Chimney sweep jobs

Consider becoming a chimney sweep.

Before you consider becoming a chimney sweep, make sure this is the right job choice for you. One approach to do this is to contact a chimney sweep who you believe you would not compete with in business (typically within 25-30 miles) and ask if you could go out to work with them for a few days to observe what the job entails. A chimney sweep may know you personally and be prepared to tour you around the profession. This is always a smart idea because you will gather enough experience to determine whether or not this is the vocation for you.

Sweeping chimneys is a physically difficult job. A chimney sweep must possess several characteristics: they must be practical, problem solvers, strong communicators, professionals with solid office skills, and most importantly, they must have the desire to grow and manage their business in order to prosper. Finally, keep in mind that a business may take up to three years to fully support you financially, however it has been known to happen in as little as four months!

Getting a part-time job to supplement your business as it grows, or having a full-time partner who can handle your day-to-day bills, can be very beneficial. We don't want to scare you away from this lucrative vocation, but it's always a good idea to be informed of the potential risks before you begin working as a chimney sweep.

How to Become a Chimney Sweep

If you can't shadow an experienced sweep, there are a number of training companies who offer differing levels of service; all but one are affiliated with a trade group.

All training programs are of varying quality, so you must choose carefully whatever course you believe is best for you. No training in the United Kingdom or Ireland can teach you everything because the courses would have to last two years. In Germany, you must attend college for three years before you are qualified to work as an apprentice!

You'll need a course that teaches you how to practically analyze a task and provides you with the necessary knowledge to sweep and certify the appliance as safe to use.

The alphabetically sorted list of training providers below gives you the choice of choosing who you want to work with, along with a brief explanation of the training;

Professional Independent Chimney Sweeps Association (APICS)

This organization requires you to sweep your chimney manually for the first year and offers a three-day training session followed by two days of shadowing existing sweeps. APICS does not have its own training facility and instead rents out various locations in Devon and Surrey. You become an APICS member after completing the course and assessment. There will be rules and regulations, as with any trade association.

Cost £1300

Association of Chimney Sweeps (CSA)

This organization is new, yet it offers a variety of training opportunities. We don't know much about this group or their training because they're mostly based in Northern England and Scotland. It's thought that the training will last three days.

Cost £1200

The Master Chimney Sweeps Guild (GOMCS)

The training takes place at rented places (several locations) and consists of a four-day session followed by four days of mentoring from two separate professional sweeps. After completing the course, you will become a member of GOMCS. There will be rules and regulations, as with any trade association.

Cost £1320

The Chimney Sweeps Institute (ICS)

This independent company in Kent offers a two-day in-house course. You will become a member of the ICS once you have completed the course. There will be rules and regulations, as with any trade association.

Cost £900

The National Chimney Sweeps Association (NACS)

This is the oldest trade group, and their training center in Staffordshire offers a three-day course. After completing the course, you will be asked to sweep 25 chimneys before receiving a final evaluation that will include a day of observation of your practices. After you've completed all of these steps, you'll be a member of NACS. There will be rules and regulations, as with any trade association.

Cost £1699

Please keep in mind that the chimney sweeping sector is unregulated, therefore there is no legal necessity for you to complete training or join a trade organization. All of the following training services (excluding CSA) allow you to sweep thatch properties (which are heavily regulated by insurance), and some of them are recognized by other agencies, such as Oftec (Oftec oil and solid fuel) and HETAS (Household Appliance Testing Association) (Solid fuel and Biomass).

The price of becoming a sweep

When contemplating about becoming a chimney sweep, there are several things to think about. Are they beginning a profession as a chimney sweep on a shoestring budget? Will they sweep from the top down, using traditional or rotational power sweeping techniques? Will they join a professional organization? So, in order to give you an idea of the fees connected with becoming a sweep, we've tried to offer you an estimate of your start-up expenditures.

Joining a trade group and paying for training might cost up to £1699.00. (source NACS)

£456 for training

sweeping equipment for chimneys;

Sweep from 4" to 18" traditionally costs £1000.

From £1300, power sweeping to sweep from 4" to 18"

CCTV cameras start at £250.

From £500 to £850 for a vacuum (HEPA H13 certified).

Insurance starts at £250 (average: £350).

Approximately £500 in tools

Sheeting starts at £200.

Drilling from £205 (if rotary sweeping).

From £900 for advertising, signwriting, and leaflets

Vehicles start at £5000.

As a result, starting a sweep will cost between £9500 and £15000, including a vehicle.

Sweeping hours and seasons in general

Business hours are truly tailored to the individual.

Some sweeps start this job as a way to supplement their retirement income, as you are ultimately your own boss, and some sweeps just work in the mornings. Most, though, make a living as chimney sweeps and will work as hard as they can to make the most of what is considered as a seasonal employment.

Established sweeps will work nonstop from the August bank holiday until mid-February, covering 22 or 23 weeks and sweeping between 6 and 12 chimneys every day. This season, most established sweeps will make between £25 and £45,000. Do not believe it is your money! Everyone will want a piece, including HMRC, your accountant, your vehicle (particularly in terms of gasoline), trade groups, insurance, and so on.

According to one survey, the average sweep in the UK costs roughly £50, with £17 going to expenditures.

As a result, an established sweep should anticipate to sweep 8 to 10 times per day (depending on region) for around 20 weeks. Based on these calculations, you should expect to make £29k, which is comparable to £2400 each month, despite only working half the year. Remember that you are in charge of your pension!

The majority of the industry has realized that the last part of the year accounts for two-thirds of your annual income. There are methods to gain money throughout the summer months by working for councils, the National Trust, landlords, and other organizations, but keep in mind that this is unlikely when you first start out!

Running on a daily basis

Most sweeps are up and out the door by 7.30 a.m., depending on how they operate.

During the peak season (September to February), the day will be spent attending to each and every scheduled appointment and sweeping the clients' appliances.

Giving guidance, making sure everything is safe, certifying the job done, and then moving on to the next appointment.

You'll clean your van and have everything set for work the next day when you arrive home. Cleaning anything that needs cleaning and keeping all tools and vehicles in good working order

Once you've arrived at your house, you'll probably want to take a shower before returning calls and addressing queries about work from those who have left you messages. You will also perform all of your daily bookkeeping and accounting, as well as schedule your route for the next day, depending on how you run your business. During normal business hours, you could anticipate to be finished by 21:30-22:00.

Because there are fewer bookings and contacts during the low season, you may want to use this time to market by doing leaflet drops or sending reminders to existing clients.

It is not uncommon for a sweep to be able to take 8 weeks off work during the off season when demand is low, which often occurs from mid-March to April, July, and part of August.

If you want to work all year, try a fair weather job such as patio and driveway cleaning, gutter cleaning, or gardening during your off season. However, they are only recommendations.