The Electrical Show

Thomas Nagy talks about working with Tier 1 Contractors and his honest experiences so far. Rob Driscoll from the ECA joins the show and shares their perspective and some advice for those working for Tier 1 contractors.

Thomas Nagy and Paul Meenan look into recently released reports with regards to solar fires from 2024 and the increase of solar installs in 2024 & 2025. Paul and Tom talk about why so many solar fires are happening and Solar PV Installer, Stuart Cato discusses what he's seen with regards to another goldrush in the industry.

Thomas Nagy and Paul Meenan catch up and talk about their recent professional experiences after having seven weeks taking turns hosting the show. Tom talks about challenges with schemes, work vehicles and more. Paul ponders his future involvement in certain aspects of the trade and talks about how this year has been for the Electrical sector as a whole.

Thomas Nagy asks fellow contractors and regular guests, Danny Webb & Callum Biscoe, to join him and talk about what business has been like for them in 2025. Thomas asks them what the focus has been, What they've had enquiries for this year, What setbacks they've faced and the plan for next year. Thomas also talks about his experiences working on highways and expanding the business.

Thomas Nagy is back from some time off and invites Dr. Laura Kudrna from the University of Birmingham to join him and talk about how money relates to happiness for sole traders and business owners. Thomas asks whether there's a limit to how much anyone needs to make to be happy, the fallacy in working to support a family you therefore have no time for and just tries to get some answers for anyone working hard to earn a living and to what point enough is enough.

Paul Meenan invites Mark Pink, well respected Electrician & Site Manager, back onto the show while Thomas is away on holiday. Paul talks to Mark about coming from a family with a trade background and the mentors that help you along. Paul and Mark then talk about coping with loss and the incredibly devestating loss of Mark Pink's son, Harry who passed six months ago at the age of 22 - after years working with Mark. Mark talks about how hard this has hit him and the family, Paul shares what the reaction of their workplace was to this loss and Paul...

Paul Meenan invites seasoned and skilled Electrician, turned Site Manager, Mark Pink to join him and chat while Thomas Nagy is away on holiday. Mark talks about his recent work and experiences as a Site Manager. Mark talks about what has become harder in trade nowadays, the pressure the trade is under due to lack of competancy, poor training, apprenticeship challenges and Paul answers some listener questions.

Thomas Nagy invites guests with success and understanding of how to brand and present a business, in order to win the kind of work you want. Thomas talks to Scott Mullins, son of Charlie Mullins (Pimlico Plumbers) and founder of 'We Fix', to find out what has made their family businesses so successful and scalable. Trade Business Expert and founder of The Trades Freedom Club, Craig Wilkinson shares ten minutes of solid advice that he should be selling to you about how to create a brand and image for your business. Craig also shares the mistakes so many make and...

Thomas Nagy takes the opportunity with Paul Meenan away, to invite contractors from other trades to join him, so that he can compare notes and experiences in the construction industry. Guests include: Dan Tempest (Plumbing & Heating), Allen Burt (Carpentry & Joinery) and Peter Clark (Painting & Decorating)

Paul Meenan finally brings Tony Hennessey onto the show to discuss Thomas Nagy's snagging journey on rail work. Tony talks about his role as the Clerk of Works, How he works with contractors to get the best quality out of every job, Tony talks about Tom and his employees going on a journey of competency and the positive results that brings to the industry when a contractor embarks on it.

Thomas Nagy and Paul Meenan talk to Electrical contractors who work in the domestic sector about the potential challenges and pitfalls. They discuss how to run a business in this marketplace successfully and get advice for any of you looking to make a success of it.

Thomas Nagy and Paul Meenan talk to Electrical contractors who work in the domestic sector about the potential challenges and pitfalls. They discuss how to run a business in this marketplace successfully and get advice for any of you looking to a make a success of it.

Thomas Nagy talks to Ashley Waines & Ashley Kanes - two Electrical Contractors who are finalists for The Screwfix Top Tradesperson Award - about what makes a good tradesperson. They discuss things others do that they wouldn't do in the trade.

Thomas shares a recent Band of Builders project completed to help the family of an Electrician who sadly took his own life at the end of 2023.

