Clueless flat owner trying to find a solution

[FrodoOne]

So basically I live in a basement flat and both the gas and electricity boxes are directly outside my front door, which looks ****. So my question is

1. Can these electrics be moved at all, and if so who's doing it and how much is it going to cost roughly. There are 4 meters for the 3 flats above me and my own, so could 3 them be moved upstairs to the entry floor of the other flats? Or could the entire thing move to a different place away from my from door?

2. What solution is there for covering them failing point 1. I assume some sort of electrical box will do the job for the large fuses at the bottom? Something similar to this maybe ........

Any ideas, experiences or feedback would be appreciated!

I think that the general "consensus" is that the best idea would be to cover up the (rather offensive) mess in this "entrance way".

I have a suggestion, which is based on my constructing a similar set of "doors" on a built-in wardrobe, where it was necessary for the doors to "fold" in upon themselves.



While I have no knowledge of the actual dimensions of the space concerned, I have made a rough estimate, based on the fact that door-ways should not be much less than 800 mm in width - and the usual dimensions of electric meters etc.
The diagram is a 1-to-10 representation of that which I believe may approximate this situation, with the "entrance way" being about 1100 mm wide. (Eleven 100 mm spaces represented on the diagram.)

It would be necessary to construct a substantial "stud" "WALL (A)" (from floor to ceiling) in the position shown on the right - adjacent to the "GAS" equipment.
From this, hang a 35 mm "hollow core" DOOR-A of suitable height (on my estimation, about 700 mm wide) and hinged at the point marked in RED - having the necessary gap between the top of it and the ceiling, to clear any ceiling obstructions.

On the other side of DOOR-A, hang a second DOOR-B (hinged as shown in RED). This "door" should not be wider than DOOR-A and should really be less wide by the width of WALL-A.
Thus, DOOR-B can fold back on DOOR-A and both can fold back to the right-hand wall.

(Of course, this depends on the room available between WALL-A and the "main entrance" door !)

Use "Slip-Pin" hinges, so that the "doors" can be taken off, if necessary.

The second small Stud Wall shown on the left (which may not be extended to the ceiling, because of the "ducting") may or may not be necessary, depending on the dimensions available for "swinging" the "doors".

If there is more room than I have estimated between the position of WALL-A and the MAIN "entrance door", both DOOR-A and DOOR-B could be wider, giving "access" deeper toward those "ELECTRICs"

All hinges should be "slip-pin" hinges, so that the "doors" may easily be removed, if necessary, with at least three hinges at each "hinge point".

(Those "hinge points" in RED did not come out in colour in the diagram. They can be seen as "solid" circles - and are shown in the "Attached File".)

Based on current material prices in this country, the cost might be up to (GBP) £140 for materials only, excluding labour and any transport costs.

 

[Big Hen]

I think that the general "consensus" is that the best idea would be to cover up the (rather offensive) mess in this "entrance way".

I have a suggestion, which is based on my constructing a similar set of "doors" on a built-in wardrobe, where it was necessary for the doors to "fold" in upon themselves.

View attachment 267342

While I have no knowledge of the actual dimensions of the space concerned, I have made a rough estimate, based on the fact that door-ways should not be much less than 800 mm in width - and the usual dimensions of electric meters etc.
The diagram is a 1-to-10 representation of that which I believe may approximate this situation, with the "entrance way" being about 1100 mm wide. (Eleven 100 mm spaces represented on the diagram.)

It would be necessary to construct a substantial "stud" "WALL (A)" (from floor to ceiling) in the position shown on the right - adjacent to the "GAS" equipment.
From this, hang a 35 mm "hollow core" DOOR-A of suitable height (on my estimation, about 700 mm wide) and hinged at the point marked in RED - having the necessary gap between the top of it and the ceiling, to clear any ceiling obstructions.

On the other side of DOOR-A, hang a second DOOR-B (hinged as shown in RED). This "door" should not be wider than DOOR-A and should really be less wide by the width of WALL-A.
Thus, DOOR-B can fold back on DOOR-A and both can fold back to the right-hand wall.

