Gas Mains - Quote

jimrobertson24

Hi

Can anyone advise on the following?

I got a quote from SGN to get connected to the mains gas. I was sent a quote for £2900 with no break down of costs, apparently they can't??

I read on their website that they have a standard charge of £550 if the distance is 23m or less. When I phoned them up they told me we were 23.88m away from the mains.
I appreciate there has to be a cut off distance somewhere and also understand that there will be extra costs to pay if you go over that standard distance, but £2350 for .88m can't be right surely?

Have I misunderstood?

jd87

Aren't SGN an Independent Gas Transporter (IGT)? Most gas suppliers charge an extra fee on your bill if they have to supply you via an IGT. You may be better off in the long run if you get your connection fitted by National Grid. There's a guide to requesting a connection from them here: http://www.nationalgrid.com/uk/Gas/Connections/

jimrobertson24

I'm pretty sure the National Grid just deals with England. I'm up in Scotland and was told it had to be Scotia Gas Networks?

jd87

jimrobertson24 wrote: »

I'm pretty sure the National Grid just deals with England. I'm up in Scotland and was told it had to be Scotia Gas Networks?

Oh yes sorry, you are correct.

lemontart

Scottish gas networks are and independent gas network not a independent gas transporter -
Gas Networks
http://www.gl-group.com/en/is/9987.php

gas transporters - this one is a little out of date as it still states transco so at least 4 yrs out of date but explains them
http://www.energylinx.co.uk/independent_gas_transporters.htm

sbunny

jimrobertson24 wrote: »

Hi

Can anyone advise on the following?

I got a quote from SGN to get connected to the mains gas. I was sent a quote for £2900 with no break down of costs, apparently they can't??

I read on their website that they have a standard charge of £550 if the distance is 23m or less. When I phoned them up they told me we were 23.88m away from the mains.
I appreciate there has to be a cut off distance somewhere and also understand that there will be extra costs to pay if you go over that standard distance, but £2350 for .88m can't be right surely?

Have I misunderstood?

Your quote probably covers the whole cost of installing the gas supply.
Where as their standard charges average out services which are closer to main (within 10m) with those nearly up to full 23m in public regardless of surface type, as well as averaging out up 20m in private for those that including private section. They also are reduced by an allowance that will be for standard charge the average of cost of connection to main and up to 10m of land dedicated to public use over all the standard connections. This allowance (DLCA) is only applied to reduce those quotes where the premise boundary is with 23m of a relevant main.

I believe SGN's aims to have it records accurate to with 0.1m but even this is doubtful for many of their mains graphical records so they really should least have just said 23.9m. But if you do accept the quote when they expose the main it may be worth using a measuring trundle or long tape and checking if they have recorded correctly where the main is relative to your property boundary, it may well actually fall within 23m so you would ask straight away for a refund variation. On the quote letter the distance will be in a section they call 'assumptions'. And these assumptions can turn out to be different when comes to the works resulting in a variation to the costs. But the SGN should not be able to increase cost if their mains records are incorrect, only decrease. But can increase if turns out a new build house is further away than plans submitted at quote time.
They should have also supplied a map with route so so check that it is accurate. It should be based on Ordnance Survey large scale mapping along with any plans you supplied. Sometimes this can be out.

Also is all of that '23.88m' in adopted public highway?, if some of it is in shared private / unadopted it still will rule out standard charge / allowance but you may be able to look into you arranging have open trench, backfill and reinstatement provided separately in that section as well as your own private land to reduce the quote and lead to overall cheaper cost. You would have to get consent from all the owners and notices would be issued to all premise that abut unadopted section, which should happen anyway for undopted highway. For adopted highway notice is issued to the local highway authority and only a more restricted set of companies can do this.

Also as you have not got standard charges / or allowance it may be worth getting other quotes from other Utility Infrastructure Providers. Unfortunately there are not many that do just one-off domestic supplies.
But try from lists at
SBGI UIP list
Lloyds GIRS list
which can be found on the www
pm me for url links

If you have several other neighbours who don't have gas whose boundaries are also over 23m from the main it maybe idea to apply for a join quote and split costs, but will depend on geographical layout.
But if your single premise quote includes a mains pipe as well as service pipe they are better off waiting till you have your service done and then they would be within 23m of the new main and entitled to standard charges.

Also see:
SGN Publications on their website including:
Connection Services Charges
Charging - Connections Methodology Statement
pm me for links

Other Gas Transporters for other areas such National Grid, NGN, Wales and West have similar publications on their websites.