Paul Meenan and Thomas Nagy follow up last week's episode with a further look at good and bad inventions and the positive steps with regards to innovation. John Ward joins the show to discuss the role social media plays in pushing good and bad products on the market and more!

Paul Meenan and Thomas Nagy look at some of the good and bad products currently on the market and talk honestly about what they feel with regards to quality, usefulness and whether the marketplace is crowded with stuff not worth your time. Guests include: Tony York from Yorkman

Thomas Nagy and Paul Meenan share some of the mistakes they've made and confess their electrical sins. They also talk about why mistake occur and how to learn from your mistakes.

Thomas Nagy and Paul Meenan look into how to de-risk your business and why 90 day payment terms need to end. Contractor, Callum Biscoe returns to share his roadmap for de-risking your business and putting protection in place when sub-contracting to Tier 1 contractors. The Small Business Commissioner, Emma Jones joins the discussion to explain her plan to use the stick rather than the carrot to re-shape rules around payment terms and the detremental affect that waiting for payments has on small businesses.

Alex Wood tried to qualify in 2019, but due to the pandemic and lack of apprenticeships… he’s been left in limbo. In this episode, Alex joins Thomas and Paul to share the effects this has had on his mental health, and how this led to his involvement in Andy’s Man Club.

Adrian Davey shares his journey through divorce and recent self-discovery, exploring how understanding communication styles can change the way we relate, connect, and build healthier relationships.

Paul Meenan hosts a Q&A featuring some questions from listeners. Paul answers juicy questions about the industry, ponders sliding doors moments and more!

Paul Meenan flies solo and looks into what Electrical Contractors are currently making in domestic, comercial and industrial and whether money is going up in line with inflation. Paul talks to Contractor, Callum Biscoe about his move away from domestic and the great structure he has in place to account money accurately. Craig Wilkson, Trades Business Coach and founder of The Trades Freedom Club, explains why it's okay to expect your money to go up year on year and how to do it to beat the cost of living. Friend of the show, Danny Webb AKA Sparky Milan talks about...

Paul Meenan and Thomas Nagy talk about how the trade has changed, how their perception of the trade changes and ask two guests to join them and share their perspective. Screwfix Trade Apprentice 2025 winner, Dan O'Shea talks about his perception of the trade and how it's already been shaped by his experiences so far... Sparky Ninja, Dave Watts talks about how he's changed and how the trade has changed around him over the course of his career.

Thomas Nagy and Paul Meenan talk to Leadership Consultant and Author of 'Responsibility: Becoming the Authentic Man' about soft skills for leaders in the trade. James talks about the challenges everyone has when trying to figure out how to lead people on site and when running a business. James also gives some advice on how to have difficult conversations with people and Paul Meenan touches on how it all relates to how we communicate in the wider industry.

Thomas Nagy and Paul Meenan discuss the rising costs of health and safety and some of the illogical ways safety protocol is implemented and played out on sites. Paul gives some stats and research into how much it can cost, depending on the aspects of work you do. Thomas shares some training experiences and on-site instances of health and safety creating an obstacle in trying to get work done.

Thomas Nagy and Paul Meenan talk to Roofer John Lees about his approach to taking on Solar PV installs. They ask John how he goes about working with an Electrical contractor, the safety steps, communication around safety and observations on pre-existing intallations. Stuart Cato talks about the safety steps on larger scale domestic projects as well as thoughts about safety and competence as a whole

Paul Meenan and Thomas Nagy talk about the differences between domestic and larger/commercial Solar PV installs and some of the missing safety steps in domestic, that could be implemented from the larger/commercial installs

Paul Meenan and Thomas Nagy discuss the divide between HV and LV systems. Paul talks about the issues with chucking rubbish each over the fence, how to bridge the gap, why this divide exists and what can be gained from working closely and collaborating between HV and LV

Paul Meenan and Thomas Nagy talk about earthing after a recent conference attended by Paul, which he also spoke at with regards to diverted neutrals. Paul discusses the future of electrical infrastructure, reliability and performance, surge and lightning protection and other key take aways Paul had after attending