(Of course, this depends on the room available between WALL-A and the "main entrance" door !)

Use "Slip-Pin" hinges, so that the "doors" can be taken off, if necessary.

The second small Stud Wall shown on the left (which may not be extended to the ceiling, because of the "ducting") may or may not be necessary, depending on the dimensions available for "swinging" the "doors".

If there is more room than I have estimated between the position of WALL-A and the MAIN "entrance door", both DOOR-A and DOOR-B could be wider, giving "access" deeper toward those "ELECTRICs"

All hinges should be "slip-pin" hinges, so that the "doors" may easily be removed, if necessary, with at least three hinges at each "hinge point".

(Those "hinge points" in RED did not come out in colour in the diagram. They can be seen as "solid" circles - and are shown in the "Attached File".)

Based on current material prices in this country, the cost might be up to (GBP) £140 for materials only, excluding labour and any transport costs.

Wow thanks for taking the time to propose this idea, it's certainly worth considering. My only fear is the gas boxes already intrude to such an extent, adding anything around them would give even less space to access my front door (see attached).

Are there gas box covers that are less intrusive and would fit over the existing backplate? Just any reduction in the size of the gas boxes would be an improvement.

With regards to the electrics, I think it best I just get a good carpenter to build a fully customised box to house everything (idea attached). Is it ok that it would be housed in wood? Also any idea what an expert might charge for that kind of job? Bare in mind I'm in London!

 

[Mike13]

The freeholder was a cheapskate to put those in a public area in the open. If it is outside your front door then anyone could tamper with them. It would be on the freeholder to box then in really.

 

[flameport]

Are there gas box covers that are less intrusive

No, but the box is optional. The other 3 could be removed in the same way that the lower left one already has been.
They are for external use to protect from the weather - but as the meters are inside that's not necessary.

 

[FrodoOne]

Your "entrance way" is much longer than I estimated but it is narrower.

The Boxes covering the "Gas Equipment" appear to contribute little to the "intrusion" into your space, over the intrusion of the "equipment" itself.
Hence, removing them and covering the "equipment" with something else could intrude further into your space.
It probably would be best to leave them - and have the missing one replaced.

Since you have over 100 mm of "space" between the electrical equipment and the first Box Cover (Post #11, Picture 1), the easiest (and cheapest) "cover up" may be to
(a) fix a "Holland" roller blind from wall to wall under that "Duct" at the top left and about half-way into that space
(b) fix a batten to the ceiling, with a hinged piece of "ply-wood" (or similar) so that the ply-wood hangs down to just cover the top of the roller blind between the Duct and the top Box Cover - and "clears" the Box Cover and the Duct at either end.

The roller blind would normally be rolled down to the floor (or to the storage boxes pictured) but
could be "rolled up" (or removed as well), when access to the equipment is required and
the "hinged ply-wood" could be swung up (out of the way), when required.

To hold the latter up, against the ceiling, it may be necessary to mount a second batten in front of the other in order to mount the "magnet" part of a "Magnetic Catch" such as one of these (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Magnetic-Catches-Cupboards/s?k=Magnetic+Catches+for+Cupboards ) (Affix the magnet before mounting the batten on the ceiling.)

Of course, all of the above could be done only if you are allowed to "fix" items to the walls and ceiling !

Good Luck !

 

[Diver Fred]

I'd have hoped that the 'plastic' covers to the Gas meters could be removed if a new meter cupboard was constructed to replace those covers.
The electric ones are more interesting and look to be in the space underneath some stairs - which I'm sure the London fire brigade have some thoughts about.

You may only be able to have a cover made from non-flammable materials.

I can understand your desire to have the meters covered over.

 

[Old Salt]

Bear in mind someone may have to work on the meters and cut outs etc so they will need proper access. Whatever is built to improve the aesthetics make sure it can be removed easily.