike or penny farthing man Stoday

[royaloakcarpentry]

Some of you are obvbiously very inexperienced if you have never heard of or seen companys that advertise for multi trade operatives.

Qualification/time served is what puts a customers mind at rest when looking for a relevant person to do a job amongst the other obvious things such as recommendations etc. Handyman last time I looked wasn't available as a 3 year city and guilds course. handy man is going to be happy to wash your patio for you or mow the lawn, multi trade isn't offering those services. Multi trade always were originally qualified in at least one. hence, why I say multi trade........have me qualifications.

I use unqualified tradesmen at times.......they have been known a long time to me and have minimum 15 years experience.

jaeger.........unless it has changed in the last 6 years or so, you have to be qualified to work with electrics in office environments. I used to do offices all the time and one of the electricians was not allowed to do any connections as he wasn't qualified, unless he had a qualified electrician watching. All the Furniture Village outlets we used to do, he was only allowed to do lighting if it was plug in type. I know some firms probably turn a blind eye, but his dads a stickler for the rules. The Furniture Village work it was main contractor that would only allow him on plug in lights.

Plumbing unqualified, just had a customer rip into one of our plumbers asking for all his appropriate registration cards and that was just to change cylinder over!! water regs card and the other was unvented, I think.

Firm I sub to....only firm I sub to....just did a job for them yesterday, repair ceiling, stainblock to wall, emulsion ceiling and walls because in there words, '' its easier for you to do the whole lot than just repair ceiling and send decorator in next day. getting a few jobs like that off of them.

[Razor]

Some of you are obvbiously very inexperienced if you have never heard of or seen companys that advertise for multi trade operatives.

Erm, like the firm I mentioned above you mean??

Plumbing unqualified, just had a customer rip into one of our plumbers asking for all his appropriate registration cards and that was just to change cylinder over!! water regs card and the other was unvented, I think.

That'll be a G3 qualification for an unvented cylinder then? If you search the plumbing forum you will find it's the first thing we tell the custard to ask for if having a UV cylinder fitted.

Sometimes you sound like the fellas I used to know at a proper cabinet makers - seniority was ranked by how many fingers they had lost

Spindle moulders! Not for the faint hearted

[royaloakcarpentry]

Thats all you used to get in London advertised for in the standard and the locals, trades or multi trades. The multi trades you knew it would be for council or private maintenance. Only used to see ads for handyman in the locals posted in by church halls and private old peoples homes etc and they paid very badly. Often would state....suit semi retired gent.

There you go, there is even a thread warning customers to use qualified person. He did show hims his part P card aswell, just to put his mind at rest.

[Stoday]

What's a "part P card"?

Part P's a building regulation, not a qualification.

[royaloakcarpentry]

Part P registered.

It is a 'qualification' to enable you to work on electrics which fall under part P and certify it. Like gas safe, you have a card for it.

[Jaeger_S2k]

I will never take it from you, your work that is posted on here, from what we can see is of a high quality for a Handyman, however.

You're in denial, presumptuous, patronising and ill informed.

I just

[royaloakcarpentry]

pmsl.....suppose a general builder is really a handyman too.

It isn't patronising at all. its how I grew up in the trade. The differentials and knowing what they were helped in knowing which jobs to go for and which to avoid, what to ask for when needing to employ someone with certain skill sets.

We'll have people in denial that 'improvers' exist next. is it naughty to call someone an improver, too.