The Best PAT Tester?

So you're looking to find the best PAT Testing business to come and test your portable appliances. That's easy right, just do a quick online search and hey-presto. Except, finding someone to come out and PAT Test your appliances is one thing, getting the best deal for your business is totally another. Obviously, we would love you to choose Purplewood PAT Testers but we wont always be the best option for everyone. We know this, and we wont pretend otherwise. The thing we want most of all is to know businesses make informed decisions about who they choose for PAT Testing. To help with with this, below are some of the things to consider. Price It was always going to be top of the list, but maybe not for the same reason you thought. You see, getting the cheapest deal sounds like an easy thing to look for, except different PAT Testing companies, charge very differently. Some will charge a day rate for labour, possibly by adding on the cost of labels, and this will generally be quite comparable to other trades. The usual issues arise though, is it really going to take all day? Maybe half a day? Will it be dragged out to cover half a day? If this is what you are going for, make sure you are happy with the estimated time of the job, and a price is agreed before hand. Things may arise that slow down the job, so make sure you understand how the cost may rise if this happens. The next pricing structure is per testing per item, and is probably the most widely accepted way of doing things. Again, this comes with things to consider. How much should an item cost to test? Prices vary greatly, for many different reasons. Somewhere between £0.60 and £2.00 is a good guide, but we've seen lower and much higher prices quoted. If you have a few items to test, expect to pay towards the top end of this guide. If you have thousands of items to test, you'll be looking for the bottom end. This won't be the end of the costs though. Are there charges for call outs, site surveys, plug repairs, re-tests and others? Remember to ask. The lowest price per item will not always be lowest quote. A third pricing option exists, similar to how we quote at Purplewood PAT Testers. That is to have an initial inclusive fee for a set amount of products, and then a cost per item over the set amount. The reason we use this method is that the end cost of the job is generally much closer to the price quoted. Not always the exact price as things do happen during testing, and under estimating the number of items to be tested is much more common than getting it right. This method of pricing allows for that to some degree, and if there is a big difference, it's much easier to look at the next package up and make clients aware of how the price will change from the quote. This is something we will be looking at on another day, but concludes why price is our first consideration. Location Two options here, local or national. National companies are usually better known with higher prices, with local companies offering cheaper rates for the work. This can be said of most service or product providers. Still, if going local, look further away than you thought you should. There are many 'local companies' willing to travel further to find work. Officially, Purplewood PAT Testers cover, Sussex, Brighton, Kent and London - But would go much further if the size of the job is appropriate. The further we go, the less likely it is we'll be the cheapest quote, but we're willing to try and so are many other companies. Availability Possibly the least thought of consideration before booking. When do you need your PAT Testing to be done? When is it due? The key here is to book as far in advance as you can. Obvious? Apparently not. We get many last minute bookings here at Purplewood PAT Testers and whilst we will accommodate as many as we can, we cannot fit them all in. Set yourself a reminder, 2 months in advance is a good guide to ensure you can get the PAT Testing company you want, when you want them. Ratings Everyone looks for good ratings, at least we think so. The critical thing here though, is not the number, but whats written. I'm as guilty as anyone for this, but taking a quick look at the numbers, 5/5 for example, will not necessarily mean anything. PAT Testing is a very common service, offered by not just PAT Testing businesses, but electrical companies and electricians. With this being the case, take the time to look at the reviews carefully to ensure that 5/5 review is actually for PAT Testing rather than other offered services. Reputation Are you choosing a reputable business? Check to see if the business you are considering are members of trade organisations or associations. Purplewood PAT Testers, for example, are members of PATTA (Portable Appliance Testing Trade Association), but there are others. Do a little research and make sure. All in all, the main thing to take away from this blog is that, whilst we hope you'll consider Purplewood PAT Testers, you simply take the time to ensure you are getting the best deal for your business. Now, just to repeat, this is our first ever blog post, so please be kind in the comments. Obviously there are other considerations to think about, we haven't listed them all, but do let us know what you think.

For more information on The Best PAT Tester? talk to Purplewood Electrical