Moving gas mains and renewing mains water supply

[Corrado]

Hello and happy New Year to all.

I need to do both of the above and I wanted to get advice about doing each one. We are having an extension built and will need to move the gas meter (currently in the garage) and we would also like to renew our water mains from the current lead one to a polypipe mains.

I am based in London E18

A: Who do we need to contact to get the gas meter moved? Also, does anyone know if the meter would have to be moved to outside the house or can it be relocated somewhere else within the garage?

B: The water mains - our builder has offered to replace the lead-pipe mains inside the house as part of the original costing, but wants to charge £450 + vat to go under the driveway and up to the Thames Water mains cock - does this sound reasonable? Can anyone tell me what size of Polypipe I would need? Also - does anyone know how much Thames water would charge and which department I should contact?

Just to say, we currently have a Worcester Bosch Condensing Combi, which will power 2 showers at the same time, so I want to increase the mains pressure.

As much help and advice on the water and gas would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

 

[Newboy]

1) Contact your gas supplier / British Gas. Only they can move the metet

2) Impossible to say if the cost is reasonable - you need to provide a bit more info - how far to the water board stopcock etc.etc.

3) Changing from lead to poly won't in itself increasse the pressure - you may be able to improve the flow rate though.

4) Why not ring Thames water and ask them to give you an estimate - I don't know what their policy is on replacing lead pipe - some water companies are very helpful though.

 

[namsag]

Its Transco you contact for moving your meter and the sooner the better at this time of year it can take weeks and weeks for it to be done,got an on going job that has been delayed 7 weeks waiting for them to turn up

 

[Corrado]

thanks very much for this. I will set to contacting both parties right away.

The length of lead pipe being replaced for £450+ vat is 3 metres, by the way.

 

[bab]

Can't comment on ur builder cos i work up north & we generally charge less. You will need to fit 25M.D.P.E pipe. Ur builder will know that. The water company should do the connection onto the mains on the road under the lead replacement scheme 4 free but as with the gas its a waiting game. But once u have the go ahead off the water supplier the n u can replace the pipe & join back onto the lead on the boundry leaving a loop of blue alkahene pipe in the trench. The water supplier will want to inspect the trench before u back fill it & u must renew the lead pipe as a minimum up to the 1st water drinking point. Pipes gota enter in a 100mm inslated duct with stopvalve & d/o off but thats run of the mill.

 

[Corrado]

thanks for that, Bab - that is brilliant.

 

[Corrado]

Bab

I asked Thames Water about the lead pipe replacement scheme and they had no idea what I was talking about!!

Can you tell me where I can find more info on this. Thames wanted to charge me £400 to connect the pipe my builder will lay onto their stopcock in the pavement.

This is all sounding horribly expensive and I am not sure it will be worth it.

The gas supply will cost about £700 to move, which is shocking, in honesty!

All the best

 

[Corrado]

also.... with regards to the gas meter, I have just been told that British Gas will re-connect my meter FOC and that all I will need to do is to get a Corgi registered installer to connect the new meter to my existing internal gas pipe work.

Thing is, is it worth going without gas for a day, just so that British Gas give me a new meter!?

 

[MANDATE]

My daughter needed to transfer from a lead pipe to a poly pipe from internal stopcock to a recently installed new mains. United utilities gave names of two approved firms and the quotes were £850 and £950.
Decided to do job myself. poly pipe less than £1 a metre ( 7 metres) 4in ducting ( 1 metre) and a bend £10. Armaflex insulation £10 (1 metre )
Internal stopcock £8, drain off valve £3, copper pipe etc.
decide to put poly pipe in 2 in ducting so another £5.
United utilities excavated in back ally and fitted outside stopcock and made connection FOC. Cut off old supply and fitted stop end. Total cost about £50.
United utilites have web site that gives details of requirements which you may find useful.

 

[bab]

Sorry Corrado if Thames wont connect 4 free . I deal mainly with Northwest water.but i will check 1st thing Monday morning why only some water suppliers hav to do this.

 

[keego]

Taken from the DWI website,

Under the 2000/2001 Regulations, water companies are required to replace their part of a lead service pipe if a consumer replaces his lead pipe. Additionally, water companies are required to replace their part of a lead service pipe if the standard of 25µg/l standard is contravened or if the water company has reason to believe that the 10 µg/l standard is likely to be contravened.

 

[Agile]

If the contractor is a Water Regs Approved Pumber then he can self certify the trench and pipework inside your property.

Of course, I would say that you should only use an Approved Contractor!!!

Tony

 

[Corrado]

Thanks everyone - I will contact the DWI and see what they say. I spoke to someone else tonight at Thames Water and she said that she was not sure what the policy was - but she is sending someone round to do a test on the water supply to trace contamination etc...Interesting stuff.

Going back to the gas issue - I just thought - my mum is on Incapacity Benefit - does that make her a registered disabled person?

It seems that Transco give discounts to those who are:

In receipt of a state pension;

A registered disabled person;

or a Chronically sick person

Anyone know if Incapacity Benefit makes her qualify as a registered disabled person?

 

[bab]

Hiya coraddo Not sure about ya last questions but if you are havin work done up here so an elderly relative can live with u the building regs r usally easier to get round & if you go to the docters & they require work done due to there condition It can be done @ Zreo VAT ie downstairs bedroom/bathroom. Majour saving on materials & Labour.