Do I have to move my gas meter if I build a side extension?

[diyswan]

We are planning a single storey rear and side extension to our smallish semi house.

The gas supply currently enters the house above ground and dpc through the external side wall into the under stair cupboard, which is where the gas and electric meters + electric fuse box have all been since the house was built in the 1960s. The supply pipe outside goes straight down into the original concrete side path, so I assume it runs underground out down the front drive to the mains supply.

Our proposed extension will run along most of the side wall of the house, including the point where the gas supply goes through the wall to the meter cupboard under the stairs.

I have no particular wish to move any of the meters from their original location, not least because of the cost of doing this. However, from browsing and reading up a bit, I gather that those responsible for the gas supply pipes REALLY don't like it if their pipes end up under floors.

Can anyone advise if it is possible for the gas people to move the point of entry for the supply to a new outside wall of the extension in line with the current direction of the pipe buried in the drive, and then reconnect to the original entry point for the existing meter via internal wall mounted pipes? Or does the meter HAVE to be as close as possible to the point the pipe enters the building?

If permissible the above feels like the simplest/cheapest way of getting round the problem, though I know there will still be some standard charge for it.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

The gas suppliers don't want their pipes buried within your property.
They will mount an external cabinet for gas meter and you can then take the feed from there.
Any Pipework before the meter belongs to the supply company.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Whilst it may not be 100% legal, its not uncommon for Building Control to be unphased by leaving the meters internal. Afterall millions of houses already have internal meters.

 

[diyswan]

Whilst it may not be 100% legal, its not uncommon for Building Control to be unphased by leaving the meters internal. Afterall millions of houses already have internal meters.

My biggest worry is that the foundations/new floor pad of the new side extension are going to have to negotiate the existing supply pipe that runs up the drive under the concrete. It only emerges immediately below where it runs up the wall before entering the house. The gas pipeline companies don't want anyone but themselves digging within 1m of a live gas pipe. I guess that they won't let us leave the entry point pipe where it is currently, because that will mean pipe they are responsible for will end up buried under the new extension.

 

[damo152003]

i have the same problem.B.C wernt bothered...
By law has to be outside wall.
I dont understand lots of house built have internal gas metres.
Anyway im going build myextension then get it moved to the front where my garage is going.you could dig the trenches urself and excavate ur old pipe to save some money.

 

[noseall]

As said, it is illegal to build over a gas service. However, the initial process of extending means that you will have to build over the service for a short period of time.
You are likely to uncover the service when you dig the foundations. This will reveal whether it is iron or plastic and will give you the opportunity to take pictures and measurements.

Build up the extension and include a meter box (builders merchants supply them) in a position above the service at about waist height. Once the scaffold is down (they won't work under a scaffold!) inform the gas company that you would like the meter moving and arrange for your plumber to re-connect the domestic supply back to the meter.

 

[bernardgreen]

A semi recessed ( semi buried ) meter box is less visually intrusive. No large white box in the brick work

There is a drawing half way down this page http://www.bes.co.uk/products/040.asp#10321

There are other suppliers.

The box has to be chosen to match the new meter, National Grid will advise on this.

Only real restriction is they cannot be used where a vehicle might drive over them

 

[diyswan]

Thanks Damo, noseall and Bernard for your comments - very helpful.

Sounds like it should be possible to get the extension shell in place with a new meter position, before National Grid come and do the repositioning of the pipe and meter. We have a well recommended builder lined up, so are planning to get him to do as much of the trench digging, and internal post-meter piping etc. as possible and supply the meter box ourselves with advice on type required.

As we can't move out for more than 2 to 3 weeks during the build I was beginning to worry that we would have to have the gas disconnected before foundation digging stage and not be able to reconnect again until the new walls were up and ready with the new meter box and internal pipework! Should be summer, so heating and eating not too much of a problem, but would miss the hot water, especially on a building site! Also really don't want to pay for disconnection and reconnection twice over, as it seems to add more than a thousand to the total cost of the process.

 

[JBR]

Just as a matter of interest, our gas meter was originally in a cabinet on one of the outside walls. Then, sometime before we bought the house, Roger (the Bodger) the previous occupant, had an extension built on to the external wall where the meter sat.

The situation when we moved in was that the gas meter was in its original plastic box and had been enclosed in a nice wooden cabinet for appearance's sake!

The other matter, which this thread has brought to mind, was that the supply pipe from outside ran under the solid floor of the extension to the meter at the far end of the room.

Nothing was mentioned on any of the surveys and, as far as I knew, all was quite acceptable.

I think I may have mentioned on another thread that when, recently, the gas suppliers decided to replace the old pipes with plastic all came to light. Initially, they insisted that they'd have to install their new pipes up the inside of the wall into the loft and down again to the meter.

My first wife would have had kittens had she known but, fortunately, I persuaded them to move the meter to the outside at the other end of the house and feed in the new pipes there.