Started contracting with letting agents last year and doing plenty of domestic handyman work,
Just occurred to me that 110v is used for construction site work and 240v domestic stuff,

As a sole tradesman should I be using 110v?

I’ll be highly unlikely to ever work on a construction site so surely 240v is okay for my needs?

Or am I missing some serious HSE rules?

Any help would help be appreciated before I spend £150 on a new jigsaw I need tomorrow!

110 and a transformer can be used anywhere…

Different trade to you, but almost all my tools are cordless now.
My 36v Bosch sds holds its own against the 110 as does my 28v Metabo mag drill for drilling steel ( in fact it p*sses over the workshop ones) and with batts charging in 15 mins there’s no down time. Rest of kit is Hilti with drills, grinder, reciprocating saw etc
They laugh and call me the cordless kid, but I’ll show em

Very limited hse rules for sole traders. You may be restricted by site rules if you do work on sites but in domestic properties on your own do what you like. I’d still do some h&s paperwork and regular safety inspections for your own piece of mind and arse covering. Transformers are heavy things to lug around if you don’t need them.

But as im only ever in domestic settings as a handyman, am I obliged by law to use 110v?

Edit; gotcha!

240V prob handiest to have, and often cheapest – always a mains supply somewhere

110V is a pain to lug aroudn transformer, but as said can be used on site and outdoors

cordless is ultimate, but pricey and you are limited with run time / power for some tools

everything I’m buying nowadays is 240V… but I’m diy, not doing it for a living

I buy 230v (DIY). 110v might be better for resale if you’re buying higher end kit (i.e. outside the normal DIY budget).

110 and a transformer can be used anywhere…

and has to be carried everywhere.

Or am I missing some serious HSE rules?

Its not so much an HSE rule (the HSE often point out there are very few ‘rules’- they don’t have equipment in their own premises PAT tested for instance) but it tends to be a site rule.

There are two things you can do to make using power tools safer – one is use and RCD the other is use 110v.
110v is favoured for sites because RCDs are quite fragile – and if they get wet or bashed theres the temptation to unplug them and work on without it rather then replace. 110v transformers are more robust, can cope with dirty, wet work sites and but more importantly if they stop working you don’t have the option to skip using them – you have to stop work and find a replacement. They’re a pain in the arse to drag around though if you work on the move.

110v might be better for resale if you’re buying higher end kit (i.e. outside the normal DIY budget).

Conversely I find 110v tends to be cheaper to buy second hand (same with 3 phase)- there tends to be more of a domestic /DIY market for second hand kit, I don’t think trade users buy second hand so much and I guess either market will tend to assume 110v stuff has been worked harder. Makes for some bargains though but I tend to only buy larger semi-portable stuff like table saws etc 110v. A transformer is just too much of a fanny about for hand-held stuff.

As mentioned above 240V for sure! Nothing is worse than having to lug your 110V transformer around the place. Although I’d say get as many cordless tools as your budget allows, then 240V for bigger tools.

I’ve been replacing my 230v stuff with 110v as and when needed (or when I find a bargain at auction 😀 ) for the simple reason that the motors are proper industrial ones. They don’t die easily and I do give them a wee bit of a kicking…
I don’t find it bothersome to handle the transformer. Move it once per job and use extension cables.

I work for a large company and we use 240v drills/chargers for work in customer houses. A decent metal/mains locator is probably more important.

I help manage a a couple of teams totalling 45 field engineers and I only know of one 110v drill (and several sets of 110v lights/water pumps but thats only because our lorries put out 110v)

Thinking about it, I’m surprised we don’t get more issues on building sites with their policies, usually the areas we work in already have 240v power livened up but the rest of the contractors will be using 110v.

Move it once per job and use extension cables.

I would argue that was more dangerous than using a 240v tool plugged into a local socket. As a sole tradesman you’ll be doing your own risk assessments and method statements (formally or on the fly) so it’s up to you to pick whatever you feel is the best/safest solution.