moving electric meter

andrewf75

About to have an extension built and the meter is currently in an outbuilding which will be demolished so we wanted to move it to the other side of the same wall - the current kitchen, which will become the utility room. Been sent some forms by SSE our electric board and it says on there that they won't move a meter to a kitchen or bathroom. Yet our electrician said that where we plan to put it is the most sensible place and it would obviously be the easiest because you wouldn't even need to extend the cable.

Any thoughts? Are there regulations about there they can be moved to or can we talk them round? Assuming they can do it before we start they would technically be moving it into a kitchen, but it wouldn't remain a kitchen...

macman

Not sure about a kitchen, but it should be fairly obvious why they won't install it in a bathroom or shower room...

andrewf75

macman wrote: »

Not sure about a kitchen, but it should be fairly obvious why they won't install it in a bathroom or shower room...

Yes I understand that!

fluffpot

be aware also that its pretty expensive to get this work done- you need to budget a few thousand

andrewf75

fluffpot wrote: »

be aware also that its pretty expensive to get this work done- you need to budget a few thousand

a few thousand to move it to the other side of the wall its already on?!

If its any more than a few hundred then it will be staying where it is!

fluffpot

well in which case you need to get a quote from the electricity supplier... they have a monopoly don't forget!


they won't charge for the quote

theEnd

Do the electricity supplier have to do these jobs. I'm looking to move mine down about 20 cm and the electrician seemed to think he'd just do it.

jimmy_81

fluffpot wrote: »

be aware also that its pretty expensive to get this work done- you need to budget a few thousand

Whoa, where did a few thousand come from!! :rotfl:

Andrew - we're having exactly this done, next Monday as it happens. Current meter is in the kitchen & it's being moved to the hall, where eventually it'll be inside a hall cupboard - though that's not been built yet!

Speak to SSE power distribution on the phone - they were very helpful with me. I then sent the application with a bunch of photos & a diagram via email & they provided a quote. It's costing us approx £350.

I can't speak regarding the kitchen situation as obviously ours is moving out of the kitchen, but I suggest you explain that your plans mean it won't be in the kitchen long-term. Should be OK I'd have thought...

One other things, you'll need to make sure you have your own electrician on-site the same time they do the meter move - they're not allowed to make the connections to the consumer unit from the meter.

Hope that helps!

andrewf75

Very helpful Jimmy, thanks a lot!

jimmy_81

theEnd wrote: »

Do the electricity supplier have to do these jobs. I'm looking to move mine down about 20 cm and the electrician seemed to think he'd just do it.

If it's literally a case of unscrewing from the wall and moving, without touching the actual wiring, you MIGHT be OK. DO NOT take that as definite though - you should phone the electricity distribution company to be sure.

If the electrician is proposing to disconnect & reconnect any of the wiring upstream of the meter, that is ABSOLUTELY NOT OK and you shouldn't be using that sparky! Only the PD company are allowed to make alterations to that wiring.

theEnd

jimmy_81 wrote: »

If it's literally a case of unscrewing from the wall and moving, without touching the actual wiring, you MIGHT be OK. DO NOT take that as definite though - you should phone the electricity distribution company to be sure.

If the electrician is proposing to disconnect & reconnect any of the wiring upstream of the meter, that is ABSOLUTELY NOT OK and you shouldn't be using that sparky! Only the PD company are allowed to make alterations to that wiring.

It is just moving it, but I'm so unimpressed by the electricians quote for various stuff, I'm maybe looking for another reason not to use him.

I won't be using him anyway.