[derek west]

where are the best training schools for fire and flood work?

and would anyone be interested in doing this type of training, if we could get a few of us, we could possibly encourage a trained person to train us, if you get what i mean.

[Nick Attwood]

National Flood School & The BDMA are the best palces. Hold regulary training sessions & exams.

[Neil Williams]

National Flood School

I was just looking at that site (http://www.nationalfloodschool.co.uk/education_and_training.htm)
and a bit of a result as it's only about 15 miles away which makes a change from either a 3 hour drive or expensive train ride to other courses.

[slioch]

where are the best training schools for fire and flood work?

and would anyone be interested in doing this type of training, if we could get a few of us, we could possibly encourage a trained person to train us, if you get what i mean.

I think I do get what you mean but accredited courses such as those for IICRC or BDMA need to be carried out at an accredited school by an accredited trainer.  Accredited schools have to jump through several hoops regarding accommodation and what they have to offer.  So for example, the National Flood School has a flood house and is brilliant for hands-on training and the theory is taught next door in a large purpose built classroom.

If what you are after is something less formal and not leading to a qualification that is different.

[Ian Gourlay]

I think you also need to consider how open the market is even if you are qualified.

[Mike_Roper]

IMO thats the only place to train for F&F work ( if your sure thats what you want to do, I cetainly dont !)
They have been around from before I started carpet cleaning 21yrs ago and as mentioned have hands on reaistic training and the BDMA looks like a well managed association ith some clout.
Mike

[derek west]

think ive worded the second part of my question wrong. what i meant was, if we could possibly get enough of us (and so far its not looking likely) we could approach an approved training course to see if they could do one for us out of standard hours so to speak.
anyhoo, looks like theres only me interested so i'll have a chat with fire and fllod school and the bdma to see what best suits me. cheers for the info guys.

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Derek why not offer your 'fully trained services' to your local Chemdry and Rainbow etc etc or offer yourself to loss adjusters?

Talk to Jason Lawal he knows all about this and knows how to get sub contracted work.

Shaun

[derek west]

need to take the course first shaun but yeah i'll have a chat with J at the next ccdo if there is one or at the cleaning show if he goes, might give jk a ring in the week as well. he da maan.

[Neil Williams]

anyhoo, looks like theres only me interested so i'll have a chat with fire and fllod school and the bdma to see what best suits me. cheers for the info guys.

11-13 January if you're interested down here.
Go on come down to the deep south, we even get snow these days to make you feel at home

[derek west]

have you got contact details neil, not sure i can make that one, got pauls training on the 10th. i think 2011 is gonna be the year for training for me. looking to do a few courses over the 12 months.

[Neil Williams]

You'll find them here
http://www.nationalfloodschool.co.uk/education_and_training.htm

[derek west]

is anyone on here interested in doing a fire and flood restoration course, looks like  a  course has been found for us if we can get enough people interested.

email us or put your name on here if you interested. derek@affordablecleaners.co.uk

[Neil Williams]

I'm interested in this sort of work so might be interested in the course subject to location, place, cost and quality of course, afterall I have got a renown specialist for this training just up the road.

[Griffus]

We looked into this a while back.

I think Rainbow pretty much have this type of work wrapped up as they are in with most, if not all of the big insurance firms. It may be possible to get in as a subbie to them but to be honest we decided against it before getting that far down the line.

We wre put off by two main reasons: -
1)    The difficulty in getting regular (if any) jobs, most being insurance work and insurance companys wanting national coverage (Rainbow).
2)    The high initial cost of training / certification / equipment.

The IICRC do a course and I see other's have mentioned the National Flood School. I reckon best to do the IICRC and see what is really involved, in terms of qualifications / insurances / equipment / cost / sourcing work etc.

I'd be interested on hearing what you think once you've delved a little deeper, so keep us informed.

[derek west]

Billy Lakin who was technical director of DRL and laterly Chem Dry training director is now semi retired and is carrying out training on behalf of RIA. Thats the restoration industry association (USA). If there were enough of us he says he would tailor a course to suit. He's based in Stafford so quite central.

we've got 4 interested so far ian, should i put you down as five. details hopefully to follow soon.

[Nick Attwood]

Insurance Companies are more and more insisting that there must be a BDMA Qualified tech on each and every job. Most Loss Adjusters are now also BDMA qualified. Bill Lakin will clarify this also. The BDMA is a must if you expect or hope to get any Insurance work and is the only industry recognised qualification.

You will not get any sub work from any of the franchises ie. Rainbow or ChemDry due to the strict polices inplace by the Insurance Companies. The agreed prices that are in place for Rainbow, ChemDry, Munters & Belfor leave very little room for subing any work any way.

You need to be in with the local loss adjusters to get your own work, some of the smaller firms would be a better place to start like Topmark Adjusters etc, some bigger ones like Cunningham Lindsey & Crawfords will be hard initially. Another good start is local brokers as many of them have a deligated authority so could authorise you to carry work out NFU Brokers also another good start. Once you start to get the work you will find it will open more doors and contacts. IT WONT BE EASY and the money that was in it 4 /5 years ago is no longer there.

[derek west]

the thing is nick, my logical brain tells me that cos theres no work there anymore (on a big scale) chemdry and rainbow are gonna struggle, and could well be there downfall, now is the time for us small indipendents to come up through the cracks, we can sustain our businesses without insurance work and if we start to get some then thats just a bonus. nows the time guys. it'll be too late when chem and rain collapse, someone else will all ready be waiting in the wings.

the thing is, knowledge breeds confidence. and confidence is what gets you work.

[Nick Attwood]

d, its not that there is no work there anymore its the job values that are no longer there, the likes of ChemDry are a Carpet Cleaning Franchise you dont buy an insurance or fire and flood franchise from ChemDry there main business is carpet cleaning so like us can sustain there businesses. The reason for a large amount of Rainbow Franchises folding in the last few years is down to the contract they have with RBS. The job values are not making enough to cover the job. The Insurance Companys are also doing alot more cash settlement, Aviva for example just bought Asprea that was there preffered building supplier so Aviva now have there own supplier in house. Independents will never get much work unless its from an adjuster or broker. The Insurance Coys have to have national coverage with one reporting system. I've been in the industry for a fair few years now and am talking from experience. I am independent now and have been since Aug this year. Im not trying to put you off, just trying to give you facts. I wish you every luck and if you want any info on pricings or anything else etc I can let you know what the ChemDry's etc are charging as per there agreed pricing schedules with the insurers.

[fitz2kleen]

both my partner and myself both qualified in fire and flood restoration with Rainbow and yes you are right they are the preferred suplliers of this work to the majority of the insurance companies.
there's very little hope of getting even the smallest jobs from them, even loss adjusters have to follow the laid down guidelines of preferred suppliers.
the problem will come when the insurance work dries up for them.... what are they gonna do then?
they will go back to carpet cleaning where they started and make it very difficult for the smaller businesses to make a living.