Terms and conditions

This business is my livelihood, we provide a service which at its most basic level is there to provide me, my workers, and our families, with a financial income. We try our very best to provide an open and honest service for everyone we engage with, and we hope that they will afford us the same courtesies in return. However in order to protect ourselves against the scammers and less than honest and fair people amongst our society, some general terms and conditions need to be outlined in writing.

These aren’t intended to confuse or hide anything out of the ordinary, they are given to provide clarity, they ensure the high standards which we set for ourselves, and ultimately make sure that expectations are met for both tradesperson and customer alike.

If you engage me as a company, and you have your own working policies intended for outside contractors which may be relevant to my work, then you will need to make me aware of them BEFORE you order any quotations or accept any work. I can't accurately quote or agree or adhere to any non standard policies i'm not aware of. This is particularly prevalent if they directly differ from my own.

I need to know about noise and access restrictions, payment terms, and any other special requirements up front. I will do my best to accommodate any additional requirements you have, although you have no legal, (not to mention professional or moral) standpoint to enforce your own terms upon me after work has already commenced.  

Unless otherwise specified, quotes and estimates are put together and drawn up free of charge, any time or expense required for pre work site visits, phone calls and emails, raising invoices etc is all offered free of charge. All of our work will be invoiced via e-mail upon completion. The invoice will include the relevant bank details for online payment which is what most people opt for. We will accept cash, although no discount is offered for this payment method, and it is up to you to pay on the day of completion or get it to me within the time frame laid out in the terms you were given. Cheques must also have time to clear within this time frame. Our payment terms are typically 15 days from the date of the invoice. 30 days for commercial clients.

We are not currently VAT registered so any prices given won’t be subject to additional VAT costs.

Written quoted works with their own “QTE” number usually come with their own tailored terms and conditions specific to the type of work in question. Though for general works taken on under a less formal verbal or written arrangement, the following general terms apply:  

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QUOTES OWNERSHIP AND GUARANTEES

Electrical installation isn’t a one size fits all, kind of industry, we deal with properties of all ages, wired under various past iterations of the wiring regulations, they come in all conditions and may have been chopped and changed about by multiple electricians and DIYers before us. Therefore each job will have it’s own unique electrical history. Even with the best will in the world, we can’t see through walls or back in time, and so sometimes we only find out exactly what is going on after work has started.

I will do my best though to let you know as soon as possible if I find any issues which are likely to affect the quoted work, and I can then advise you of your options for going forward as well as potential cost implications. Safety is paramount, so if additional correctional work is found to be required but is refused, then I may not be able to complete the work as quoted. In which case the installation will stop at the next safe place to do so, and the work up until that point will be charged. Significant unforeseen issues are rare, although, issues are more likely to arise when dealing with particularly old, poorly maintained, or extensively ‘DIYed’ systems.

I always do my best to source and install quality, reliable products, and many of the products I use will be covered by their respective manufacturers warranties. In the unlikely event that an item later fails within its warranty period, I will of course do my best to help source any replacement items on your behalf. However, a manufacturer’s warranty does not include any time taken by me to diagnose, remove, source and then replace the affected item. Unless the fault is proved to be down to an installation error on my part, I cannot be held liable for any additional expenses outside of my control.

Any materials provided by Nick Buckland Electrical Services, remain the property of Nick Buckland until full payment is received. I therefore reserve the right to remove materials used if payment terms aren’t met.

Once on site, any materials left become the RESPONSIBILITY of the person ordering the work, any damages not caused by us, or thefts which occur in our absence, shall be covered by the person ordering the work.

I like to be as fair and as competitive with my pricing as I can, which means I operate with narrow to no margins on my parts pricing. Unfortunately, suppliers prices and availability can fluctuate, so it’s possible when coming back to a quote after a period of time, that the prices given may have changed and the quote may need to be updated accordingly. I will always keep you informed of any price changes though prior to installation. Where a quote, verbal or otherwise written agreement for work is confirmed, but later cancelled or changed by the customer, I reserve the right to charge for any restocking or postage fees accrued from ordering materials prior.

CLEANLINESS, WASTE DISPOSAL

I will do my best as is reasonably practicable to protect floors and furniture with coverings, dust sheets, etc within the immediate workspace. As well as generally keeping any mess to a minimum, always aiming to leave the work area as it was on arrival. Please be aware though that a lot of my work is inherently messy, and dust can spread and fall beyond the immediate work area. If you are particularly concerned about this, then it is encouraged that you consider additional protective measures such as covering or removing furniture (particularly smaller items which affect my ability to move things around as needed) or sealing doors etc to ensure these things areas remain dust free.

I do offer, and on larger jobs occasionally will insist on laying down additional protective measures such as carpet protection film or corrugated plastic to better protect vulnerable surfaces when excessive dust and debris is expected.

If this has not been specified and you feel that you would benefit from this extra degree of protection, please ask. Carpet protection film for example can be added at a cost of £1 per square meter.

I will of course remove and dispose of any of my own waste which I bring to a job. However due to waste disposal charges which are imposed upon commercial vehicles at dump sites, I am unable to dispose of large amounts. This includes removed items such as old light fittings, or left over packaging where you have provided your own materials.

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SKIRTING AND COVING

In instances where cabling needs to pass behind coving or skirting, to avoid unnecessary damage, it is common practice and usually necessary that a short section of the coving or skirting will need to be cut out and then replaced. Wherever possible I will replace the original cut out and then fill the repair, leaving you once dry with a light sand and paint to complete.

LIFTING FLOORS

Certain jobs will require access under the floors in order to run new cabling for additional points. This means that I will need to take up and then relay carpets as well as floor boards. Carpet in fair condition typically go back without any issues, however on occasion you may need to replace door strips as these typically cannot be removed without being damaged. Obviously I try my best to avoid this and reuse wherever possible. Cutting of floorboards if required will be kept as neat as possible and to a minimum amount.

Unless otherwise stated, the quote assumes that only traditional floorboards have been used. If large format sheet or concrete floors are found, then this will likely dramatically affect the amount of work required. I will of course let you know as soon as possible of any discoveries likely to affect the final bill.

I expect to have to move around larger items of furniture such as beds and desks, however the smaller items on top and dotted around often take the most time to cover up or move around, so anything which you can do in order to help clear these spaces in advance would be really helpful.

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CERTIFICATION

Many jobs require electrical testing and certification to be issued. depending on the work, legal notification to your local authority may also be required. Certification will only be issued and notification made once full payment has been received.  

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NAPIT, CHECKATRADE, INSURANCES, AND QUALIFICATIONS

In order for any tradesman to be able to call themselves a legitimate electrician, it is a legal requirement to be registered with a competent person scheme. I use "NAPIT" as my own, and as part of their service they ensure that I hold all of the relevant qualifications and insurances necessary to operate safely as an electrician. They also make site visits and check work quality regularly to ensure the highest standards are met. You can check my credentials with them online using my membership number which is 15576.

membership and running costs are an expensive upkeep.

"CHECKATRADE" are a paid for marketing tool. They check a lot of the same criteria as a competent persons scheme, although membership does not necessarily imply competence. Beware of any "electrician" who is unable to provide you with details of their membership to a competent persons scheme.

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