On 8 Jan 2004 06:17:57 -0800, (Lobster)
wrote:

I'm curious - do most of the folk in this NG who work as handymen etc
carry indemnity and/or public liability insurance? AFAIK most don't
have formal qualifications as plumbers or sparkies etc; doesn't that
make insurance companies run a mile?

I have £1M PII, and wouldn't leave home without it. I am considering
upping it to £2M - reason being that housing associations and letting
agents won't usually let you on site without that amount of cover.

The insurance was actually more straightforward than I imagined. Fill
in a form and it's yours. Bit like applying for a motor policy really.

I thought I would have difficulty with having not traded as a handyman
previously, nor as an active skilled trades person, but the question I
answered quite truthfully was "how long have you been practicing these
skills?". I could very honestly say 30+ years, because I'd been DIYing
since before I left school.

I've also got an OND Engineering, and when I took that sandwich course
(30 years ago) they kindly taught me useful things like plumbing. Now
okay, pushfit wasn't around in those day - but I still do all my
plumbing in compression or solder fittings (people say that pushfit is
really good, but I haven't got my confidence with it yet).

I am a qualified and experienced electronics engineer so can be relied
upon to know which end of a screwdriver goes in the screw head.

However, all that said, I know my limits. If someone says "full house
rewire" my reply is "get an electrician". If it's "new central heating
system" my reply is "I know a man that can". And so on.

Basically I'll take on any job which a reasonably competent DIY person
could do, but if it demands a skilled tradesman then that's not my
domain. I guess the rule of thumb I use is if it is described in the
Readers Digest DIY manual then I'm capable of doing it.

I'm also conscious of the regulations - so although I've plumbed in
and commissioned a CH system in days gone by there is no way I would
take such a job on - I'm not CORGI registered and wouldn't pretend to
be. With me you get what it says on the box.

PoP

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