Hello!
I was wondering if anyone could advise or has had the same experience as we're having at the moment.
We in the middle of building an extension and loft conversion. We don't have any central heating in the house, so *since April* we've been trying to get the gas mains installed. Since that moment I feel like I've been trapped in an admin nightmare.
After wading through a ton of nonsense all year, our problem now comes down to the National Grid not wanting scaffolding on site, which I understand is a Health and Safety issue. But my builder has just told me that the part of the building the gas is going to (kitchen extension that extends about 3m from the main house) won't be scaffolded, only the rest of the house. So they won't be working under it all.
I called the National Grid today to double check if that would be workable. The guy told me that they don't really like any scaffolding anywhere on site at all....but that "we should just let them come and they can decide on the day whether they want to do it". But, that's insane because they 'might' charge a call out fine if they decide they don't want to do it. He said he'd get a surveyor to call me, but can't say when.
I'm baffled, all of this started because they wouldn't send a site surveyor unless I booked and paid for the job prematurely. I've spent the whole year trying to work with their system, but it was basically set up so that I was doomed to fail from day one. Although the people are friendly and try to be helpful, the information I get is painfully inaccurate, slow, and vague and they NEVER call back when they say they will. My phone bill is astronomical from calling the 0870 number.
I so badly just want it to be over and done with, that I'm tempted to leave the current booking in and let them come and decide, but I literally can't afford a fine, there is no money left in the coffers.
Has anyone here got any real-life experience of working with the National Grid, and whether it is just them covering their backs? and as long as there's no danger or H&S risks in the specific area are they're digging, would they just get on and do it?
It's so stressful and upsetting, and winter looms with very limited means of heating the house - which is a gaping building site
Any practical, constructive advice or insights would be so appreciated...
Thanks[/i]
I was wondering if anyone could advise or has had the same experience as we're having at the moment.
We in the middle of building an extension and loft conversion. We don't have any central heating in the house, so *since April* we've been trying to get the gas mains installed. Since that moment I feel like I've been trapped in an admin nightmare.
After wading through a ton of nonsense all year, our problem now comes down to the National Grid not wanting scaffolding on site, which I understand is a Health and Safety issue. But my builder has just told me that the part of the building the gas is going to (kitchen extension that extends about 3m from the main house) won't be scaffolded, only the rest of the house. So they won't be working under it all.
I called the National Grid today to double check if that would be workable. The guy told me that they don't really like any scaffolding anywhere on site at all....but that "we should just let them come and they can decide on the day whether they want to do it". But, that's insane because they 'might' charge a call out fine if they decide they don't want to do it. He said he'd get a surveyor to call me, but can't say when.
I'm baffled, all of this started because they wouldn't send a site surveyor unless I booked and paid for the job prematurely. I've spent the whole year trying to work with their system, but it was basically set up so that I was doomed to fail from day one. Although the people are friendly and try to be helpful, the information I get is painfully inaccurate, slow, and vague and they NEVER call back when they say they will. My phone bill is astronomical from calling the 0870 number.
I so badly just want it to be over and done with, that I'm tempted to leave the current booking in and let them come and decide, but I literally can't afford a fine, there is no money left in the coffers.
Has anyone here got any real-life experience of working with the National Grid, and whether it is just them covering their backs? and as long as there's no danger or H&S risks in the specific area are they're digging, would they just get on and do it?
It's so stressful and upsetting, and winter looms with very limited means of heating the house - which is a gaping building site
Any practical, constructive advice or insights would be so appreciated...
Thanks[/i]