Gas service pipes and building work

Murraymoocow

My house of horrors strikes again.

Builder started digging for our extension yesterday and exposed a water and gas service pipe we didn't know existed. The plans our architect and builder have show the pipes running behind the house which is why we went with a side extension, hoping to avoid them. 

Neither the builder or architect are worried, they've both said just build some kind of encasement for the pipes and build over them but everything I've read says you don't build over gas pipes. 

We need to move the meter from inside the house to an external wall anyway so the gas company are going to see the extension. I think we'll need to reroute the pipes but the extension is being built to within 1 metre of the boundary at one point so I'm not even sure if the pipework can be run around it, not to mention the costs involved.

I'd love to be proved wrong and I'm happy to be told I'm a hysterical woman overreacting as usual but this is too big (and expensive) a job to bodge. 

So am I crazy or the only sensible person in this town? 

grumbler

Is it your gas pipe or shared? I think this is the first question to get an answer to. Is it a plastic pipe or steel one?

Also, I think a it's worth posting the plan of the extension with the position of your gas meter shown.

stuart45

I've had this issue come up on jobs in the past. Building Inspectors didn't usually worry about it, as it wasn't part of the Building regs. However, it was part of the gas regs, so the pipework shouldn't run under the extension.
When the.meter was being moved to the new wall, the pipe the built over temporarily, and a new box built into the wall.
Talk to your gas company.

Murraymoocow

Thanks for the replies. We've been told its only our service pipe and not shared. It's a plastic pipe, around 1" diameter.

stuart45

Is the new box going on the extension wall?

Murraymoocow

Sorry was trying to insert an image but not working.

Murraymoocow

green is the gas meter (ideally moved to outside of wall in same spot
brown is boiler
red is extension footprint
yellow and blue are gas and water pipes

jefaz07

The gas pipe cannot go under any extension. Can it fit down the side? Or a meter box on the front. 

Plastic pipe won’t be imperial so perhaps 25 or 32mm. If it’s 1” then it may be yellow wrapped steel.  

Not sure about plans, service pipework isn’t recorded on maps or plans unless it’s 63/2”

If it’s bodged and it is discovered then you’re liable to have to pay for it at a later date. 

stuart45

My guess is that the transporter company would want to put the meter on the front of the extension, and then you will have to run some new pipework to the kitchen.

Murraymoocow

We aren't planning on having any gas appliances once the extension is done so the only thing needing a supply will be the boiler. I'd thought about moving the meter to outside what is now the dining room so on the front of the house. I'm not sure how easy it would be to reconnect to the boiler if it stays at the back of the house though.

Any ideas on what I can say, what regs to quote etc to make all the menfolk listen? 

stuart45

To connect the boiler you run the new pipework from the.meter to it.
If you find the name of your gas transporter company and call them, they should explain it to you. It's not a problem building over as a temporary measure. When the new external meter is installed at the front, the old pipes under the extension become redundant, and you get a new supply pipe to the boiler fitted.