Paul Meenan and Thomas Nagy talk about the race to the bottom that's prevelant in all aspects of the electrical sector. Paul defines the race to the bottom, Thomas and Paul talk about the race that's present in commercial aspects of the trade and the 'too good to be true' emails blowing up your emails and LinkedIn inbox

Thomas Nagy and Paul Meenan talk to Electrical Contractor, Callum Biscoe about his aims to help raise £100,000 for his local boxing club. Callum shares his experiences in the trade and talks about why he's decided to try and help out the club. If you can help or would like to donate, please do - https://bbch.org.uk/

Paul Meenan returns to the show alongside Thomas Nagy. Paul gives an update of where he's been and what he's been up to. Thomas Nagy gives a bit of a professional update and discusses the challenges that come with accreditations. Paul also gives a lowdown on the latest developments from the industry as a whole

Thomas Nagy is joined by Principal and CEO of The Leeds College of Building, Nikki Davis to discuss the open letter she sent to the Government, requesting an open conversation around the challenges to attract people from the trade into education and pay those what they need to do it. Nikki discusses the inherent problems as she sees them as well as ideas for a solution. Nikki also touches on why you should really deeply consider teaching as an option and the lesser known benefits of doing so

Thomas Nagy answers some frquently asked questions and questions sent to him via social media and the radio show. Thomas gives some advice and talks through his approach to varous things like: protecting his vehicles and high value equipment, how to snag and access the quality of work completed by his company and more

Thomas Nagy takes the opportunity while Paul is on holiday to discuss business growth and development. Thomas talks about his own experiences, both good and bad, and what he's learnt from them. Tom also outlines the pros and cons of expanding a business and whether you even want the job you're creating for yourself

Paul Meenan is joined by guests involved with teaching the trade so that he can explore the challenges that we have in getting competent tradespeople with a wealth of knowledge and experience to give up their careers on the tools and get into teaching. Guests include: Dave Love & Adrian Davey

Paul Meenan is joined by Andy Leggat, known as Isolate 4 Life on Instagram to discuss the previous talking point of 'whether we need insulated tools'. Paul starts with a conversation around apprenticeships and how apprentices are taught health and safety. Paul and Andy discuss how diverted neutrals changes the conversation around insulated tools slightly and also leads us to a discussion about needed regs changes

Paul Meenan and Thomas Nagy are joined by Deborah Graham-Wilson from Eland Cables to discuss the degradation of cables. Tom and Paul ask about quality assurance, the impact of transportation and location of where cables are made, how to access quality of cables and there's much more insight into how cable quality is assessed and implemented

Thomas Nagy and Paul Meenan look at the latest developments and progress (or lack of) around tackling tool theft in the UK. Met Police Sergeant, Dave Catlow joins the discussion to explain the challenge the Police have in dealing with the issue, how you can improve the chances of getting back your stolen tools and touches on vigilante justice. Van Security Expert, Jeff Scott from Sussex Installations talks about why some van manufacteurs need to do more and discusses van security. Towards the end of the show, Thomas talks about his experiences with tool theft/van break ins and Paul...

Paul Meenan and Thomas Nagy discuss whether the wiring regs constrain innovation, discuss too fatigue and the cost and time black hole caused by keeping up to date with regs

Thomas Nagy and Paul Meenan talk about some random electrical things you should know, if you dont already. There's a conversation about what makes a good and bad cable, BS4163 & a global standards update

Paul Meenan and Thomas Nagy discuss the range of hidden dangers you might encounter on old installations. John Ward joins the show to discuss examples he's found in the real world and his approach to reducing these dangers

Thomas Nagy and Paul Meenan are joined by Leadership Development Consultant, James Ray (https://www.instagram.com/jamesacray?igsh=MXJmcXJydGcxbWh3Mw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr) to discuss how to manage people as the boss and also deal with HR issues that might arise with employees, subbies or apprentices

Paul Meenan and Thomas Nagy talk about the push for full electrification and whether it's realistic

Thomas Nagy and Paul Meenan about whether you 'sell them the dream' and how much of the 'hard realities' of the industry you share with apprentices. Guests include: Tony York from Yorkman

Paul Meenan and Danny Webb AKA Sparky Milan (in for Thomas Nagy) discuss the growing gap in competency in the trade among domestic installers and the reasons why this gap is becoming ever more apparent. Paul talks about the challenges with regards to antiquated technology and teaching at colleges, the hesistancy to embrace new tech and understanding the need for CPD, as well as many other factors

Paul Meenan and Danny Webb AKA Sparky Milan (in for a hard working Thomas Nagy) talk about instances of unreported shocks and why it could be important to change the mindset in the trade around reporting, of lack of. Andy Baker from Electrical Safety UK joins the discussion to share his thoughts on unreported shocks towards the end of the show as well!

