Electrician vs. Electrical Contractor

Hi,

What is the difference between an Electrician and an Electrical Contractor. Thanks for the help.

Someguy, In general, an electrical contractor is an electrician who is state or locally licensed. An electrician is someone who works for the electrical contractor who is not licensed but has several years of experience and training. He could also be an industrial and/or plant maintainence electrician who is not licensed.In most places it is the license that makes the difference. Just my 2 cents.

In WA State;
Electrician is a licensed person who must work for an electrical contractor.
Electricial Contractor is anybody or company (electrician or not)licensed to do electrical work. The electrical contractor, however, must have an electrical administrator who is equivalent to a master electrician and is licensed as such.
Bob

So typicaly you become and electrician, then you become a master electrician, and then you become an electrical contractor?

Bob's probably closer to right for a lot of places than I am. In Ga. the only people licensed are titled electrical contractors, there are nojourneymen or masters licenses.

Someguy,

In going to the link that Arseegee provided - ( http://www.state.fl.us/dbpr/pro/elboard/elec_index.shtml )
I followed a link to the Florida Electrical Contractors Licensing Board and I found:

Quote

The 2002 Florida Statutes
Title XXXII
REGULATION OF PROFESSIONS AND OCCUPATIONS
Chapter 489 CONTRACTING
489.505 Definitions.

(12) "Electrical contractor" or "unlimited electrical contractor" means a person who conducts business in the electrical trade field and who has the experience, knowledge, and skill to install, repair, alter, add to, or design, in compliance with law, electrical wiring, fixtures, appliances, apparatus, raceways, conduit, or any part thereof, which generates, transmits, transforms, or utilizes electrical energy in any form, including the electrical installations and systems within plants and substations, all in compliance with applicable plans, specifications, codes, laws, and regulations. The term means any person, firm, or corporation that engages in the business of electrical contracting under an express or implied contract; or that undertakes, offers to undertake, purports to have the capacity to undertake, or submits a bid to engage in the business of electrical contracting; or that does itself or by or through others engage in the business of electrical contracting.

It seems in your state that things are all mushed together in the EC license.

Any one else working in Florida want to chime in?

Al

an EC 'thinks' the trade 24/7
[Linked Image]

489.516 Qualifications to practice; restrictions; prerequisites.--

(1) Any person who desires to engage in electrical or alarm system contracting on a statewide basis shall, as a prerequisite thereto, establish his or her competency and qualifications to be certified pursuant to this part. To establish competency, a person shall pass the appropriate examination administered by the department. Any person who desires to engage in contracting on other than a statewide basis shall, as a prerequisite thereto, be registered pursuant to this part, unless exempted by this part.

(2) No person who is not certified or registered shall engage in the business of contracting in this state.

When an electrical contractor goes home, the job goes with him. When an electrician clocks out, the job stays behind.

When an electrician ends an 8 hour day, the small electrical contractor still has several hours of paperwork, material & tool handling to look forward to.

Here in NJ,a "Electrical Contractor" is an individual that has taken the mandated test, passed it, and received his "license". After you have a "license" you must have a "Business Permit" to do electrical work.

One business permit per licensed electrical contractor.

Like everybody above^ said, the "contractor" is the "business man". Many great electricians cannot be good EC's (heard that somewhere)

Guess that's why I'm at the computer at 8:00PM

John

John,

One other thing that we have to worry about as contractors, SALES TAX! We had to almost keep 2 seperate books, (NO Not good and off the record.)but we had to keep one book for new work and one for service work. We had to charge sales tax for any job that had repairs, but not the new home improvement work. I don't miss that plus the payroll.

Harold:
How did you know what I'm running on the other 'puter???

Paid a few vendor bills, ran the payroll for 4, ran the fed witholding, printed the checks.....stuffed the envelopes.

In the things to do column......
Federeal Tax forms, 4th qtr
FUTA Tax forms.
W2's
State Witholding End of Year
State Unemployement & Disability EOY
Sales tax; 4th Qtr & EOY

Prepare for the BIG insurance rate hike..
(Liability, Automotive, & Workers Comp)
RATES ARE GOING UP, UP...

That's some of the stuff an Electrical Contractor has to put up with, or hire (and pay) someone to do it.
BTW, we average about 750K year, so I guess that makes "us" a small guy shop.
John

HotLine1,

Is that 750K per year before expenses such as payroll, material supplies to do the jobs, etc... ?

John,

That was one thing I DON"T MISS! To tell the truth, I stunck at the businees end of this trade. Lucky for me my brother was working for me and he went to college for accounting. He was a wiz at those books. He was one of my part time workers, He had another job and worked for me every Mon. and Thur. 1/2 day. My mom also helped out she was a bank teller. So between those two, they knew better and wouldn't let me near the check book. [Linked Image]

Someguy:
No, it's $750K gross sales.

Harold:
Yes, the paperwork is a pain, specially at the end of the year. I use Quickbooks, it does mostly everything, except the NJ Tax Forms. Tried a few other programs, found Quickbooks, and have been happy. (You have to stay current with the Updates/Upgrades.)

I have an accountant, and see him twice a year.

Maybe, someday I'll pack in the tools, and do the AHJ thing full time?

John