Questions re moving Gas/Electric supply/meter

sedgeman

Hi there
Would people be able to help me with the below questions re moving our gas and electric supply as part of an extension/rennovation

1 - Are there distance restrictions how close our incoming gas/electric supply can be to our waste pipe? Where we would like to move the gas to would potential be as close as 1m to our waste down pipe

2 - we would like to upgrade to a smart meter. I spoke with British Gas this week who advised we are ineligible because we have economy 7 - currently no smart meters are comparable with smart meters. Has anyone else been told this?

3 - We are planning to have a fairly extensive renovation including new drainage which i'm concerned may be in case proximity to the gas and electric supply. Again are people aware of distance restrictions when installing new drainage close to gas/electric supply? I suppose it will be for our builder to arrange when they do the work but it looks like a potential problem

Thank

CashStrapped

The only people who can touch, and move/extend your incoming gas and/or electric supply (to the point where it gets to the meter) are your local area mains distributors.

You have to get a quote from them as to the costs and where it can be placed.

As they are the only ones who can move your supplies, they will usually charge a large amount for the privilege.

Needless to say, the best people to speak to are them.

sedgeman

CashStrapped wrote: »

The only people who can touch, and move/extend your incoming gas and/or electric supply (to the point where it gets to the meter) are your local area mains distributors.

You have to get a quote from them as to the costs and where it can be placed.

As they are the only ones who can move your supplies, they will usually charge a large amount for the privilege.

Needless to say, the best people to speak to are them.

Hi

Thanks for the reply. Yes i'm aware that the distribution company need to carry out the work and have contacted them; my question was are there any restrictions on how close the supply can be to a waste pipe?

Gas/Electric companies have quotes approx £600-700 to move each supply point

CashStrapped

Why don't you ask them?

sedgeman

CashStrapped wrote: »

Why don't you ask them?

I have, they couldn't answer unless i paired for a survey; hence asking on here!!

Maybe someone else might be able to advise

[Deleted User]

sedgeman wrote: »

Hi there
Would people be able to help me with the below questions re moving our gas and electric supply as part of an extension/rennovation

1 - Are there distance restrictions how close our incoming gas/electric supply can be to our waste pipe? Where we would like to move the gas to would potential be as close as 1m to our waste down pipe

2 - we would like to upgrade to a smart meter. I spoke with British Gas this week who advised we are ineligible because we have economy 7 - currently no smart meters are comparable with smart meters. Has anyone else been told this?

3 - We are planning to have a fairly extensive renovation including new drainage which i'm concerned may be in case proximity to the gas and electric supply. Again are people aware of distance restrictions when installing new drainage close to gas/electric supply? I suppose it will be for our builder to arrange when they do the work but it looks like a potential problem

Thank

National Grid and your local network operator should be able to answer your questions about drainage and gas/electric proximity.Short distances, a qualified gas safe engineer holding the correct certificate can move the gas meter.
Yes, its odd why eco 7 meters are at the back of the queue in the smart meter roll out as are prepayment meters. It is coming though because BG have applied to OFGEM to run a Time Of Use tariff which is what an eco 7 tariff is.Maybe its OFGEM behind it all why its so slow in coming.

CashStrapped

Without knowing your land, type of drains, type of soil it is impossible for anyone on here to say yes or no.

You builder should be in the best position to advise or ask the council building control inspector when he makes a site visit.

If anyone is unsure.....you may need a survey.

No one on here can give you specific answers without seeing the site.

footyguy

sedgeman wrote: »

Hi there
Would people be able to help me with the below questions re moving our gas and electric supply as part of an extension/rennovation

1 - Are there distance restrictions how close our incoming gas/electric supply can be to our waste pipe? Where we would like to move the gas to would potential be as close as 1m to our waste down pipe

2 - we would like to upgrade to a smart meter. I spoke with British Gas this week who advised we are ineligible because we have economy 7 - currently no smart meters are comparable with smart meters. Has anyone else been told this?

3 - We are planning to have a fairly extensive renovation including new drainage which i'm concerned may be in case proximity to the gas and electric supply. Again are people aware of distance restrictions when installing new drainage close to gas/electric supply? I suppose it will be for our builder to arrange when they do the work but it looks like a potential problem

Thank

Entirely in support of advice already offered by CashStrapped.

In regards to your point 2, I was not aware BG smart meters could not currently handle E7 tariffs, especially when the whole idea of smart meters is to provide real time usage data of a customers actual consumption which it is envisaged will lead to a lot mote 'time of use' tariffs in the future.

However, it is true that BG smart meters do not support E7 yet
https://www.britishgas.co.uk/new-smart-experience/register-interest.html

(Personally I wouldn't bother with any smart meter at present, as if you move supplier, the current position is that the smart meter cannot be used in smart mode with almost any new supplier. Hopefully the industry will eventually get their act together and make smart meters compatible with all suplliers, but anyone taking a smart meter today may need to get it changed soon to ensure compatability - although some suggest a replacement won't be necessary)

Why do you want a smart meter?

I don't know if other suppliers are in a position to supply a smart meter currently that works with E7, so you may like to check with each if you really want a smart meter.

Edit: it would appear, by way only as an example, that Ovo smart metering can be used with an E7 tariff
https://www.ovoenergy.com/ovo-answers/topics/smart-technology/smart-meters/how-do-i-take-a-reading-on-my-smart-meter.html

sedgeman

Thanks all for the replies. I'll go back to the supplier to ask

azzadle

Re: E7 smart meters, I know the supplier I work for is launching these as of Monday, OVO use the same smart meters but I have no idea what kind of tariff they're advertising. Surprisingly on this front the big 6 are a bit behind some of the market..

C_Mababejive

There are separation distances between gas meters/pipework and electric cables/equipment.

If your extension/building work is likely to build over your incoming gas supply, then it will need moving. Your builder/architect should be aware of this and take this into account giving plenty of notice. It will be chargeable.

Only network operators can alter incoming gas/electric services.