Getting a gas meter installed

Candy_Red

Can someone please help me? I don't even know where to start.

Basically, we have no central heating. I'm looking to apply for a Warm Front scheme grant, but will have to wait until April 2011 to apply as the government budget for them has run out for the year

So it seems most people run their central heating off gas. Our street has a gas supply but we do not have a meter, and I'm not even sure if there is a pipe into the house, although I suspect there is.

So from what I can gather, any gas supplier can fit a meter, and whoever fits it is who supplies you. My problem being finding the cheapest supplier as all the comparison sites ask who your current supplier is and obviously I don't have one.

So do I just ring round various gas suppliers and ask how much they charge to fit a meter? And how will I know the cheapest meter fitment will be the cheapest tariff.

Want to get the gas on so I can go ahead and apply for the grant in April, unless you know if that would all be part of what the grants cover?

Wasn't sure whether I should be posting this in the electrity/gas forum or the heating one as it's a bit of both.

Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance
Candy

spiro

If you dont have a capped gas pipe already into the house or the gas has not been used for several years you may need a new service pipe. This is the pipe from the street to the house. If this needs to be installed it can cost hundreds of pounds depending on the distance involved.

I would suggest you dont go to the expensive of having the meter etc installed until you know you can get the grant.

samtheman1k

As spiro said...you need to get gas to your house first...as you don't know, you need to find out as it will have significant bearings on the cost of it all...why do you suspect there is gas there already? Is there a pipe that just needs a meter putting on?

Candy_Red

There's a pipe of some sort coming out of the floor in the larder of the kitchen and another pipe of some sort coming out of the wall in the lounge (near the fireplace). Neither has been used for some time and doesn't have any sort of tap or anything (sorry I've never lived in a house with gas so don't know anything about it.)
I'm thinking, whether or not I get the grant, I want to have the gas put on as would like a gas fire in the lounge instead of the current coalburner we have. Lovely as it is, it is very messy, hard work and coal is very expensive these days.
If I got the grant I'd have the whole central heating system done, if not maybe just the gas fire?
But where do I find out about having the meter fitted or checking my current pipes? Do I just ring British Gas or a few different suppliers.

Thanks for your help.
Candy

spiro

You can ring a few but if you need a new gas main then it will be the gas transporter that puts this in. The supplier only arranges for the meter to be installed. I dont know what they charge for this.

Candy_Red

Thanks Spiro. so if I get British Gas out, they can look and see if I've got the pipe and quote for the meter. Then if it's just the meter I can ask someone else for a quote too?

welda

spiro wrote: »

You can ring a few but if you need a new gas main then it will be the gas transporter that puts this in. The supplier only arranges for the meter to be installed. I dont know what they charge for this.

Is it not "National Grid" who are responsible for gas transportation?

I remeber the day there was no charge to be hooked up to gas main, as long as not too far from main to property boundary.

Joyful

If you phone British Gas or any other supplier they can put you in touch with a company to quote you. BG use Fulcrum connections( at least in some areas). Perhaps you could call them for advice.

bengalknights

Just use the form on the below to get a meter installed

http://www.nationalgrid.com/uk/Gas/Connections/

lemontart

right I work for the grid this is how it works

1. how long has the property been off supply, if you do not know then how long have you owned it if not long how long ago did you first view the property, if we are talking more that a a year say then it will be a case of having a new service put in.

If less than a year then arrange for a live or dead check with the company that owns the pipes - see next question

2. where do you live as National Grid do not own all the gas pipes now

3. any gas supplier can install a meter and you do not have to use the same supplier to buy your gas from but they may prefer that you do but that is something a gas supplier can answer

samtheman1k

bengalknights wrote: »

Just use the form on the below to get a meter installed

http://www.nationalgrid.com/uk/Gas/Connections/

They won't install a meter, just the pipe...