Bravepotato
Member
- Location
- Texas
Hey guys, New member here. My history: I completed my 5 year apprenticeship back in 2011, successfully passed the Journeyman Electrician Exam the first time then, and have been working in the trade ever since. In 2017 I started my own contracting company, and with the help of a natural disaster, quickly grew from just me, to 9 electricians, 4 vans, a secretary, estimator, and material guy. Did 1 Million in gross work that first year, and quickly realized I had a lot to learn about estimating, collecting, and general business. Downsized to get my profit where I needed it, and am currently moving OUT of the residential, service call sector of our industry on to bigger better things with a tighter smaller group.
Obviously to start this company I had to secure a TECL or Texas Electrical Contractors License, which I found in a close friend and coworker. But, it is at a cost. Because of the sheer work volume I started off with during Hurricane Harvey, I had zero time to study for the masters. Heck, I had never even estimated a job before I started. Anyone here that has dabbled in contracting for themselves knows my plight.
So, I finally decided to start studying a month ago. I purchased Ray Holders online course, and studied about 40 hours during the course of a week, then went to Houston to take the test.
I passed the NEC general Knowledge portion the first time (thank god-that thing was a doozy in itself), but failed the 33 question Calculations portion by 3 questions!!!
So, I immediately rescheduled for about 2 weeks later, studied a little bit, (not as much as I should have because we are so busy doing out of town work), and promptly failed the Calculations portion AGAIN, this time with a 44! I did worse, and it seemed the second test was much different than the first. A whole different set of questions.
I knew going in to the second calculations test that I wasnt really prepared, because I feel that Ray Holders Master Exam Practice online exam just isnt what it should be. There is no option to "Skip" the general NEC questions and just focus on calc, so you end up wading through and skipping all the general knowledge stuff just to get to the calculations. And even then, the calculations he gives you are the same old run of the mill stuff on every different exam you start.
I got nearly ALL of the motor calculation questions correct, but had a hell of a time with the dwellings and different size ranges, etc.
I see Mike Holt has a calculation only prep course complete with DVD's and such on his site, but at $700 plus dollars, I'm hesitant. Still, thats less than I'm paying a month for a masters to keep my TECL current.
What are your recommendations? Thanks!
Obviously to start this company I had to secure a TECL or Texas Electrical Contractors License, which I found in a close friend and coworker. But, it is at a cost. Because of the sheer work volume I started off with during Hurricane Harvey, I had zero time to study for the masters. Heck, I had never even estimated a job before I started. Anyone here that has dabbled in contracting for themselves knows my plight.
So, I finally decided to start studying a month ago. I purchased Ray Holders online course, and studied about 40 hours during the course of a week, then went to Houston to take the test.
I passed the NEC general Knowledge portion the first time (thank god-that thing was a doozy in itself), but failed the 33 question Calculations portion by 3 questions!!!
So, I immediately rescheduled for about 2 weeks later, studied a little bit, (not as much as I should have because we are so busy doing out of town work), and promptly failed the Calculations portion AGAIN, this time with a 44! I did worse, and it seemed the second test was much different than the first. A whole different set of questions.
I knew going in to the second calculations test that I wasnt really prepared, because I feel that Ray Holders Master Exam Practice online exam just isnt what it should be. There is no option to "Skip" the general NEC questions and just focus on calc, so you end up wading through and skipping all the general knowledge stuff just to get to the calculations. And even then, the calculations he gives you are the same old run of the mill stuff on every different exam you start.
I got nearly ALL of the motor calculation questions correct, but had a hell of a time with the dwellings and different size ranges, etc.
I see Mike Holt has a calculation only prep course complete with DVD's and such on his site, but at $700 plus dollars, I'm hesitant. Still, thats less than I'm paying a month for a masters to keep my TECL current.
What are your recommendations? Thanks!
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