how did you guys get into commercial ?

[on31ll]

im talking about commercial work not the commercial section on the forum.

and what is most of your worked based on ? boilers ?

 

[Dotty]

I've always been commercial. I started many moons ago in the building engineering services division in BT looking after exchanges. At the time I covered heating, lifts, diesel generators and a small amount of aircon. I left BT in 2002, did a lot of subbing, moved to Northern Ireland in 2005 and got in with the mob I'm now with in 2007. All my work is boilers and gas these days.

 

[on31ll]

Sounds pretty good ! Would you never go on your own ? Not worth it croppie ?

 

[SimonJohns]

I blagged my way into a com job

Learnt very quickly.

But it's not easy. Very difficult and quite complex.

 

[nicro3]

worked for commercial companies for over 30 years.The games finito hence doing my own thing

 

[CES]

I was working with a Building services firm as a Facilities engineer, looking after almost everything, much like Croppie. Got disillusioned with working for a firm and decided to go out on my own. I don't do much commercial these days, my ticket runs out soon and I dont think Ill be renewing it. Too many big companies round my way to compete with.

 

[Roger Welton]

Previous firm I worked for did a fair amount of comercial which laterly I was doing for them, went out on my own, and do very little now, just a couple of sites, just about covers the cost of my comercial ticket.

 

[Barry98]

i learnt from my mentor then when he retired did my own ticket then added the remainder on .

 

[acecharly]

I started in water treatment installing freshwater pipe systems my father was running the first job i went on and blagged me in as a pipefitter, i enjoyed it like an adult mecano set. Being smaller at the time i was sent down pipes with mickey mouse gaskets to hold from inside the pipe while someone outside tightend up the flanges. Id say its a good way to get into commercial theres only one direction of flow for starters which makes it a bit easier than domestic CH.

 

[on31ll]

Ive started doing quite a few projects. Really loving it ! Enjoy it alot more than domestic. Anybody on here weld ? Pipe etc ? Just seeing if its worth a course ?

 

[Barry98]

I've heard now there s a big market for this as anything over 2.5" (I think) now has to be welded not threaded or something along them lined

 

[SimonJohns]

I've heard now there s a big market for this as anything over 2.5" (I think) now has to be welded not threaded or something along them lined

Unfourtunatly most people use mapress. That goes up to 4" and requires very little skill

 

[Dotty]

I've heard now there s a big market for this as anything over 2.5" (I think) now has to be welded not threaded or something along them lined

Any pressure up to 1" can be screwed,
1" to 2" up to 500mbar can be screwed,
1" to 2" over 500mbar must be welded,
Over 2" must be welded.

These are the mop's

 

[Barry98]

thats the one new i knew summat

 

[SimonJohns]

Less than 100mb can be pressed upto 4"

 

[on31ll]

hmmmm might see how it goes and the need for it then look into a welding course. you guys do it ? i just hate being asked to do somthing and having to let it go because i dont do it.

 

[Barry98]

Ill cross that bridge if and when I need it

 

[Roger Welton]

I'd say welding needs more than just a course (unless you can weld already that is) as its a bit of a skill. I haven't done any for years, and am sure it would take a bit of practice to do anything I'd put my name to.

 

[Barry98]

I've had landrover s for years it's part of been a landie owner - must be able to weld while laid on cold floor 4" deep in snow in February

 

[on31ll]

i can mig weld little bits but there isnt much to it ! think its the same as most things it is a skill but with enough practice suppose you could do it ! or thinking of an easier root hire a pipe fitter !

 

[SimonJohns]

i can mig weld little bits but there isnt much to it ! think its the same as most things it is a skill but with enough practice suppose you could do it ! or thinking of an easier root hire a pipe fitter !

You have to be a coded welder to weld gas

 

[acecharly]

I usually screw up to 2.5" over this its victaulic joints or flanges unless its thinwall carbon steel which seems to be all the rage at the momemnt which is a mappress. I take it croppie your talking about gas pipes with those pressures and not water?

 

[Dotty]

Yes mate, gas pressures and pipe sizes.

 

[theanalyst]

Is the money good in commercial? I have been asked by a facilities management company to do some commercial stuff but I've had to pass on it as not currently got the ticket.
It seems a bit of a dark art, everyone who does it says there's no good money in it anymore.... but they always seem to be loaded!!! lol...hmm

 

[acecharly]

Its horses for courses. I never see any difference in what i get as subby. If your supplying labour it can make you extremely wealthy and at the same time it could make you extremely broke. As for it being a dark art its generally alot easier than house bashing. For a start you normally have plenty of room to work unlike in a house having to dig up boards and stuff. You have to be able to read drawings which on the whole isnt exactly rocket science after youve done it a while. One main difference in commercial heating to most domestic plumbing is a hot return pipe aswell as a hot and cold. As an example if your in an office block and the boilerhouse is say 100 meters away you would lose alot of water before you got any hot out your tap so the hot water circulates and sinks etc draw off from a maximum of 5m away.