Thomas Nagy and Paul Meenan talk about how they approach troubleshooting and problem solving in a variety of circumstances they find themselves in. Thomas talks about troubleshooting while on the tools and managing a business. Paul talks about choosing your battles, gives advice and disusses the process to take when troubleshooting different issues

Thomas Nagy and Paul Meenan are joined by Nathan Smoothy (Message Therapist) to discuss some of the ways you can combat, prevent and manage aches and strain that come from a lifetime on the tools

Thomas Nagy and Paul Meenan start 2025 with a look at what possible developments we might see across the Electrical sector and Construction Industry as a whole this year

Thomas Nagy and Paul Meenan debunk some common myths and misconceptions about the trade. Guests include: Bob Cairney, Director of Technical Services at SELECT

With Paul Meenan away for a second week, Stand in co-host Danny Webb (Sparky Milan) uses it as an opportunity to ask Thomas Nagy how he transitioned from more domestic based work to working on the highways and railway

Danny Webb AKA Sparky Milan joins Thomas Nagy while Paul Meenen is in Ireland to discuss their best and worst moments in the trade

Stuart Cato joins Paul Meenan to discuss his experiences installing Solar PV and working in the industry. Stuart talks about his time serving in the Royal Engineers, the leap he made into Solar PV, His positive experiences in Solar, Riding the Solarcoaster and the need for more guidance

Paul Meenan is solo on the show and uses the opportunity to get some reaction from the trade with regards to the budget. Paul is joined by an Electrician who made national news after he stated he would pack up his family & business and move to Spain due to the budget. Paul has also invited Brian Berry, CEO of the Federation of Master Builders to join him and add context and opinion with regards to the impact the budget will have on the trade

Thomas Nagy and Paul Meenan invite two well esteemed members of the trade to join them and offer some meaningful advice from their experiences in electrical. Dan Jackson talks wellness, alcohol, diet, work life balance and Mark Pink shares his experiences and lessons learnt from the variety of working environments he's found himself in over the years

Thomas Nagy and Paul Meenan are joined by guests to discuss the current approach to electrical apprenticeships here in the UK. Ruth Devine MBE, chair of TESP (The Electrotechnical Skills Partnership) joins to give an overview on what is going well with regards to the current apprenticeship scheme and also where there is still challenges as well as room for improvement. Adrian Davey, educator and friend of the show gives his thoughts on how apprentices move through the education system and where he feels there are some serious issues that need to be addressed

Thomas Nagy and Paul Meenan are joined by those that work in Solar PV currently, to find out what their experiences have been both good and bad. Paul talks about and puts some concerns around safety and guidance to the guests as well. Guests include: Rob Wade from RJW Electrical Services & Kevin Holland from The Solar Shed

Paul Meenan returns from his escapades in Turkey and discusses the latest technology and developments in tech that relates to the Electrical industry

Thomas Nagy is with Danny Webb AKA Sparky Milan one more time before Paul Meenan returns and brings his apprentices in for a chat. Thomas first of all introduces his first year apprentice to discuss his time so far and then introduces his apprentice that has just come out of his time and finds out what their education journey has been like

Thomas Nagy is joined again by Danny Webb AKA Sparky Milan where they look at the failure rate of businesses in the trade and how to keep your head above water. Danny talks about his experiences with his business, Craig Wilkinson from the Trades Freedom Club joins the show to give some insight into how businesses fail and offers some ways to avoid failure. Finally, Thomas Nagy talks openly about his own mistakes in the past with regards to running a business

Thomas Nagy is joined by Danny Webb AKA Sparky Milan for the first of three appearances while Paul is off on holiday and uses it as an oppertunity to find out what Danny has been doing workwise lately and discuss in detail his experiences re-training and joining the trade at 27

