Installing exterior meter box

[JDLDIY]

I want to move our gas meter from the interior of a gable wall to the exterior and put it in a meter cabinet. I've just done a couple of searches here and from what I can tell the easiest option is to fit a box onto the outside leaf of the wall, a job Transco will be happy to do themselves I believe. Alternatively, for a better finish I can recess a box into the exterior leaf of the wall.

So I would need to angle grind/cut a hole in the wall - would it be big enough to require a lintel? If I need a lintel what should I go for? The house is 1960's cement type mortar. What would be the best method/tools to use to cut a hole like this?

Do these boxes always come in white? I thought I saw some brown ones on Screwfix some while back but now they aren't selling any at all.

Many thanks for any advice.

 

[masona]

All the details & drawing plans are in the instuction with the meter cupboards. Maximum, minimum height, lintel, dpc etc.

I have 2 boxes and done it with a 9" angle grinder, club hammer & boulter. If you can do it yourself, you will cut down the labour cost.

These boxes come in white but you can paint over it.

 

[JDLDIY]

Thanks Masona, I'll definitely be doing it myself, it's expensive enough as it is - £300 at least for transco to come and do their bit!!

What blade did you use in the grinder? Just wondering whether to invest in a diamond blade.

Cheers for the advice.

JD

 

[masona]

What blade did you use in the grinder? Just wondering whether to invest in a diamond blade.

Diamond disc are expensive unless you have many need for it. I just use a stone cutting disc cost approx £2 ish.

 

[JDLDIY]

Masona and all

Resurrecting an old thread as I want to get on and do this job within the next 2 days or so.

I've been to the builders merchants and bought a box to recess into the wall. It does have some information printed inside regarding appropriate heights to position it, emergency numbers etc but little else. 2 questions really;

1 Do I need to install a lintel?

2 The instructions say to install dpc above, running down from the course above on the wall's inner leaf to the top of the box. This is fair enough if the box is being built into the wall as the wall is going up, but is there an easier way to do this when fitting into an existing wall? Maybe I can buy something to slide in on top of the box, something more rigid?

Many thanks again

JD

 

[masona]

solid or cavity wall?

 

[JDLDIY]

Hi there Masona, it's a cavity wall, red brick with fairly hard grey mortar. Must be cement mortar, 1960's house.

Cheers

JD

 

[masona]

The instructions say to install dpc above, running down from the course above on the wall's inner leaf to the top of the box. This is fair enough if the box is being built into the wall as the wall is going up, but is there an easier way to do this when fitting into an existing wall?

The reason for that is, the back of the box will be touching the inner wall and the dpm prevent damp bridging across. Without seeing it I can't advise you if it will need a lintel and depending how far is it from the edge of the external wall. To put the dpm all the way down to the dpc, what about when you hit the brick tie-in, so can't be done. I have seen a flat heavy duty bar lintel above the boxes The gas meter box door must always be installed with the hinge on the left.

Just re-read your post you can buy brown door from here

 

[JDLDIY]

Without seeing it I can't advise you if it will need a lintel and depending how far is it from the edge of the external wall.

The opening will be 2.7m from the left edge of the wall and about 4m from the right edge. it is on the gable end of the house, a bog standard 2 storey house.

In this case is the lintel to bear weight from above or just to keep the course of bricks on top of the opening supported? I have some right angle steel, about 5" * 3" which I could use to do the latter if necessary.

JD

 

[masona]

In this case is the lintel to bear weight from above or just to keep the course of bricks on top of the opening supported?

Yes it's just to support the 2 to 3 bricks on top and protect the plastic box.

Example:If you make a hole in the centre of a brick wall, it will not fall down as it's the way the bricks are tie-in around it.

 

[JDLDIY]

The gas meter box door must always be installed with the hinge on the left.

What's the reason for that Masona? The box I just bought from TP has the hinges on the right, Transco's brochure on the subject shows pictures of boxes with hinges on both sides.

Cheers

JD