Electricity supply through loft

[imageel]

I have a 1940's property whose existing supply is overhead, entering the roof/loft on one side, traversing the width of the house, exiting other wall and is clipped onto the rendering dropping down to 4ft and entering wall to the main fuse/FCU.
I have planning permission for an extension on the side the cable is clipped and as part of the works will be having a complete re-wire since existing wiring is old rubber sheathed and hence out of date.
Currently the existing roofspace is poorly insulated, and supply cable merely lays across roof joists and am concerned that potentially insulating to current regs would cause heating and derate the cable.
The extension will involve a lot of groundwork - e.g gas meter will have to move and the existing understair location of the main fuse/FCU is not ideal and am wondering if it would be sensible to plan to have the supply re-routed underground (the supply pole is at the end of my drive)?
The cable could then enter the extension in the front of the house adjacent to the front door where the main fuse and FCU could potentially be located.
All of the building works is notifiable, however I am asking here 1st because my architects drawings didn't detail any of this and my builder's quotes most likely don't include this since I assume they I will most likely sub-contract the electrics out.
Really I just want to know what my options will be and hence get quotes/budget accordingly,
Ed

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Everything to do with the supply is the responsibility of your DNO, not the builder. Neither you, nor they, nor any electrician may fiddle with anything up to and including the meter.

If you want the supply moving (and it sounds like that would be a good idea) then you have to get the DNO to do it, so ask them for a quote.

It won't be cheap.

Get them to split out the contestible/non-contestible items, as the former (things like digging a trench) you can arrange yourself if you don't like their price.

If your supply is TT then ask if it can be converted to TN-C-S at the same time.

 

[Astra99]

Is your property detached? If not, make sure the supply does not split in your loft to supply the neighbour! My late aunt had a 1920s property which may have had electricity installed after the build. The DNO cable entered the loft, and was split there drop to the main fuse, and to go on to supply the semi-detached neighbour. Seemingly both houses were on the same phase. Even when the cables were replaced by the DNO in the 1970s, the same route was followed!

 

[imageel]

Thanks for the replies
Ban -appreciate anything up to the meter is DNO territory, I really was trying to establish if continuing to supply via the loft was acceptable as it seems to me an unnecessary potential fire risk.
Appreciate that I need to get a quote from the DNO if I want the main fuse moved however I can't see how with the proposed building extension that leaving it where it is makes sense, perhaps the size of the quote will change my mind

Astra99 - The house is detached, and the overhead cable definitely just supplies mine only
Thanks
Ed

 

[bernardgreen]

Subject to the DNO approval your best bet may be to dig a trench from house to the base of the power pole and lay in a 32 mm diameter duct with draw cord. Fit the meter box in the wall of the house. The DNO will then supply the cable which they will pull in and connect at both ends. Depending on the DNO this may come in under £ 1000 for the connection work and the cable. You will need to pay for some one with a mechanical digger to dig the trench. The DNO may be happy for the trench to be back filled before they install the cable but take photographs to prove the depth and that marker tape was laid in.

You might be able to negotiate a discounted price for the new connection as you are removing/reducing a hazard to their network by removing their cable from the loft.


Do all you can to find routes of sewers, water, gas and other services before digging the trench. If your water pipe is the original and metal then while the trench is open consider having a new plastic water pipe installed ( it can be connected later )

 

[dinopower]

we are not allowed to run cables through lofts any more, ask someone round to look, good chance if you do all the digging they may replace it for only a small fee as they would need to remove it out of the loft space

 

[nrwilliams]

Hi,

We had a similar issue with our house and a loft conversion we were doing.

The overhead supply attached to a chimney which was going to be removed, then went into the loft, through the house, out of a soffit and then round the house, back in the house to the fuseboard.

We worried about getting this altered filled out the forms, sent them to the DNO, had a site survey visit.

They then returned and moved the supply to a new temporary location. When the building works were done they came back and moved the supply to its new permanent location and replaced the entire overhead cable right to the fuseboard in the house.

Total cost was something like £250