Thomas Nagy and Paul Meenan are joined by three Electricians who were nominated for Screwfix Top Tradesperson 2024. Thomas and Paul ask them about their careers, their challenges on and off the tools, get some background into what makes them worthy to be nominated for 'Top Tradesperson and also ask about thought on the industry. Guests include: Steve Cook, Richard Pullen & Gary Lynch

Paul Meenan returns to the show and brings a wealth of knowledge with regards to the latest on Amendment 4 to the wiring regs

Thomas Nagy is joined by Danny Webb AKA Sparky Milan to talk about what they perceive to be all the joys and pains of working as an electrical contractor

Thomas Nagy is solo this week and uses it as an oppertunity to pose some juicy 'would you ever' questions about the trade to himself

Adrian Davey joins Thomas Nagy and Paul Meenan to peel back the layers and expose the truth about the realities of teaching

Mark Pink returns to discuss apprenticeships, skills, challenging aspects of the trade and more with Thomas Nagy and Paul Meenan

Thomas Nagy and Paul Meenan are joined by Electrician, Mark Pink, who talks about all of the different aspects of the trade he's worked in, in places around the world like Saudi Arabia and Russia. There's also more on Amendment 3 of the 18th edition, which was published on 31st July

Thomas Nagy and Paul Meenan discuss tools. They cover what a new starter in the trade should get and why, whether it's the bosses responsibility to help apprentices get the tools they need, tools for employees and they discuss some of the best tools on the market

Thomas Nagy and Paul Meenan are joined by Charlie from Edmondson's Electrical, the largest Electrical wholesaler in the UK to give their perception on material quality, cost and also give some context on how the supply chain works and what their place is within it. Thomas and Paul also start a tools topic, which will continue on next week's show

Tom Milham & Will Watson join Andy Cam and Todd Glister to talk about their work in HVAC. They discuss their experiences running a business, memorable jobs and moments as well as tools, materials and the fufute of the HVAC industry

Thomas Nagy and Paul Meenan talk about the issues they've experienced with material quality and working with some wholesalers. They also look at how an Electrician's wages compare to other trades and whether it's time to leave the stereotypes behind and they also re-visit tendering for work from last week's show

Thomas Nagy and Paul Meenan are joined by guests from both domestic and commercial/public to discuss their approach to tendering for contracts and quoting for work in domestic. They also touch on waiting for money, dealing with clients and more

Thomas Nagy and Paul Meenan discuss the one aspect of the trade they've possibly struggled to get right most in their careers...... taking time off! Paul and Thomas discuss how whether you're a contractor, employee or sole trader, each aspect comea with it's own set of challenges when trying to take time off. They talk about how they've achieved a bit of a better work life balance and how you can do the same

Thomas Nagy & Paul Meenan invite Sparky Ninja (AKA David Watts) and Adrian Davey to talk about their experiences in education and the concerning shortcomings with the current system

Thomas Nagy is joined by show regulars, Danny Webb and Pete Arrow so that he can find out how their quality of work, demand and how business is going generally in 2024. Thomas also reads out some messages on what the most common struggles are for contractors currently and shares his thoughts

Ian Bedingfield and Jack Street join Thomas Nagy as he explores how employed sparkies are faring in 2024. A lot tradespeople prize the freedom of being their own boss, but a steady income, holiday pay, and a fuel card are all strong reasons to sign on with a contractor. Thomas also shares his views on building a strong company culture

Thomas Nagy and Paul Meenan discuss their working relationship and give you plenty of insight and advice on how to foester and build the client and sub-contractor relationship

Thomas Nagy and Paul Meenan react to amendment 3 of BS 7671. Sparky Ninja, David Watts from e5 joins the show and gives his thoughts as well

Thomas Nagy and Paul Meenan discuss the race to the bottom in the trade and how often you can find yourself engaged in a race to the bottom when trying to win work from potential clients

Paul Meenan and Thomas Nagy continue looking at how the trade are supported and protected by trade associations and accreditations. This episode, Alan Wilson MD from Select in Scotland talks about making Electrician a protected title and whether we would want one trade body regulating and maintaining safety standards

