Commercial and venue lighting contractor

Shop and restaurant owners, landlords, facilities managers, fit-out firms, developers and venue operators.

Quoted price per project or contract, covering labour and materials with a margin. Regular maintenance and upgrade work for the same clients can smooth out income between bigger jobs.

• Qualified electrician with commercial experience
• Pricing and quoting larger jobs
• Managing people, schedules and customers

• Employer's liability insurance once you hire anyone, and public liability insurance suited to commercial sites
• Check what qualifications and accreditations clients ask for, such as competent person scheme membership or safety passes like CSCS or ECS cards
• Emergency lighting and fire safety work needs proper design, testing and certification, so check the standards that apply
• Late payment on large jobs can strain cash flow, so agree payment terms and stage payments up front
• Rules can differ between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, so check locally

Startup costs are typically around £4,000 to £15,000, depending on tools, test equipment, vehicle, insurance and any accreditations you take on. These are estimates, so get your own quotes before committing.

Monthly revenue is typically around £4,000 to £18,000, depending on the size and number of jobs, your team and your pricing. This is revenue, not profit, and late payment on large jobs can strain cash flow.

Check which accreditations clients ask for, such as competent person scheme membership or CSCS or ECS cards. Also check employer's liability and public liability insurance, standards for emergency lighting and fire safety work, and local rules across the UK.