New Gas Main

Party_Animal

Has anyone had these works carried out? I've just received notification that we are having a new main, at least 10 weeks upset. They are going to cut through our drive. The drive was recently tarmacced and they made a very good job. The contractor will "make good" the drive. I don't consider a foot wide patch the length of the drive good. Have we any rights in this matter? The drive wasn't cheap.
Secondly, we've been advised to find somewhere else to park whilst works are ongoing. This in itself won't be easy where we live and everyone else will be in the same boat. My insurance covers me for parking on the drive over night. They've advised us to take out extra insurance to cover road parking. Should we be liable for this? The road will be up over Xmas when we have company so that's something to look forward to.
Thanks

Yorkie1

We had gas main work done in our area a couple of years ago. In practice, each house was only off supply for a few hours on a single day, with perhaps one overnight park off the drive. One end of the road was done one day, and then they moved onto another section of the road the following day. We just parked in each other's half on those days. The company were more precise about dates nearer the time. You may find that this is what happens with you.

I would be surprised if you could claim compensation; I don't remember anything about it when we were done.

Insurance wasn't mentioned at all either with us and it never crossed my mind that it would be a problem.

southcoastrgi

make sure they know the input size of your boiler, cooker, fire etc etc

Party_Animal

Yorkie1 wrote: »

We had gas main work done in our area a couple of years ago. In practice, each house was only off supply for a few hours on a single day, with perhaps one overnight park off the drive. One end of the road was done one day, and then they moved onto another section of the road the following day. We just parked in each other's half on those days. The company were more precise about dates nearer the time. You may find that this is what happens with you.

I would be surprised if you could claim compensation; I don't remember anything about it when we were done.

Insurance wasn't mentioned at all either with us and it never crossed my mind that it would be a problem.

Thanks Yorkie, I'm not looking for compensation, I'd just like my drive to look as it does now when they've finished.

vansboy

When we had work done at previous house they were able to avoid the footpath to the house by laying the pipe next to it, so no disturbance.

what I was really worried about was the porch where we had victorian tiles, which they intended to big up and re-lay.

The crew were really good, they dug right under the porch, really patient with things and didnt disturb a single tile.

Maybe they can avoid your drive or at least some of it?

VB

SailorSam

I had them put put a new main a couple of years ago now. They said the gas shouldn't be off for more than a half day, it went off first thing and once it got to 5pm i thought i'd go out and ask before they went home.
The workman said ...... it's on. I said mine isn't, and he said ...... are you sure ? I'm sitting freezing of couse i'm sure it's the middle of winter.
I live in the corner house and they couldn't find the supply, everyone else in the road was ok. More workmen came back searching but still no pipe. About 11pm he said all he could do was come next day and would i like a little electric heater. But by then i was sitting with 3 jumpers and a coat on, and ready for bed so i just wanted to sleep.
Next day they came back, dug a trench mostly across the garden and renewed the pipe. They made good the lawn and path, but not very well. One of the workman told me to phone the office and complain and i'd get 'compo' for the messing around. I got about £35.

Davesnave

Party_Animal wrote: »

The drive was recently tarmacced and they made a very good job. The contractor will "make good" the drive. I don't consider a foot wide patch the length of the drive good. Have we any rights in this matter? The drive wasn't cheap.

Gas wouldn't be cheap if the contractors had to re-lay an entire drive every time they did this, so 'making good' it is, or you could always demand to be cut off instead. I don't see what other options there are. *

Personally I'd tear up my entire drive if I could get mains gas installed here!

It's the same with insurance on your car, which is probably based on you parking on your own property. As with all insurance, home or car, it's your responsibility to tell the insurers if the risk changes. Many people don't bother, however, for short term changes. The gas co are just reminding you, not taking responsibility.

Those of us who have major services crossing our property, like electricity, water and gas, know that that we have few 'rights' when the companies decide to upgrade. I wasn't exactly delighted when Western Power came to change all the power poles in the middle of the last wet winter, but it's just luck of the draw. My neighbours had theirs done with no damage whatever a few weeks ago.

*Others have reminded me there might be a few more.:o

C_Mababejive

Bear in mind the guys doing this work are real people,real human beings. You can speak to them and they will speak back !
Yours is not the first job they have done. They do it all the time and its very hard,dirty horrible work.

Look outside at the weather...

Sure there will be disruption and parking problems but after a few weeks it will all be done and they will have moved on. Many of the mains in the roads have been there since 1930/40/50 and need to be replaced with new plastic mains.

Who told you they were digging a trench on your drive?

That is old worlde.

That rarely happens now.

More modern less invasive techniques are used..

Best of all,its all free !!

Whats not to like?

Ianwzzz

They will probably be able to use a mole under your drive and not even have to dig it up.

Davesnave

Ianwzzz wrote: »

They will probably be able to use a mole under your drive and not even have to dig it up.

Those of us who have moles under our drives most of the time, might not be too reassured by that! :rotfl:

bondy01

The area where my 80+ year old parents live (North Wakefield,West Yorks) is currently being done. They were concerned about their immaculate driveway but the job was done without needing to dig some of it up much to their relief. As a bonus the meter was relocated outside as well. They had plates on the road where that was dug up to enable access to their drive , I gather there was a lot of street furniture when it was being done. First thing I did when I heard about it was to check whether my gas supply pipe was metal or plastic!