Thomas Nagy and Paul Meenan take a look at the role trade associations and accreditation bodies have in the trade and whether members feel they're properly supported. Paul and Thomas talk to Danny Webb AKA Sparky Milan about why he's chosen to avoid accreditations and schemes and Thomas and Paul ponder what should and shouldn't be expected from these organisations with regards to support and policing the industry

Thomas Nagy and Paul Meenan draw from their own experiences on YouTube to discuss what role it plays in the electrical industry, the positives, the negatives, everything in between. There's also an exclusive from Thomas on his YouTube and some advice if you intend to post electrical or trade content on the platform

Thomas Nagy talks about electric vehicles, mental health, upskilling and dating (yes, really!)

Thomas Nagy is joined by two guests to discuss the dangers faced by electricians while working. Peter Bennett from The Ladder Association shares some evidence and advice with regards to the dangers of working from height. Electrical contractor, Tom Bickerton joins Thomas to talk about his own first hand experience with an electrical shock while working and also talks about his father's death while working

Thomas Nagy and Paul Meenan take a look at how burnout culture might be causing some members of the trade to feel disillusioned with the nature of the work and also ask Adrian Davey to share his story of disillusionment as well

Thomas Nagy and Paul Meenan invite Chris Frediani, the UK's most famous spread, to discuss the damaged relationship between Electricians and Plasterers. Chris talks about where it all started, his experiences and perspective as a spread on the issue, and also offers some advice and solutions. Paul and Thomas also talk about kitchen fitters dabbling in electrics a little later on too

Thomas Nagy and Paul Meenan talk to Gary Alder, who has written the book 'So You Want To Be An Electrician?' They ask Gary about his career in the trade, his thoughts on the state of the industry in 2024, who the book is for and why he's decided to write it

Thomas Nagy and Paul Meenan talk about doing work the right way and why it's important to think about the work you've completed in the following weeks and months. Paul and Thomas talk about the difference between a lash up and properly conducted work. Paul gives some advice and uses some examples from the trade with regards to how to do things ethically

Thomas Nagy and Paul Meenan talk to two contractors about what causes them to feel disillusioned with the trade and their position within it

John Isherwood is in for Thomas Nagy and walks Paul Meenan through his professional life in a bit of an Electrical version of 'This is Your Life'

John Isherwood is in for Thomas Nagy, with Paul Meenan and they look at why potential apprentices are struggling to find placements and why some contractors struggle once they bring apprentices into the business

We've heard from listeners that as they get further into their journey as an Electrical contractor, they find themselves losing their passion for the industry and the job. Thomas Nagy and Paul Meenan discuss how this trade will test every fiber of your being and what you can do to stay passionate and avoided becoming jaded or even end up leaving the industry entirely

Thomas Nagy and Paul Meenan are joined by popular social media snagged John Cooper of New Home Quality Control to talk about snagging electrical work and the shocking state of new build homes. John talks about why het got into snagging, what he's witnessing on-site, how big an issue poor and dangerous work is for the construction industry. He also offers some advice for the younger tradespeople out on-site

John Isherwood is in for Thomas Nagy one more time and joined by Paul Meenan to take a look at tool theft, van theft, van break-ins, units being targetting by thieves and discuss what can be done about it. Tony York, an Electrical contractor talks about their awful experiences and Greg Smith MP joins the discussion to provide some context on what the government will do about this huge issue

Thomas Nagy is off for two weeks, but the show must go on and joining Paul Meenan on hosting duties is Fix Radio regular John Isherwood to take another look at health & fitness. It's January and therefore a time where many people attempt to get into some kind of exercise regime. John and Paul talk to Brooke Reeve, an apprentice spark about her experiences as a kickboxing world champion and personal trainer, Max returns to talk about the virtues of getting your employees into an at work fitness plan

Thomas Nagy and Paul Meenan pick out some of the key changes coming to the regs this year in the UK that you should know about and other things that might affect electrical contractors in 2024

Thomas Nagy and Paul Meenan are back after Christmas and start the year with a look at EV and what 2024 might hold for EV and those in the trade that work within this specialism. Paul talks about a show he went to in London at the end of 2023, where he was able to take a closer look at EV