New Build: Placement of meter boxes - Help

Antony09

need_an_answer wrote: »

So whats the alternative....no gas or electric to the property..

The meter boxes need to be placed somewhere that's easily accessible..the front of your property sounds as if it fits the bill.

Perhaps they could be positioned at the side or round the back of your property but then you'd get all manner of meter readers walking round your garden trying to find them every quarter when they want to take a meter reading.

At the moment everything is very exposed simply because it hasn't been finished off its still in the early build stages so is bound to look out of place...once you've moved in and put a few pots around the front etc then you wont notice the things that need to be there.

Everything has a price to be modified...I'm sure that if you were to contact the utility companies to discuss resiting them then they could look at alternative placements....however that will come at a price that will need to be covered by you and my thoughts are its probably expensive to change their standard configurations...but its your choice.

Directly behind the property is the driveway, that's where I thought they would be placed out of sight of the front. The garden is set to the right hand side.

need_an_answer

Antony09 wrote: »

Directly behind the property is the driveway, that's where I thought they would be placed out of sight of the front. The garden is set to the right hand side.

So moving them to a more pleasing location to the side of the property will mean how much extra pipework potentially exposed within the property in order to carry the essential utilities around the house?


You need to consider lots of things like the positioning of the consumer boards and electrics inside the property also.

I'm sure moving the external boxes to somewhere more pleasing for you will potentially mean that inside there could be a whole host of electrics sitting in a room you'd rather they weren't.

If you really are going to become consumed with this problem then realistically you do really need to consider your position moving forward...if its that much of an issue then this property may not be the right one for you.

Perhaps a new build is too much of an unknown entity for you to be considering and you should be looking at finding the perfect property that's already got all mains supplies connected and in the places you require them.

Antony09

need_an_answer wrote: »

So moving them to a more pleasing location to the side of the property will mean how much extra pipework potentially exposed within the property in order to carry the essential utilities around the house?


You need to consider lots of things like the positioning of the consumer boards and electrics inside the property also.

I'm sure moving the external boxes to somewhere more pleasing for you will potentially mean that inside there could be a whole host of electrics sitting in a room you'd rather they weren't.

If you really are going to become consumed with this problem then realistically you do really need to consider your position moving forward...if its that much of an issue then this property may not be the right one for you.

Perhaps a new build is too much of an unknown entity for you to be considering and you should be looking at finding the perfect property that's already got all mains supplies connected and in the places you require them.

I've no great issue with them being at the front, if they were like the show home was, positioned below the windows away to the right hand side, not staring you at your face beside the front door on each side.

My main reason here was to see if what they're telling me is correct? That they can't be moved and they are placed by the electricity company?

daveyjp

Putting them anywhere on the front elevation of a new build is simply c**p design and lacks any attention to detail.

need_an_answer

Antony09 wrote: »

I've no great issue with them being at the front, if they were like the show home was, positioned below the windows away to the right hand side, not staring you at your face beside the front door on each side.

My main reason here was to see if what they're telling me is correct? That they can't be moved and they are placed by the electricity company?

The utility company and the developer will work together to place the entry points in the most cost effective and sensible place for them.

As I said earlier and others have said,they can be moved but it will be at your cost and likely to add substantially to your bill.

Youre better off adding value in other ways to your new home rather than trying to get the utility boxes moved.

need_an_answer

daveyjp wrote: »

Putting them anywhere on the front elevation of a new build is simply c**p design and lacks any attention to detail.

But in fairness a generic newbuild was never designed to be anything other than a generic newbuild and almost always lacks attention to detail.


If you want truly bespoke then you need top pay a lot more and steer away from the generic housebuilding companies

Slinky

need_an_answer wrote: »

Dependant on which company you are with it can be monthly....

If I don't supply a reading on the given date each month,then I get someone knocking on my door 2 days later.

Good grief, who supplies your utilities? I need to avoid moving to them!

[Deleted User]

If the meter boxes have a door on them (don't know if they do or not), I think they will be more inclined to 'disappear'. As long as you don't get so irritated by the detail, you can't focus on anything else.

Looking at the photos, with a frame and door, its not going to be noticeable but so little of the house has been built, its probably making those tiny alcoves look more significant than they actually are.

Are you sure you aren't over emphasising this issue? I'm not being critical, honestly, but think its a bit early to be worrying about such a small thing. Go back to the sales office and ask what the plan is with the house, ask them to speak to the site manager if they don't know.

AdrianC

Well, the one to the right isn't going to be a meter box. A letter box, p'raps.

So one potplant, and it's forgotten. Unless you let it eat at your soul.

Want to know EXACTLY what the house looks like? Buy when it's been built.

Cakeguts

That style of house is going to look very dated quite quickly so I would think that you couldn't really spoil the look of it whatever you do.