Moving Gas Meter

Dirty_Harry

We recently moved into a victorian property that had a prefab concrete garage with asbestos roof built on the side sometime in the 80's. The structural survey highlighted numerous issues with this addition and recommended demolishing it at the earliest opportunity due to possible unsafe conditions. It is also extremely unsightly so we are desperate to pull it down.

Our gas meter and ECV is located inside the garage and bolted to side wall of the house approximately 2 meters above the floor. When the garage is removed we will be left with a meter totally exposed halfway up a wall. British Gas will happily move the meter free of charge and relocate it down at ground level in a surface mounted box. The problem we have is they cannot touch the supply pipe and ECV so whilst the meter will be concealed the supply pipework will still run up the side of the house and turn back on itself from the ECV down the wall and into the box.

SGN have been approached with a view to them making alterations to our supply pipe and ECV so that it can be shortened by approximately 1.5m. The response from the guy who made the assessment was "it will probably cost you a couple of grand mate to alter that pipe". Now I have no problem paying for a service but I object to getting ripped off just because a company has a monopoly and can charge whatever price they deem fit.

Can anybody offer some advice or guidance on the regulations for gas meter location? I have done a comprehensive search on the net but cannot find anything specific to maximum height off the floor. I am of the opinion that the ECV is too high and not easily accessible for isolation in an emergency and we are exploring the possibility of getting this moved free of charge on safety grounds. I may be flogging a dead horse but if you don't ask you don't get. It would be nice to have something conclusive as BG and SGN will not commit to anything when questioned about the regs.

spiro

You wont get it moved FOC. If the supply pipe is very old they wont shorten it but will have to lay a whole new pipe from the road, so it will cost a lot. Once the gas transporter has moved the pipe and ECV, your supplier will need to move the meter and then you will need to get the internal pipework altered

The cheapest option will be to just fit a meter box around it.

Premier_2

Getting that asbestos roofed garage pulled down and safely removed isn't going to be cheap either. Can't you make it safe structurally?

Asbestos itself is pretty much indestructable, although the structure of the garage (wood presumably) may be rotten but could be repaired/replaced.
I know an asbestos garage that is still standing since it was built probably before 1950. The structure has been repaired/replaced but the walls & roof are as good as the day they were erected.

pompeyfaith

http://www.meterboxes.co.uk/content/METERBOXESmeterboxes.asp?TypeID=1&CatID=23

Gman0365

Have you obtained an actual quote from SGN Connections or just some spurious comment from an SGN employee?

Dirty_Harry

Thanks for the prompt replies.

spiro - we have considered that option but this would mean having the meter box over 2 meters up the wall on the side of our house which would be a bit of an eye sore. In an ideal world we'd like it down as close to ground level as possible.

Premier - the whole structure is crumbling to bits, hence the reason why we want to pull it down. I have no problem dismantling whilst taking all the necessary precautions and fortunately a friend has the means to dispose of the asbestos safely and legally.

We don't actually have a written quotation yet but the advisor for SGN stated it was being processed and cost wouldn't be far off the assessors estimate. The British Gas engineer who originally came out did say he recalled some regulations about the permitted height of ECV's, meters and their containment boxes and thought we may have a case to get it moved FOC as it did not meet requirements. I guess we'll wait for the quote and may just have to bite the bullet and pay the costs for alteration.

Gman0365

SGN does not charge for the alteration of a meter position and / or service pipe to meet the physical needs of:

1. the disabled;
2. chronically sick, or
3. persons of pensionable age.

In this instance, 'needs' means that as a result of a person's physical condition, the alteration is required to allow that person to operate the emergency control valve, and / or read the meter.

SGN's standard charges are listed on their website:

http://www.sgn.co.uk/ScotiaGas/uploadedFiles/Gas_Connections/Charges/StandardChargesSouthernGasNetworks.pdf

I've assumed that you live in the Southern area (not within the M25) in which case the charge for a standard alteration of less than 2m is £560 + VAT.

I hope this helps.

C_Mababejive

The gas industry is no longer a nationalised industry,held in trust on behalf of the populace for the common good. It has been denationalised and segmented with each bit having to make its own living and be self supporting.

There is therefore no reason why the public gas transporter should carry out alternations to your supply FOC.

Indeed,by removing the garage,the installation has been left unprotected from the weather and therefore one could make a good case for discontinuing your supply as you are failing to provide a suitable protective housing for the installation.

Its a similar situation to people who decide to build extensions which subsequently enclose the incoming gas service.

They can often find that the service gets cut off.

spiro

Dirty_Harry wrote: »

Premier - the whole structure is crumbling to bits, hence the reason why we want to pull it down. I have no problem dismantling whilst taking all the necessary precautions and fortunately a friend has the means to dispose of the asbestos safely and legally.

You may find you local council has other views especially if the roof sheets are in any way cracked, broken or crumbling. It will have to be taken down so that no dust 'escapes', all waste is double bagged and moved and disposed of by an authorised contractor. My understanding is the cost of them now disposing of the waste has got a lot higher so I hope you factored this into the purchase price of the house.